Introduction
Whether you’re a seasoned musician, a music student, or simply a passionate listener, understanding musical terminology can significantly enhance your appreciation and engagement with music. This comprehensive glossary compiles musical terms from classical sheet music traditions, modern production techniques, genre-specific vocabulary, and musician slang to create the most complete music terms list available online.
Each term is clearly defined with examples where applicable, making this an invaluable reference for anyone looking to deepen their musical knowledge. Browse alphabetically or use the table of contents to find specific terms quickly.
A
Treble: 1. The higher register of an instrument or voice. 2. The treble clef, an essential symbol in the glossary of musical terms.
Tremolo: 1. Rapid repetition of a single note. 2. Rapid alternation between multiple notes.
Triad: A three-note chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth.
Trill: Rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, an ornament commonly found in classical music.
Trio: 1. A group of three performers. 2. A composition for three instruments or voices. 3. The contrasting middle section of a minuet or scherzo.
Triplet: A group of three notes played or sung in the time normally given to two notes of the same value.
Tritone: An interval spanning three whole tones, historically known as the “devil’s interval” due to its dissonant quality.
Turnaround: A short chord progression that leads back to the beginning of a section, often used in jazz and blues.
Tutti: Direction for all performers to play together.
Twang: A bright, resonant quality of sound, especially associated with certain guitar styles and country music vocals, demonstrating how the speed of a piece of music is played can be affected by articulation. A cappella: Vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.
Absolute pitch (also called perfect pitch): The ability to identify or reproduce a given musical note without any reference tone.
Accent: Emphasis placed on a particular note or phrase in a piece of music written for performance.
Accidental: A symbol that raises or lowers the pitch of a note (sharp, flat, natural).
Acid: In electronic music, it refers to the squelchy, resonant sound created by the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer, forming the foundation of acid house music.
Adagio: A slow tempo marking in classical music, typically 66-76 BPM.
Ad lib (or ad libitum): Instruction allowing the performer to improvise or interpret a passage freely.
Aftertouch: On electronic keyboards, the pressure is applied to keys after they’ve been struck and while they’re being held down, allowing for expressive control.
Agitato: Playing in an agitated, restless manner.
Air: 1. A melody or tune. 2. In audio production, it refers to the high-frequency content that gives recordings a sense of space and openness.
Aleatoric music: Music where some elements are left to chance or the musician’s choice.
Allegro: A fast, lively tempo marking, typically 120-168 BPM, indicating the speed of a piece of music is played.
Alto: 1. The second-highest vocal range in choral music. 2. A type of saxophone or other instrument in this range.
Ambient: A genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure.
Amp: Slang for amplifier, a device that increases the power of audio signals.
Andante: A moderate walking pace tempo, typically 76-108 BPM.
Anthem: 1. A rousing, uplifting song adopted by a group or cause. 2. In dance music, a particularly popular track that defines a scene or era.
Anticipation: A non-chord tone that occurs before the harmony changes, anticipating the next chord.
Apoyando: In classical guitar, a rest stroke where the finger comes to rest on the adjacent string after plucking.
Arpeggio: Playing the notes of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously. Learn arpeggio techniques in Music Gateway’s guide to guitar arpeggios.
Arrangement: The adaptation of a musical composition for different instruments or voices than those for which it was originally written.
Articulation: How notes are played or sung, including attack, sustain, and release.
Attack: 1. The way a note is initiated. 2. In audio engineering, the initial transient of a sound.
Atonal: Music that lacks a tonal center or key.
Attacca: Direction to proceed immediately to the next movement without pause.
Axe: Slang for a musical instrument, especially a guitar.
B
B-boy/B-girl: Dancers who perform to hip-hop music, particularly breakbeats.
Baby bass: A small, portable upright bass popular in Latin music.
Backbeat: Emphasis on beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time, characteristic of rock, pop, and related genres.
Backing track: Pre-recorded music that performers play or sing along with during live performances.
Backmasking: Recording sounds or messages that are meant to be heard when the track is played backward.
Bagpipe: A wind instrument with reed pipes fed by air from a bag.
Ballad: A slow, emotional song, often telling a story.
Band: 1. A group of musicians who perform together. 2. In audio engineering, a specific range of frequencies.
Bangers: Slang for particularly energetic, crowd-pleasing songs, especially in dance music.
Bar (or measure): A segment of time in music containing a specific number of beats defined by the time signature.
Barline: The vertical line in musical notation that separates measures.
Barocco: The Baroque period in music history, approximately 1600-1750.
Bars: In hip-hop, refers to lines of lyrics or verses.
Bass: 1. The lowest part in harmonic music. 2. The lowest male singing voice. 3. Short for bass guitar. Discover bass playing techniques a Music Gateway’s bass playing guide.
