Music Vocabulary

Measure The space on the staff between two vertical lines. It is also called a bar.

Bar lines Vertical lines on the staff which separate measures of music.

Meter The fraction appearing at the beginning of the music or section indicating the mathematical organization of rhythm. It is also known as the time signature.

Time Signature The fraction appearing at the beginning of the music or section indicating the mathematical organization of rhythm. It is also known as the meter.

Whole step Two half steps

Half step A Minor Second

Dance The physical response to rhythm.

Timbre Tone color

Characteristics Unique attributes

Style The way it is played

Genre Special styles

Strings Instruments using plucked or bowed strings to create the sound

Brass Winds Instruments using a cup shaped mouthpiece

Woodwinds Those originally made of wood or using a reed to create the sound

Clef Symbol to indicate the tonal center

Score The conductor’s copy of the music.

Staff 5 lines and 4 spaces

Expression Emotion portrayed in music

Intonation The correct vibrations of a tone to match the established standard or that of another instrument

Resonance Vibrations of an instrument’s sound creating the unique sound of that particular instrument

Ledger Lines Short lines extending the staff upward or downward

Vertical Music Music composed in a chordal manner in which most or all parts move together at the same time

HorizontalMusic Music having independent lines weaving a fabric of sound.

Second ending The short ending which will send musicians forward to a new melodic section.

Repeat To play it again

Fugue A melodic presentation using varied melodic and rhythmic alterations to present new interpretations of the melody.

Fugetto A small or short section in a fugal style.

First ending The short ending which will send musicians back to a particular place to repeat that section.

Double Bar Two bars of different size indicating the end of a section or composition.

Dal signo al fine` Return to the sign and play to the fine`

Da capo al fine` Return to the beginning and play to the fine`

Transposition To move the position of the tone to adjust for the length of the instrument

Tessitura That part of the range used most often

Range The extreme from lowest to highest tone for each instrument

Key Signature Those sharps and/or flats which identify the tonal center. B flat C G

Homophonic Movement in a chordal manner

Counterpoint Independent movement of musical lines in correlation to each other

Cannon The simple melodic repetition. It is also called a round.

Brace Two or more staves joined with a bracket { } indicating a system of music.

Slur A curved line which smoothly connects tones on different lines and/or spaces without attack.

Tie A curved line connecting tones (adding their value) on the same line or space.

Major Second Whole Step

Minor Second Half Step

Tutti The entire ensemble

Music History The story of mankind’s music throughout time.

Balance To achieve the aural perception of each instrument or section being of the same or equal volume without dominance by any one instrument or section.

Blend To create an ensemble sound in which all instruments/sections collectively create one sound rather than individual sounds.

Dynamics Various degrees of loudness and softness

Forte (f ) Strong or full

Piano (p) Soft

Mezzo (m) Medium

Mezzo Forte (mf) Medium full

Mezzo piano (mp) Medium soft

Fortissimo (ff) Very strong

Fortississimo (fff) Very, very strong

Pianissimo (pp) Very soft

Pianississiom (ppp) Very, very soft

Crescendo (cres.) To get louder

Decrescendo (decres) To get softer

Diminuendo (dim) To gradually get softer

Baroque The historic period between 1600 and 1750 AD

Medieval The historic period prior to 1400 AD

Renaissance The historic period between the 15 th (1400 AD) and 17 th (1600AD) centuries.

Rococo or Roccoco The French historic period between 1700 and 1799 AD (18 th Century)

Classical The historic period between 1750 and 1820 AD

Impressionist The historic period between 1870 and 1880

Expressionist The historic period originating in Germany beginning in the 20 th Century.

Experimental One type of music composed between 1950 and today.

Jazz Jazz is a musical form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions.

Fusion The mixing of diverse musical styles originating around 1980.

Strophic Repeated melody for each verse

Through composed No repetition of music for new lyrics

Pulse Steady, ongoing emphasis of the count

Diatonic Within the Key

Consonant Interval Interval requiring no resolution (change)

Dissonant Interval Interval requiring resolution (change)

Dance The physical response to rhythm

Variation Changing the melody, rhythm, or harmony of a composition.

Instrumentation Those instruments used in the ensemble to perform the composition or concert.

Concert A performance by a large ensemble of several compositions.

Recital A performance by a soloist or small ensemble of several works. These compositions may be from the same or different historic periods.

Interpretation The unique and individual manner in which a performer presents a musical composition.

Voicing The manner in which instruments or voices may be arranged to present a composition.

Variety Use, or inclusion, of new material or new treatments of previously presented melodies, harmonies, and/or rhythms. Variety creates and maintains the listener’s interest.

Unity Repetition or restatements of previously presented material. Unity ties all the parts together.