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Music / Musical Terms Glossary & Definitions

Musical Instruments, Musical Terms Defined and Explained

A Glossary of music and definitions of musical terms. Each musical term is defined and described in a short paragraph with images where applicable.


A

A Cappella
Accelerando
Acciaccatura
Accidental
Accompagnato
Accompany
Accordion
Acoustic
Acoustics
Action
Adagio
Adiagietto
Affettuoso
Affrettando
Agitato
Air
Allegretto
Allegro
Altissimo
Alto
Analogue
Andante
Animato
Anthem
Antiphon
Arabesque
Aria
Arpeggio
Arrange

B

Baby Grand
Bagatelle
Bagpipe
Ballet
Banjo
Bar
Bar Line
Baritone
Baroque
Bass
Bassoon
Baton
Beat
Beats Per Minute (BPM)
Bis
Blues
Body
Bongo
Bow
Brass
Bridge
Broken Chord

C

Cadence
Cadenza
Calando
Canon
Cantor
Cappella
Caprice
Carillon
Carol
Castanets
Celeste
Cello
Celtic Harp
Chamber Music
Chanson
Choir
Choral
Chords
Choreography
Chromatic
Clarinet
Classical
Claves
Clavichord
Clef
Coda
Common Time
Concert
Concord
Conduct
Cornet
Count In
Counterpoint
Crescendo
Crotchet

D

Da Capo
Damper Pedal
Decibel
Didgeridoo
Dim
Diminished
Discord
Dissonance
Dolce
Dominant
Dot
Double Bar Line
Double Bass
Double Flat
Double Sharp
Down-stroke
Downbeat
Drone
Drum
Drum Machine
Duet
Dulcimer
Duplet
Dynamics

E

Effects Pedals
Electric
Encore
Ensemble
Equal Voices

Ã

Étude

E

Eurhythmics
Exercise

F

Falsetto
Fandango
Fanfare
Fiddle
Fife
Fingerboard
Fingering
Flam
Flamenco
Flat
Flautist
Flute
Forte
Fortissimo
Four/four Time
French Horn
Fret
Fret Board

G

Glissando
Glockenspiel
Gong
Grace Note
Grand Piano
Grave
Gregorian Chant
Guitar
Guitar Tablature

H

Harmonica
Harmonics
Harmonium
Harmony
Harp
Headstock
Horn
Hymn

I

Impromptu
Improvisation
Instrumental
Instrumentation
Interlude
Interval
Introduction

J

Jam Session
Jazz

K

Kettledrum
Key
Key Note
Key Signature
Koto

L

Largo
Ledger Line
Legato
Lento
Loop
Lyricist

M

Machine Heads
Major Scale
Mandolin
Maracas
March
Marimba
Measure
Media File
Melody
Metronome
Mezzo Forte
Microphone
MIDI
Minim
Minor Scale
Mixer
Moderato
Modulation
Movement
Mp3
MP3
Multi-timbral
Music
Mute

N

Nachtmusik
Natural
Neck
Nocturne
Notation
Note
Nylon String Guitar

O

Oboe
Ocarina
Octave
Open
Open Chord
Opera
Orchestra
Organ
Overblow

P

Panpipes
Pause
Pedal
Pentatonic
Percussion
Perfect Pitch
Philharmonic
Piano
Pianoforte
Piccolo
Pickups
Pitch
Pizzicato
Plectrum
Polyphonic
Polyphony
Portamento
Prelude

Q

Quarter Beat
Quartet
Queen

R

Recorder
Refrain
Register
Repeat Sign
Resolution
Rest
Rhapsody
Rhythm
Riff
Ringtones
Ritardano
Rock
Rock 'n' Roll
Root Note

S

Saxophone
Scale
Semibreve
Semiquaver
Semitone
Sharp
Side Drum
Sight Read
Sitar
Slide
Slur
Solo
Soloist
Sonata
Song
Soprano
Sound Board
Sound Hole
Staccato
Staff
Stave
Steel Band
Steel String Guitar
Stem
Strumming
Sustaining Pedal
Syncopation
Synthesis
Synthesizer

T

Tab
Tambourine
Tempo
Tenor
Three / Four Time
Tie
Time Signature
Timpani
Tin Whistle
Toccata
Tone
Transcribed
Transpose
Treble Clef
Triangle
Trill
Triplet
Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba
Tubular Bells
Tuning Fork

U

Ukelele
Unison
Upright Piano

V

Valve
Vibraphone
Vibrato
Viola
Violin
Violin Family
Virginal

W

Waltz
WAV File
Western Mouth Organ
Whole Beat
Wind Instruments
Wire Brush
Woodwind