Bass drop: In electronic dance music, a dramatic moment when the bass line re-enters after a build-up section, a key element in how the speed of a piece of music is played with for emotional impact.
Bassline: The lowest melodic line in a musical composition, often defining the harmonic progression.
Beat: 1. The basic unit of time in music. 2. In hip-hop, the instrumental track over which vocals are performed.
Beat matching: The technique of synchronizing the tempos of multiple tracks to create a seamless transition between songs, essential in DJ mixing.
Bebop: A style of jazz characterized by fast tempos, complex chord progressions, and improvisation, an important development in classical music‘s evolution into modern forms.
Bellows: The accordion component that compresses and expands to force air through the reeds.
Bend: A Technique where a note’s pitch is raised by pushing the string sideways on a fretted instrument.
Binaural: Audio recording technique using two microphones to create a 3D stereo sound sensation.
Bit crusher: An audio effect that reduces the resolution or bit depth of audio, creating a distinctive distortion.
BPM (Beats Per Minute): The tempo measurement indicating how many beats occur in one minute, determining the walking pace of a composition.
Breakdown: A section of a song where most instruments drop out, often before a build-up or chorus.
Bridge: A contrasting section that connects two main parts of a song, typically occurring after the second chorus. The bridge is an essential element in music written for popular formats.
Bright: Describing a sound with prominent high-frequency content.
Broken chord: A chord played or sung one note at a time in a specific pattern.
Brostep: A subgenre of dubstep characterized by aggressive, mid-range synth sounds.
Brown note: A theoretical low-frequency sound that would cause humans to lose control of their bowels (scientifically unproven).
Bucket brigade: An analog delay circuit used in vintage effect units.
Buffer: In digital audio, a temporary storage area for audio data during processing.
Buss (or bus): In audio production, a channel through which multiple audio signals can be routed. The glossary of musical terms continues to expand as production technology evolves.
C
Cadence: A melodic or harmonic progression that creates a sense of resolution.
Call and response: A musical form where a phrase is followed by a direct answer or commentary.
Capo: A device clamped to the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch.
Carioca: A Brazilian dance rhythm.
Chillout: A genre of electronic music designed for relaxation.
Choking: A guitar technique where notes are quickly muted after being played.
Chord: Three or more notes played simultaneously.
Chord progression: A series of chords played in sequence.
Chorus: 1. The repeated, main section of a song. 2. An audio effect that creates the impression of multiple voices or instruments playing simultaneously.
Chromatic: 1. Relating to notes that do not belong to the prevailing key. 2. Moving by semitones, an important concept in the glossary of musical terms.
Clavi: Short for clavinet, an electrically amplified clavichord.
Clef: The symbol at the beginning of a staff that indicates which notes are represented by the lines and spaces, essential knowledge for reading music written in standard notation.
Click track: A metronome-like audio guide used by musicians to maintain tempo during recording, ensuring consistent speed of a piece of music is played.
Coda: The concluding passage of a piece or movement in classical music.
Coloration: The tonal quality or timbre added to sound by an instrument, space, or audio equipment.
Comp: 1. In jazz, to play chords that accompany a soloist. 2. In recording, to create a composite track from multiple takes.
Compressor: An audio processor that reduces the dynamic range of a signal. Master compression techniques with Music Gateway’s compression guide.
Contrapuntal: Relating to counterpoint, the relationship between two or more melodic lines.
Corny: Slang for music that is overly sentimental, clichéd, or predictable.
Countermelody: A secondary melody played or sung against the main melody.
Cowbell: A percussion instrument made of metal in the shape of a bell.
Crescendo: A gradual increase in volume, one of the dynamics markings in the glossary of musical terms.
Crossfade: A gradual transition from one audio signal to another
Cue: 1. A signal for a musician to begin playing. 2. In DJing, to preview a track before playing it to the audience.
Cut time: A time signature that indicates the rhythm should be felt in two rather than four, notated with a C with a vertical line, creating a faster walking pace.
Cutoff frequency: In a filter, the frequency at which attenuation begins.
D
Da capo (D.C.): Direction to repeat from the beginning.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation): Software used for recording, editing, and producing audio.
Deadspot: An area on an instrument where notes respond poorly or unevenly.
Decay: The rate at which a sound decreases from its initial attack to the sustain level.
Decrescendo (or diminuendo): A gradual decrease in volume.
Deep cut: A lesser-known song from an artist’s catalog, not typically played on the radio.
Delay: An audio effect that creates a delayed copy of a signal, creating an echo effect.
Descant: A melody or countermelody sung above the main theme.
Detaché: A bowing technique for string instruments where each note is played with a separate bow stroke.
