The Music Dictionary Code

gray words are tempos that tell you how fast or slow to play

red words are dynamics that tell you how loud or soft to play

blue words are directions in music that tell you where to go

yellow words tell you how how to play in general

accel. - short for accelerando which means play faster

accelerando - play faster

adagio - play slowly

al fine - to the end

allegretto - play meduim-quick

allegro - play fast and lively!

andante - play at a walking pace

a tempo - play at the original speed (same as Tempo I!)

bar - the notes and rests in between two bar lines (the upright lines!)

baton - the stick a conductor uses to direct performers

blues - a style of jazz music, usually 12 bars long

bouree - a dance in duple time (2 beats per bar) originally from France

brass instruments - trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, french horn

cadenza - a group of notes played out of time, like you’re imporvising (making it up!)

cantabile - in a singing style, or play it like you’re singing!

con moto - with movement

cresc. - short for crescendo, which means play gradually louder

crescendo - play gradually louder

da capo - go back to the beginning of the piece

dal segno - go back to the sign

dim. - short for diminuendo which means play gradually softer

diminuendo - play gradually softer

dolce - play sweetly

elegy - a lament, or sad piece for someone who has died

embouchure - the correct way to shape your lips and mouth on a wind instrument to get a sound

ensemble - French word for ‘together’ meaning any group of players together

espress - short for espressivo which means expressive, or play with expression

espressivo - expressive, or play with expression

fagotto - the Italian word for bassoon

fanfare - a piece of music usually written for a ceremony, played by trumpets or in a trumpet style

fermata - the Italian word for pause

fine - finish, or the end. Sometimes pronounced fee-nay
forte - play loud!

gavotte - a quick French dance with 4 beats to each bar

gigue - a lively dance, usually with 6 beats to each bar

giocoso - the Italian word for merry

humoresque - a fun piece of music, usually used as the title

hymn - a religious piece of music

improvisation - composing music as you go, making it up

intonation - being able to play or sing in tune, not sharp or flat

keyboard instruments - piano, harpsichord, clavichord, organ, synthesizer

key - what you press on a piano or intrument to get different notes. Also means whether a piece is major or minor and how many sharps or flats it has.

key signature - sharps or flats at the beginning of a piece of music, to be played through the whole piece

largo - slow and broad

ledger lines - short lines above or below the stave to show the pitch of notes

legato - play smoothly

leggiero - play lightly

ligature - a band (usually metal) used to fix a reed onto a mouthpiece

l’istesso tempo - the same tempo

marcato - play ‘marked’ or slightly louder (accented)

mezzo - medium. This always appears with another marking, like mezzo piano (medium-soft)

moderato - at a moderate speed

morendo - play softer and softer to the end

natural - a note that is not played as a sharp or flat

non - not

non troppo - not too fast

obbligato - the Italian word for essential, or important

octave - the distance between two note of the same name, like from middle ‘C’ up to the next ‘C’

ostinato - the Italian word for a set of notes that repeates through the entire piece or section of music

piano - play softly

percussion instruments - drums, cymbals, triangle etc

poco - a little. This usually appears with other words, like poco riten. (a little slower)

poco a poco - little by little. Appears with other words, like accel. poco a poco (play faster, little by little)

presto - lively!

quasi - Italian for nearly or almost

rall. - short for rallentando which means play gradually slower

rallentando - play gradually slower

rit. - short for ritenuto which means play slower

riten. - short for ritenuto which means play slower

ritenuto - play slower

staccato - play the notes short and detached

string instruments - violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, harp

tempo - the speed, or how fast or slow to play something

Tempo I - play at the original speed (same as a tempo!)

una corda - in piano music this means play with one string. Most pianos have a pedal for this

unison - when two or more people play or sing the same note

valse - the French word for waltz, a dance with 3 beats to each bar

vibrato - Italian word for ’shaking’. A way of enhancing the sound of a note by moving the pitch up and down quickly

vivace - Italian word for lively

waltz - a dance with 3 beats to each bar

woodwind instrument - recorder, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone