music terms assignment

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Music | All-Star Orchestra

Course: music | all-star orchestra   >   unit 1.

• Lesson 1: Note values, duration, and time signatures
• Lesson 2: Rhythm, dotted notes, ties, and rests
• Lesson 3: Meters in double and triple time, upbeats
• Lesson 4: Meters in 6, 9, and 12
• Lesson 5: Review of time signatures – Simple, compound, and complex
• Lesson 6: Constant versus changing time, adding triplets, and duplets

Glossary of musical terms

Want to join the conversation?

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

• Earth & Space
• Mankind & Nature
• Science & Technology
• Travel and Transport
• Politics & Religion
• Literature & Philosophy
• Art & Artists
• Classical Music
• Rock & Pop
• Movies and TV Shows
• Football Facts
• General Knowledge

Music Terminology

Music terminology list a to z cheatsheet.

Cheatsheet of common and more obscure music terminology terms and definitions. Understanding music terms makes it easier to collaborate with other musicians – it really does help if you’re all singing and playing from the same hymn sheet!

• ADDucation’s glossary of music terminology compiled by Robert Junker was last updated May 30, 2024 @ 7:49 pm .

ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort music terminology terms. Reload page for original sort order. Resize your browser to full screen and/or zoom out to display as many columns as possible. Click the ➕ icon to reveal any hidden columns. Set your browser to full screen to show as many columns as possible. Start typing in the Filter table box to find music terminology inside the table.

See also : Famous Musicals… |  Classical Music…

Try adducation’s free online quizzes – can you get on the leaderboard, adducation lists related to music terminology:.

• A-Z List of Famous Operas…
• Help improve ADDucation’s list of music terminology by adding your comments below…
• share  
• save  
• email  

4 responses to “Music Terminology”

Hi Joe, as requested, here’s a brief outline of the theory of musical equilibration: The Theory of Musical Equilibration creates a psychological paradigm which explains the emotional effects of musical harmonies. The theory was designed by music theorist Bernd Willimek and developed together with his wife Daniela Willimek to today’s version. It emerges form Ernst Kurth’s teaching in music psychology and states that in contrast to previous hypotheses, music does not directly describe emotions: instead; it evokes processes of the will which the listener identifies with, and relating to these processes gives music its emotional content. Bernd

Hi Bernd, thanks for the precis, I’ve now added an entry and link in the list.

I suggest a new term for your dictionary: Theory of Musical Equilibration

Hi Bernd, thanks for the Wikipedia link. If you can sum it up in a sentence or two we’d be happy to add it.

Share via Social Media or Add a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• By Editorial Team
• In Music Theory

The Ultimate List of Musical Terms (300+ Terms)

Are you struggling to understand the complex world of music terminology? Look no further! This comprehensive glossary is here to help you unravel the mysteries of musical terms

Table of Contents

A glossary of musical terms

• A cappella : Music sung without instrumental accompaniment.
• ABA form : A musical structure consisting of three sections, where the first and third sections are the same or closely related and the middle section is contrasting.
• Accelerando : A musical direction indicating a gradual increase in tempo.
• Accent : An emphasis placed on a particular note or beat in music.
• Accidental : A symbol in musical notation (such as a sharp, flat, or natural) indicating a temporary change from the stated key signature.
• Acoustic : Pertaining to sound or the properties of sound, often used to describe instruments that produce sound without electronic amplification.
• Adagio : A tempo marking indicating a slow and leisurely pace.
• Aeolian : Referring to the natural minor scale or the sixth mode of the diatonic scale.
• Afterbeat : The beats that follow a downbeat or emphasized beat, often found in syncopated rhythms.
• Al fine : A musical direction meaning “to the end,” indicating where a piece should conclude.
• Allegretto : A tempo marking that is moderately fast and lively, but not as fast as allegro.
• Allegro : A tempo marking indicating a fast and lively pace.
• Alto range : The vocal range that lies between the soprano and tenor, typically associated with adult female voices or countertenors.
• Andante : A tempo marking indicating a moderately slow pace, typically described as “walking speed.”
• Antiphon : A short liturgical chant or hymn often sung in response to a reading or prayer.
• Appoggiatura : A melodic embellishment or non-chord tone that is resolved by stepping to the next chord tone.
• Arpeggio : Playing the notes of a chord in succession, rather than simultaneously.
• Arrangement : The adaptation or reworking of a musical composition for specific instruments or voices.
• Articulation : The manner in which individual notes or groups of notes are played or sung, such as staccato or legato.
• Audio signal : An electrical representation of sound that can be processed or amplified.
• Atonal : Music that lacks a tonal center or key, and avoids traditional harmonic progressions.
• Atonal music : A style of composition that avoids established tonal relationships, often associated with 20th-century composers.
• Attack : The initial phase of a sound, referring to the way a note begins or is articulated.
• Bar : A segment of time in music defined by a given number of beats, also known as a measure.
• Baritone : A male voice range that lies between bass and tenor or an instrument with a range corresponding to this voice.
• Baroque : A style of Western art music from approximately 1600 to 1750, characterized by ornate detail, contrast, expressive emotion, and expanded instrumental roles.
• Bass : The lowest vocal range in male voices or a musical instrument that produces low-pitched sounds.
• Bass line : The series of low-pitched notes that form the foundation of a musical composition, often played by bass instruments or the left hand in keyboard music.
• Basso continuo : A continuous bass line commonly used in Baroque music, typically played by low stringed instruments and keyboards, often with figured bass notation.
• Block chords : A form of accompaniment where chords are played or sung together in harmony without arpeggiation.
• Body percussion : The use of the body (e.g., hands, feet, chest) to produce rhythmic sounds, often used in dance and music education.
• BPM : Stands for “Beats Per Minute,” indicating the tempo or speed of a piece of music.
• Brass bands : Musical groups comprised primarily or exclusively of brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion.
• Brass instruments : Musical instruments that produce sound by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator, typically made of brass, and played by blowing into a mouthpiece.
• Broken chord : A sequence of notes played in succession (but derived from a chord) rather than simultaneously.
• Bridge : A contrasting section in a song that typically comes between verses or choruses, providing a departure from the main themes before returning to familiar material.
• Cadence : A sequence of chords that brings an end or pause to a musical phrase, creating a sense of resolution.
• Call and response : A musical form in which a phrase (the call) is played or sung by one group and is followed by a reply (the response) from a second group.
• Canon : A contrapuntal composition technique where a melody is introduced by one voice and imitated by subsequent voices at different intervals.
• Cantata : A vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
• Capo : A device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise its pitch by shortening the strings.
• Cardioid : A heart-shaped pattern describing the sensitivity and directionality of a microphone, capturing sound primarily from the front.
• Cello : A bowed stringed instrument larger than a viola but smaller than a double bass, with a rich, deep sound.
• Chamber music : A form of classical music composed for a small group of instruments, traditionally suitable for a palace chamber or large room.
• Chant : A simple, often repetitive, sung melody, usually without accompaniment.
• Chord : Multiple notes played simultaneously, creating harmony.
• Chorus : The repeated section of a song, typically containing the main theme or hook.
• Chromatic scale : A musical scale with twelve pitches, each a half step apart.
• Classical music : A broad genre of Western music encompassing works from the medieval period to the present day, often distinguished by formal styles and compositional traditions.
• Clef : A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the pitch of the notes written on it.
• Cluster : A dissonant grouping of notes played simultaneously, often adjacent on the keyboard or in pitch.
• Coda : A concluding section of a musical composition, often acting as an extension of the final chorus or movement.
• Common time : A time signature indicating four beats per measure, represented by the symbol � C .
• Comping : A rhythmically improvised accompaniment on piano or guitar in jazz or other popular music.
• Composer : An individual who creates musical works.
• Concert : A live music performance before an audience.
• Conductor : A person who directs the performance of an orchestra or choir, often using a baton.
• Consonance : A combination of notes producing a harmonious, pleasing sound.
• Contralto : The lowest female vocal range.
• Contrapuntal : Music in which two or more independent melodies are played simultaneously, demonstrating polyphony.
• Copla : A traditional Spanish poetic form or song structure, often used in folk music.
• Copyist : A person who transcribes or copies out musical scores.
• Counter melody : A secondary melody played in conjunction with a primary melody.
• Counterpoint : The art of combining different melodic lines in a musical composition.
• Crescendo : A musical instruction indicating a gradual increase in volume.
• Cut time : A time signature indicating two beats per measure, also represented by the symbol � C with a vertical line through it.
• Cycle : A series or sequence of songs or musical pieces which are linked by a common theme or narrative.
• Da Capo : An Italian term meaning “from the beginning,” often used as a directive to repeat a portion of music from the start.