Diatonic: Notes or chords that naturally occur within a given key.
Diminished: A chord consisting of two minor thirds stacked on top of each other.
Dinger: Slang for an exceptionally good song.
Disco nap: A short sleep before going out to dance or perform late at night.
Distortion: An audio effect that creates harmonic content through amplitude clipping.
DJ: Disc jockey; someone who plays recorded music for an audience.
Djent: A subgenre of progressive metal characterized by palm-muted, extended-range guitar riffs.
Dolce: Direction to play in a sweet, soft manner.
Dominant: The fifth degree of a scale and the chord built on that degree.
Dorian: A mode based on the second degree of the major scale.
Double-time: Twice the tempo of the original beat.
Downbeat: The first beat of a measure, usually the strongest.
Downmix: The process of combining multiple audio channels into fewer channels.
Drone: A continuous, sustained sound, often used as a foundation for melody.
Drop: In electronic dance music, the moment when the full bassline and beat re-enter after a build-up.
Drum machine: An electronic device that creates percussion sounds and patterns.
Dry: An audio signal without any effects applied.
Dubplate: A custom-made, one-off acetate disc used by DJs to test new music.
Dynamics: The variation in loudness between notes or phrases.
E
EBow: A handheld electronic device that uses electromagnets to vibrate guitar strings without picking.
Echo: A distinct, delayed repetition of a sound.
Eighth note: A note value equal to half a quarter note.
Embouchure: The position and use of lips, facial muscles, and tongue when playing a wind instrument.
Enharmonic: Notes that sound the same but are written differently (e.g., F# and Gb).
Ensemble: 1. A group of musicians who perform together. 2. The quality of musicians playing together cohesively.
Envelope: In synthesis, the change of a sound parameter over time, often described by ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release).
Equalization (EQ): The process of adjusting the balance between frequency components in an audio signal.
Etagère: Slang for a band setup or arrangement of electronic equipment.
Etude: A piece composed for the development of a specific technique.
Expression: The emotional aspect of a musical performance.
F
Fade: A gradual increase (fade-in) or decrease (fade-out) in volume.
Falsetto: A vocal technique allowing a singer to sing notes higher than their normal range.
Fender bender: Slang for a guitarist who plays Fender instruments exclusively.
Fermata: A symbol indicating a note or rest should be held longer than its normal duration.
Fifth: An interval spanning five diatonic scale degrees.
Fill: A short, often improvised passage that connects phrases or sections.
Filter: An audio processor that attenuates specific frequency ranges.
Fingerpicking: A technique for playing string instruments using the fingertips rather than a pick.
Fingerstyle: A technique for playing guitar using fingers rather than a pick.
Fire: Slang term for music that is exceptionally good or impressive.
Flageolet: Another term for a harmonic tone on a stringed instrument.
Flat: 1. A symbol (♭) indicating a note should be lowered by a semitone. 2. Being slightly lower in pitch than the correct intonation.
Flautando: A string instrument technique producing a flute-like sound by bowing lightly over the fingerboard.
Floor tom: The largest tom-tom drum in a standard drum kit.
Flow: In hip-hop, the rhythm and rhyme pattern of a rapper’s delivery.
Flutter-tonguing: A wind instrument technique producing a rippling sound by rolling the tongue.
Flying faders: Motorized faders on a mixing console that move automatically during automated mixing.
Forte (f): Direction to play loudly.
Fortissimo (ff): Direction to play very loudly.
Four on the floor: A steady bass drum pattern hitting on every beat in 4/4 time, common in dance music.
Fourth: An interval spanning four diatonic scale degrees.
Frequency: The number of cycles per second of a sound wave, measured in Hertz (Hz).
Front of house (FOH): The area where sound is controlled for the audience in a live performance venue.
Fundamental: The lowest frequency component of a complex sound.
G
Gain: 1. The level of amplification applied to an audio signal. 2. The amount of distortion on a guitar amplifier.
Gamelan: A traditional Indonesian ensemble featuring metallophones, drums, gongs, and bamboo flutes.
Ghost note: A musical note played with very low dynamic, almost inaudible but contributing to the rhythm.
Glissando: A continuous slide from one pitch to another.
Groove: The sense of propulsive rhythmic feel or sense of swing in music.
Grunge: A rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1980s, characterized by distorted guitars and angsty lyrics.
Guitar face: The often contorted facial expressions made by guitarists during intense playing or solos.
Guttural: Deep, throaty vocal sounds, often used in death metal and similar genres.
H
Half-step (or semitone): The smallest interval commonly used in Western music.
Hammer-on: A guitar technique where a higher note is played by “hammering” a finger onto the fretboard without plucking.
