Music terms glossary

The words and signs a beginner meets on the page, in plain English. Most are Italian. Pronunciations are simple guides, not exact.

60 terms

largosay LAR-goh

Slow and broad, in a grand, stately way.

lentosay LEN-toh

Slow.

adagiosay a-DAH-joh

Slow and relaxed, without hurrying.

andantesay an-DAN-tay

At an easy walking pace.

moderatosay mod-er-AH-toh

At a moderate, middle speed.

allegrettosay al-eh-GRET-oh

Fairly quick, but not as quick as allegro.

allegrosay a-LEG-roh

Quick and lively.

prestosay PRESS-toh

Very quick.

ritardando (rit.)say ree-tar-DAN-doh

Gradually getting slower.

rallentando (rall.)say ral-en-TAN-doh

Gradually getting slower.

accelerando (accel.)say ak-sel-er-AN-doh

Gradually getting faster.

a temposay ah TEM-poh

In time: go back to the steady speed after slowing down or speeding up.

tempo primo (Tempo I)say TEM-poh PREE-moh

Go back to the speed the piece started at.

rubatosay roo-BAH-toh

Flexible time: some notes are made a little longer and others a little shorter, for expression.

allargandosay al-ar-GAN-doh

Broadening out and getting gradually slower, often getting louder too.

pp (pianissimo)say pee-ah-NEE-see-moh

Very soft.

p (piano)say pee-AH-noh

Soft.

mp (mezzo piano)say MET-soh pee-AH-noh

Moderately soft.

mf (mezzo forte)say MET-soh FOR-tay

Moderately loud.

f (forte)say FOR-tay

Loud.

ff (fortissimo)say for-TEE-see-moh

Very loud.

crescendo (cresc.)say kresh-EN-doh

Gradually getting louder; it can also be shown by a hairpin that opens out to the right.

diminuendo (dim.) or decrescendosay di-min-yoo-EN-doh

Gradually getting softer.

sforzando (sf or sfz)say sfort-SAN-doh

A sudden, strong accent on a note.

morendosay mor-EN-doh

Dying away, fading to nothing.

legatosay leh-GAH-toh

Smoothly, with no gaps between the notes.

staccatosay stak-AH-toh

Short and detached, shown by a dot above or below the note.

accent (>)

A sign that tells you to play a note with extra stress, so it stands out.

tenutosay teh-NOO-toh

Held: keep the note sustained.

slur

A curved line over notes of different pitches, telling you to play them smoothly or as one phrase.

tie

A curved line joining two notes of the same pitch, so you play the note once and hold it for both lengths added together.

fermata (pause)say fer-MAH-tah

A pause sign over a note or rest that means hold it for longer than usual.

cantabilesay can-TAH-bee-lay

In a singing style.

dolcesay DOLL-chay

Sweetly and gently.

graziososay grats-ee-OH-soh

Gracefully.

similesay SIM-ee-lay

In the same way: keep playing the way you just have been.

pocosay POH-koh

A little.

moltosay MOLL-toh

Much or very, as in molto allegro, very quick.

sempresay SEM-pray

Always, as in sempre legato, smooth all the way through.

poco a pocosay POH-koh ah POH-koh

Little by little, for example getting louder bit by bit.

repeat signs

Two dots beside a double bar line that mark a section to play twice; if there is no starting repeat sign, go back to the beginning.

first and second endings

Bracketed endings over a repeated section: play the first ending the first time, then skip it and play the second ending the next time.

D.C. (da capo)say dah KAH-poh

From the beginning: go back to the start of the piece.

D.S. (dal segno)say dal SEN-yoh

From the sign: go back to the sign in the music, not to the very beginning.

finesay FEE-nay

The end: after a D.C. or D.S., stop when you reach it.

da capo al fine (D.C. al fine)say dah KAH-poh al FEE-nay

Go back to the beginning and play until you reach the word fine.

codasay KOH-dah

A closing section that rounds off the end of a piece. "To Coda" and a target-like sign tell you to jump to it.

middle C

The C near the middle of the piano keyboard, also called C4. It is written on a short ledger line just below the treble stave, or just above the bass stave.

octavesay OK-tiv

The distance from one note to the next note with the same letter name, higher or lower.

8vasay ot-TAH-vah

Play the notes one octave higher than written; 8va bassa means one octave lower.

sustain pedal (damper pedal, Ped.)

The right-hand piano pedal, which lifts the dampers so notes keep ringing after you let go of the keys.

una cordasay OO-nah COR-dah

Literally one string: press the left, soft pedal of the piano for a quieter sound.

sostenuto pedalsay sos-teh-NOO-toh

The middle pedal on some pianos, which keeps only the notes already held down ringing on.

fret

One of the thin metal strips across a guitar's neck that mark where to press a string to play each note.

caposay KAP-oh

A clamp fastened across all the strings to raise their pitch by a chosen amount.

strum

To play several strings in one movement by brushing across them.

p-i-m-asay pee, ee, em, ah

Letters for the right-hand fingers on classical guitar: p is the thumb, i the index, m the middle and a the ring finger, from their Spanish names.

rest stroke (apoyando)say ah-poy-AN-doh

Plucking a string so your finger comes to rest on the next string, giving a strong sound.

free stroke (tirando)say tee-RAN-doh

Plucking a string so your finger clears the next string and moves back towards your palm.

action

The height of a guitar's strings above the frets; lower action is usually easier to press down.