Harmonic minor: A minor scale with a raised seventh degree.
Harmonics: 1. Overtones that occur naturally in a sound. 2. Bell-like tones produced on string instruments by lightly touching the string at specific points.
Harmony: The simultaneous combination of notes and the relationships between them, fundamental to understanding how music is constructed.
Headroom: The margin between the nominal operating level and the maximum level before distortion occurs.
Heat: Slang for particularly impressive or emotionally charged music.
Heavy: 1. Music with a strong emphasis on distorted sounds and powerful dynamics. 2. Slang for emotionally intense or impressive.
Hi-hat: A pair of cymbals mounted on a stand, operated by a foot pedal, crucial for establishing the walking pace in many drum patterns.
High-pass filter: A filter that allows frequencies above a cutoff point to pass through while attenuating lower frequencies. Master EQ techniques at Music Gateway’s EQ guide.
Hook: A catchy musical phrase or lyric designed to grab the listener’s attention and be easily remembered. Learn to write catchy hooks at Music Gateway’s songwriting guide.
Hot: 1. In audio engineering, a signal that’s close to clipping. 2. Slang for popular or exciting music.
Howl: Undesired feedback between a microphone and speaker.
Hum: An unwanted continuous low-frequency noise in an audio system, often from AC power.
Humbucker: A type of electric guitar pickup designed to reduce hum and noise. The glossary of musical terms continues to evolve with technological developments in music equipment.
I
Idiomatic: Music that’s particularly well-suited to a specific instrument.
Imitation: A compositional technique where a musical idea introduced by one voice is repeated in another.
Improvisation: Creating and performing music spontaneously.
In the pocket: Playing with perfect timing and groove, particularly in rhythm sections.
Instrument: A device used to produce musical sounds.
Interlude: A short piece of music played between scenes in a play, movements of a larger work, or songs in an album.
Interval: The distance between two pitches.
Intonation: The accuracy of pitch in playing or singing.
Intro: The opening section of a song.
J
Jam: 1. An improvised musical session. 2. To play music in an improvisatory way with others.
Jazz hands: A theatrical gesture with palms facing out and fingers spread wide, satirically used to represent exaggerated enthusiasm.
Jingle: A short, catchy tune used in advertising.
Jump blues: An up-tempo style of blues that was a precursor to rhythm and blues and rock and roll.
Just intonation: A tuning system where intervals are tuned as whole number ratios.
K
Key: The tonal center of a piece and its corresponding scale.
Keyed up: Being nervous or anxious before a performance.
Keytar: A keyboard instrument worn like a guitar.
Kick drum: The largest drum in a standard drum kit, played with a foot pedal.
Kill switch: A button or switch that immediately cuts the audio signal, used for effect on some electric guitars.
Klangfarbenmelodie: A technique where a melody is passed between different instruments to create varying timbres.
Knee slapper: A humorous or lively tune, traditionally accompanied by slapping one’s knee in time.
L
Lacuna: A deliberate silence or void in a musical passage.
Larghetto: A tempo marking indicating a somewhat slow speed (60-66 BPM).
Largo: A very slow tempo marking (40-60 BPM).
Lead: 1. The main melody or solo part. 2. Slang for the lead guitarist or vocalist in a band.
Legato: Playing notes smoothly connected without separation.
Leitmotif: A recurring musical theme associated with a particular person, place, or idea.
Lick: A short, recognizable musical phrase, often used in solos.
Licorice stick: Jazz slang for a clarinet.
Lilt: A rhythmic swing or bounce in the music.
Limiter: An audio processor that prevents a signal from exceeding a specified volume.
Line: 1. A melodic passage. 2. In audio, a connection or signal path.
Lip roll: A beatboxing technique that creates a rolling or bubbling sound.
Loch ness: Slang for a bassist who is rarely seen or heard clearly in the mix.
Locked in: When musicians play together with perfect timing and groove.
Loop: A segment of audio that repeats seamlessly.
Low-pass filter: A filter that allows frequencies below a cutoff point to pass through while attenuating higher frequencies.
Lute: A plucked string instrument with a pear-shaped body.
Lyric: The words of a song.
M
Madrigal: A secular vocal music composition of the Renaissance and early Baroque periods.
Major: A scale or chord based on the pattern Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Whole-Half.
Marcato: A note played with emphasis or accent.
Mastering: The final step in audio production, preparing mixed audio for distribution. Learn professional mastering techniques at Music Gateway’s free online mastering tool.
Measure (or bar): A segment of time in music containing a specific number of beats, essential for understanding how music written on the page is organized.
Melisma: Singing a single syllable while moving between several different notes, a technique frequently used in vocal music.
Melody: A sequence of single notes that form a recognizable musical line.
Metalhead: A devoted fan of heavy metal music.
Meter: The regular pattern of strong and weak beats that gives music its rhythm, determining how the speed of a piece of music is played is perceived.
Mezzo-forte (mf): Direction to play moderately loud.
Mezzo-piano (mp): Direction to play moderately soft.
Mic drop: Slang for ending a performance in a dramatic, triumphant manner.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): A protocol that allows electronic instruments and computers to communicate. Learn more about MIDI at Music Gateway’s MIDI guide.
Minor: A scale or chord based on the pattern Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole, often associated with sad or serious moods, an important part of the glossary of musical terms.
Mix: The balance of levels, panning, and effects between multiple audio tracks.
Modal jazz: Jazz that uses musical modes rather than chord progressions as its harmonic foundation.
Mode: A type of scale with a specific pattern of intervals, derived from ancient Greek music theory and important in classical music.
Modulation: 1. Changing from one key to another within a piece. 2. In synthesis, using one signal to control a parameter of another signal.
Molto: Very; used with other musical directions to intensify them.
Monophonic: 1. Music with only one melodic line without harmony or accompaniment. 2. A synthesizer capable of playing only one note at a time.
Mordent: A rapid alternation between a note and the note above or below it, an ornament commonly played or sung in baroque music.
Motif: A short musical phrase that recurs throughout a composition.
Movement: A self-contained section of a larger musical composition, often with its own distinct walking pace or tempo.
MP3: A compressed digital audio format.
Muffled: Sound that lacks clarity, particularly in the high frequencies.
Mute: 1. To silence an instrument or audio signal. 2. A device used to dampen the sound of an instrument.
N
Natural: A symbol (♮) that cancels a previous sharp or flat.
Neoclassical: Music that draws inspiration from the classical period while using modern techniques or instruments.
Noise floor: The level of background noise in an audio system.
Noise gate: A processor that silences an audio signal when it falls below a specified threshold.
Nonett: A composition for nine instruments.
Notation: The system of writing music down using symbols.
Note: 1. A single sound of defined pitch and duration. 2. A symbol on a musical staff representing this sound.
Noodling: Informal improvisation, often without a clear direction or purpose.
O
Obligato: An essential instrumental part that cannot be omitted.
Octave: An interval spanning eight diatonic scale degrees, where the higher note has twice the frequency of the lower note.
Ode: A lyrical poem or song expressing praise.
Off-kilter: Intentionally unbalanced or asymmetrical rhythm or harmony.
One-drop: A reggae rhythm where the bass drum hits on the third beat of the measure.
Open chord: A chord that includes open (unfretted) strings.
Open tuning: Tuning a stringed instrument so that strumming the open strings produces a chord.
Opus: A numbering system used to identify a musical composition in a composer’s catalog.
Orchestra: A large ensemble of musicians playing different instruments together.
Orchestration: The art of arranging music for an orchestra or ensemble.
Ostinato: A continuously repeated musical phrase or rhythm.
Outro: The concluding section of a song.
Overdrive: A type of distortion effect that simulates an overdriven amplifier.
Overtone: A frequency higher than the fundamental frequency of a sound.
P
Pad: A sustained synthesizer sound used to fill out the texture of a piece.
Palm mute: A guitar technique where the side of the picking hand lightly touches the strings near the bridge to create a muted sound.
Pan: To position a sound between the left and right channels in a stereo field.
Parallel fifths: When two voices or parts move in the same direction by the interval of a perfect fifth.
Passing tone: A non-chord tone that connects two chord tones by step.
Patch: A specific sound setting on a synthesizer or digital instrument.
Pedal point: A sustained note, typically in the bass, over which harmonies change.
Pentatonic scale: A five-note scale widely used in various music traditions.
Percussion: The family of instruments played by striking, shaking, or scraping.
Phrase: A musical unit, similar to a sentence in language.
Piano (p): Direction to play softly.
Pianissimo (pp): Direction to play very softly.
Pick: A small flat tool used to pluck stringed instruments.
Pickup: 1. A device that converts string vibrations into electrical signals in an electric stringed instrument. 2. One or more notes that lead into a phrase or section.
Pickup band: A group of musicians assembled for a specific performance without regular rehearsals.
Pizzicato: Plucking the strings of a string instrument with fingers instead of using a bow.
Plug-in: Software that adds specific features to a digital audio workstation.
Pocket: The optimal timing and groove in rhythm playing.
Polymetric: Having multiple conflicting meters simultaneously.
Polyphonic: Music with two or more independent melodic lines.
Polyrhythm: The simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms.
Pop filter: A screen placed between a vocalist and microphone to reduce plosive sounds.
Portamento: A smooth slide between two pitches.
Post-production: The editing, mixing, and processing of audio after recording.
Power chord: A two-note chord consisting of the root and fifth, common in rock music.
Pre-amp: A device that boosts a weak electrical signal to line level.
Prelude: An introductory piece of music.
Producer: The person who oversees and guides the recording process.
Progression: A sequence of chords.
Pulsing: A rhythmic effect where notes or chords are repeatedly accented.
Pump up the jam: Slang for increasing the energy or volume of music.
Punk: A rock music genre characterized by fast tempos, short songs, and anti-establishment lyrics.
Q
Q: In equalization, the width of the frequency band is affected.
Quadraphonic: A sound system using four channels for a surround sound effect.
Quarter note: A note value equal to one-fourth of a whole note.
Quarter-tone: An interval half the size of a semitone.
Quintet: A composition for five instruments or voices.
R
Rack: A standard frame for mounting audio equipment.
Ragtime: A musical style characterized by a syncopated melodic line and regularly accented accompaniment.
Rally call: A musical phrase designed to energize or motivate.
Rallentando: A gradual slowing down of tempo.
Range: The span between the highest and lowest notes an instrument or voice can produce.
Rap: A vocal technique that involves speaking rhythmically over a beat.
Rawk: Slang spelling of “rock,” often used to emphasize a particularly energetic or authentic rock sound.
Razor: Slang for a particularly sharp or cutting sound.
Real Book: A collection of lead sheets for jazz standards.
Recapitulation: The return of the main theme in sonata form.
Reed: A thin strip of material that vibrates to produce sound in certain woodwind instruments.
Register: A specific range or section of an instrument’s or voice’s total range.
Relative minor/major: A major and minor key that share the same key signature.
Release: The final phase of a sound’s envelope, representing how quickly it fades to silence.
Remedial banging: Humorous slang for basic, unskilled drumming.
Reprise: A repetition or return of material presented earlier in a piece.
Resonance: The reinforcement of certain frequencies when an object is subjected to vibrations matching its natural frequency.
Rest: A period of silence in a musical piece, indicated by a symbol in notation.
Reverb: The persistence of sound after the original sound has ceased, either naturally or artificially created.
Rhythm: The pattern of regular or irregular pulses in music.
Rhythm section: The instruments in a band that establish the rhythm and harmony, typically drums, bass, and rhythm guitar or piano.
Riff: A repeated chord progression or melodic figure that forms the basis of a song.
Rigaudon: A lively French Baroque dance in duple meter.
Ritardando: A gradual slowing down of tempo.
Ritornello: A recurring passage in Baroque music.
Road dog: Slang for a musician who tours frequently.
Rock and roll: A genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Root: The reference note of a chord or scale.
Rubato: A temporary disregarding of strict tempo to allow for expressive freedom.
Run: A rapid succession of consecutive notes.
S
Sample: 1. A digital recording of a sound that can be reused. 2. To record a portion of existing audio for reuse.
Sampling rate: The number of samples per second in a digital audio recording.
Scale: A series of notes arranged by ascending or descending pitch.
Scat: Vocal improvisation with wordless syllables in jazz.
Scordatura: An alternate tuning used for string instruments.
Score: The written form of a musical composition.
Second: An interval spanning two diatonic scale degrees.
Segno: A symbol marking a specific point in a score to which the performer should return.
Semitone (or half step): The smallest interval in Western music.
Sensory consonance: Perception of stability or resolution in a chord or interval.
Sequence: 1. A melodic or harmonic pattern repeated at different pitches. 2. A programmed series of electronic events in music production.
Seventh: An interval spanning seven diatonic scale degrees.
Sharp: A symbol (♯) indicating a note should be raised by a semitone.
Sheet music: The physical printed page on which musical notation is written.
Shimmer: A type of reverb effect characterized by bright, sustained high frequencies.
Sidechaining: An audio processing technique where one signal controls a parameter of another signal’s processor.
Sidechain compression: Compression triggered by an external audio source, commonly used to make a bassline “duck” when the kick drum hits.
Sightreading: Performing music from a score without previous rehearsal.
Signature: See “time signature.”
Silking: The application of silk to reeds in woodwind instruments for moisture control.
Sixteenth note: A note value equal to one-sixteenth of a whole note.
Sixth: An interval spanning six diatonic scale degrees.
Slap bass: A percussive technique used on the bass guitar.
Slur: A curved line connecting notes to be played legato.
Snare drum: A percussion instrument with wires (snares) stretched across the bottom head.
Soli: Passages played by a section of an orchestra or band rather than by a soloist.
Solo: 1. A section of music performed by a single performer. 2. To perform alone.
Son clave: A five-note rhythm pattern fundamental to Latin music.
Sonata: A musical composition for a solo instrument or small ensemble, typically in multiple movements.
Song: A musical composition with vocals.
Soprano: The highest female or treble voice.
Sostenuto: 1. Played in a sustained manner. 2. A piano pedal that sustains only the notes being held down when the pedal is depressed.
Soundboard: The resonating panel of a stringed instrument.
Sound check: A test of a sound system before a performance.
Sousaphone: A type of tuba designed to be carried in marching bands.
Sprechstimme: A vocal technique between speaking and singing.
Staff (or stave): The five horizontal lines and four spaces on which musical notation is written.
Staccato: Playing notes short and detached.
Staff paper: Paper printed with staves for writing music.
Stanky: Slang for music with a particularly strong, funky groove.
Step sequencer: A device or software that allows the programming of musical patterns by specifying which notes or sounds play at each step in a sequence.
Stereo: Audio recorded or reproduced using two channels.
Stompbox: A type of effects pedal designed to be operated by foot.
Stop time: A rhythmic device where the accompaniment stops momentarily, leaving a soloist to continue alone.
Stretto: A compositional technique where imitative entries of a subject overlap.
String: 1. A flexible cord that produces sound through vibration on instruments like guitars, violins, etc. 2. The section of an orchestra consisting of string instruments.
Strophic: A song structure where multiple verses are set to the same music.
Sub-bass: Very low-frequency sounds (typically below 60 Hz) that are often felt rather than heard.
Subject: The main theme in a fugue.
Subtractive synthesis: A sound synthesis technique where harmonics are removed from a harmonically rich waveform using filters.
Suite: A collection of short musical pieces meant to be played in sequence.
Suspension: A non-chord tone that is held over from the previous chord, creating dissonance until it resolves.
Sustain: 1. The middle portion of a sound’s envelope, between attack and release. 2. A piano pedal that removes the dampers from the strings, allowing them to vibrate freely.
Swing: A rhythmic feel where consecutive eighth notes are performed with uneven durations, typically with the first note being longer than the second.
Symphony: A large-scale musical composition for orchestra, typically in multiple movements.
Syncopation: Placing accents on normally weak beats or off-beats.
Synthesizer: An electronic instrument that generates and modifies sounds.
T
Tablature (or tabs): A form of musical notation that tells players where to place their fingers rather than which pitches to play.
Tacet: Direction indicating a performer should be silent for a section.
Take: A single recorded performance or attempt.
Talking drum: A West African drum whose pitch can be regulated to mimic the tone and prosody of human speech.
Talkbox: An effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of an instrument by shaping it with their mouth.
Tamber: Alternate spelling of “timbre.”
Tap tempo: Setting the tempo by tapping a button or pedal at the desired rate.
Tenuto: Direction to hold a note for its full value or slightly longer.
Tessatura: The range within which most notes of a vocal part fall.
Theme: A melodic idea that forms the basis for a musical composition.
Third: An interval spanning three diatonic scale degrees.
Thirty-second note: A note value equal to one-thirty-second of a whole note.
Thrash: A fast, aggressive subgenre of heavy metal.
Three against two: A type of polyrhythm where three notes are played in the same time as two notes.
Thru: In MIDI, a connection that passes incoming data to another device.
Thumb position: A technique for playing in the higher register of the cello or double bass.
Thump: The punchy, percussive quality in bass playing, especially in funk and slap bass styles.
Tie: A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, indicating they should be played as a single note of combined duration.
Tight: Slang describing a band or rhythm section that plays with precise timing and coordination.
Timbre: The quality or color of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume.
Time signature: The notation indicating the number of beats in a measure and the note value representing one beat.
Timing: The precise execution of rhythm.
Tocatta: A virtuosic piece for a keyboard instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly touched notes.
Tom-tom: A cylindrical drum with no snares.
Tone: 1. A sound of definite pitch. 2. The quality or character of a sound.
Tone cluster: A group of adjacent notes played simultaneously.
Tone deaf: Inability to distinguish between musical pitches accurately.
Tonic: The first degree of a scale; the main note of a key.
Track: 1. An individual recording of a specific instrument or voice. 2. A song on an album.
Transpose: To shift a piece of music into a different key.
Trap: A subgenre of hip-hop characterized by heavy use of 808 drums, rapid hi-hats, and dark atmospheres.
Treble: 1. The higher register of an instrument or voice. 2. The treble clef.
Tremolo: 1. Rapid repetition of a single note. 2. Rapid alternation between multiple notes.
Triad: A three-note chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth.
Trill: Rapid alternation between two adjacent notes.
Trio: 1. A group of three performers. 2. A composition for three instruments or voices. 3. The contrasting middle section of a minuet or scherzo.
Triplet: A group of three notes played in the time normally given to two notes of the same value.
Tritone: An interval spanning three whole tones, historically known as the “devil’s interval.”
Turnaround: A short chord progression that leads back to the beginning of a section.
Tutti: Direction for all performers to play together.
Twang: A bright, resonant quality of sound, especially associated with certain guitar styles and country music vocals.
U
Unison: 1. Two or more instruments or voices playing or singing the same note. 2. The interval between identical notes.
Upbeat: 1. The last beat of a measure. 2. Music with a positive, cheerful feel.
Up-tempo: At a fast speed.
V
Va-va-voom: Slang for music with exciting or impressive qualities.
Valves: Mechanical devices on brass instruments that change the pitch by altering the length of the tubing.
Vampire: In session musician slang, a song that seems to go on forever with repeated sections.
Vampire note: A note that unexpectedly continues after others stop playing.
Vamp: A simple, repeated chord progression or backing sequence.
Variation: A modified version of a theme.
Velocity: In MIDI, the force with which a key is pressed, usually controlling volume or intensity.
Vendor trash: Slang for low-quality instruments or equipment.
Verse: A section of a song that typically precedes the chorus and usually has the same melody but different lyrics each time.
Vibrato: A regular, pulsating change of pitch used to add expression.
Virtuoso: A person with exceptional technical ability in a particular art form, especially in the performance of music.
Vocal fry: A vocal technique producing a low, creaky sound.
Voice: 1. The sound produced by a singer. 2. An individual melodic line within a multipart composition.
Voice leading: The movement of individual melodic lines or voices from chord to chord, an important concept in music written for multiple parts.
Voicing: The specific arrangement of notes in a chord.
Volume: The loudness or softness of a sound, one of the basic elements in the glossary of musical terms.
VU meter: A display device that shows the audio signal level (Volume Unit).
W
Walkdown: A descending bassline that connects chord progressions.
Wailing: Slang for emotionally expressive, often high-pitched instrumental or vocal performance.
Wah-wah: An effects pedal that creates a sound resembling the human voice saying “wah.”
Wall of sound: A dense, layered sound production technique popularized by Phil Spector.
Warmth: A tonal quality characterized by prominent low-mid frequencies and gentle high frequencies.
Washboard: A percussion instrument used in folk and jug band music.
Waveform: The visual representation of an audio signal over time.
Wet: An audio signal with effects applied.
Whole note: A note value equal to four quarter notes in 4/4 time.
Whole step (or whole tone): An interval equal to two semitones.
Woodshed: Jazz slang for practicing intensively, typically in isolation.
Woolly: Describing sound that lacks definition, particularly in the low frequencies.
Woofer: A loudspeaker designed to reproduce low-frequency sounds.
Word painting: A musical technique where the music reflects the literal meaning of the song.
Woodwinds: A family of instruments where sound is produced by blowing against an edge or through a reed.
Wow: A slow cyclical variation in the pitch of a recorded sound.
Wrecking crew: Originally a group of session musicians in Los Angeles in the 1960s, now slang for any exceptional group of studio performers.
X
Xenharmonic: Music that uses intervals or tunings not found in the standard Western 12-tone equal temperament.
Xylophone: A percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars of different lengths struck with mallets.
Y
Yodeling: A form of singing characterized by rapid alternation between the chest voice and the head voice or falsetto.
Yo-Yo-ing: Slang for rapidly moving the pitch up and down, especially on a synthesizer.
Z
Z-plane filter: A type of digital filter developed by E-mu Systems that allows for complex filtering.
Zampogna: An Italian bagpipe.
Zither: A stringed instrument consisting of a flat soundboard with strings stretched across it.
Zydeco: A form of American folk music originated in Louisiana, typically featuring accordion and washboard.
Conclusion
This comprehensive glossary of musical terms covers everything from classical music vocabulary to modern slang and production terminology. Whether you’re a beginner just starting to learn music or a seasoned professional looking to expand your vocabulary, understanding these terms will enhance your ability to communicate effectively about music and deepen your appreciation of the art form.
From terms describing how music should be played or sung to notations indicating the walking pace of different tempos, this glossary provides the knowledge needed to navigate the complex world of musical expression. The speed of a piece of music is played can dramatically alter its emotional impact, while understanding the vocabulary of production can transform your ability to create professional recordings.
Music is a universal language, but like any language, it has its own vocabulary. The more fluent you become in the terminology, the better equipped you’ll be to express yourself musically and collaborate with others in the diverse world of music.
Looking to put these terms into practice? Check out Music Gateway’s comprehensive guides for musicians, producers, and music lovers at all levels.
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