• Dal Segno : An Italian term meaning “from the sign,” directing the musician to return to a place in the music marked by a specific sign (often resembling a stylized ‘S’ with a slash and a dot).
• Decay : The gradual reduction in amplitude of a sound or note after its initial attack.
• Delay : An audio effect that captures an input signal to an audio storage medium and then plays it back after a period of time.
• Detune : The act of slightly adjusting the pitch of an instrument or sound source away from its standard tuning.
• Diatonic : Pertaining to the notes of a major or minor scale without chromatic alterations.
• Diatonic scale : A seven-note scale, including the major and natural minor scales, that consists of five whole steps and two half steps.
• Diminuendo : A musical term (also known as “decrescendo”) indicating a gradual decrease in volume.
• Dissonance : A combination of tones that results in a tension or clash, typically resolving to a consonance.
• Dorian : The second mode of the diatonic scale, which can be formed by playing the white keys on a piano from D to D.
• Double stop : The technique of playing two notes simultaneously on a stringed instrument.
• Downbeat : The first beat of a measure, often stressed more than the other beats.
• Drone : A continuous or sustained sound, note, or tone cluster.
• Duple : Music where beats are grouped into twos or fours, giving it a two-beat feel.
• Duple meter : A time signature where each measure is divided into two beats or multiples thereof.
• Dynamic instruction : A term or symbol in a musical score that indicates the desired level of volume.
• Dynamic markings : Symbols or terms used in a musical score to specify the loudness or softness of a passage (e.g., “p” for piano/soft, “f” for forte/loud).
• Eighth note/Eighth notes : A musical note played for one eighth the duration of a whole note, often represented by a filled-in note head with a tail and a single flag.
• English jig : A lively traditional dance of English origin, often in compound triple meter, accompanied by its corresponding music.
• Enharmonic : Describing pitches that sound the same but are written differently in musical notation, such as C# and Db.
• Ensemble : A group of musicians or singers who perform together.
• Escape tone : A non-chord tone that is approached by step and then resolved by leap in the opposite direction.
• Fade : A gradual increase (fade-in) or decrease (fade-out) in the volume or intensity of a sound or piece of music.
• Falsetto : A vocal register that occupies the frequency range just above the modal voice register (typically used by males) and overlaps with the lower part of the whistle register, producing a light, airy sound.
• Fermata : A musical symbol indicating that a note or rest should be held for longer than its standard duration.
• Fifth : The interval between two musical notes that spans five diatonic scale degrees.
• Final movement : The last section or piece in a multi-movement musical composition.
• Flat : A musical symbol that lowers the pitch of a note by one-half step.
• Flutter tonguing : A wind instrument technique where the performer rolls their ‘R’ while blowing, creating a rapid tremolo effect.
• French horn : A brass instrument known for its wide bell and coiled tubing, played by buzzing the lips into a funnel-shaped mouthpiece.
• Form : The structure or arrangement of sections within a musical composition.
• Forte : A dynamic marking indicating that a passage should be played loudly.
• Fugue : A complex contrapuntal compositional technique characterized by the systematic imitation of a main theme (called the subject) in simultaneously sounding melodic lines (counterpoint).
• Full choir : A large ensemble of singers, typically divided into soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections, performing together.
• Giocoso : An Italian term indicating a cheerful or playful manner in music.
• Glissando : A continuous slide from one pitch to another, smoothly transitioning through all the pitches in between.
• Glockenspiel : A percussion instrument with a set of tuned metal bars that are struck with mallets to produce sound.
• Gong : A large, flat metal disc that produces sound when struck, used both as a musical instrument and ceremonially.
• Grace note : A note added as an embellishment, not essential to the melody or harmony, often played quickly before the main note.
• Grand staff : A musical notation system that combines both the treble and bass clefs, typically used for keyboard and harp music.
• Grave : An Italian term indicating a slow and solemn tempo.
• Grid : Often referring to the layout in digital audio workstation (DAW) software, where beats and measures are visually represented for alignment and editing purposes.
• Half note : A musical note with a duration equal to half of a whole note.
• Half–step : The smallest musical interval in the Western tonal system, also known as a semitone.
• Harmonics : Overtones or partials produced by vibrating strings, columns of air, or membranes.
• Harmony : The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.
• Head voice : A mix of chest and falsetto voice that allows singers to reach higher pitches with a fuller sound.
• Hemiola : A rhythmic pattern where two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two beats, giving the feeling of a shift from triple to duple meter.
• Homophonic : A musical texture in which one voice, often the melody, is prominent while the others form a background of harmonic accompaniment.
• Hook : A catchy melody or phrase in a piece of music that grabs the listener’s attention.
• Interlude : A musical passage or segment that comes between the main sections of a composition.
• Intro : The opening section of a piece of music or song, setting the tone or introducing the theme.
• Inversion : In music theory, a transformation of a chord, melody, or interval where the original bottom note is moved to the top.
• Interval : The distance in pitch between two notes.
• Impromptu : A short musical composition, especially for piano, that is improvised or made up on the spot.
• Intermezzo : A short movement or interlude inserted between the main sections of a larger composition.
• Inharmonic : Frequencies that are not integer multiples of a fundamental frequency, often producing a harsh or dissonant sound.
• Intonation : The accuracy of pitch in playing or singing.
• Instrumentation : The particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, or the study and practice of arranging music for instruments.
• Imitative : A musical texture where a melodic idea is presented in one voice (or part), then restated in another while the first voice continues with new material.
• Improvise : To create or perform music spontaneously without prior preparation or a written composition.
• Ionian mode : Another term for the major scale.
• Istesso tempo : An Italian term indicating that the following passage should be performed at the same speed as the preceding one.
• Jazz standard : A well-known composition in the jazz repertoire which is widely played and recorded.
• Jazz : A genre of music that originated in African American communities in the U.S., characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm.
• Jig : A lively dance form originating from the British Isles, or the music accompanying such a dance, typically in compound meter.
• Jubilus : A melismatic (having multiple pitches sung to one syllable of text) setting of the “-ia” at the end of the word “Alleluia” in Gregorian chant.
• Jazz-fusion : A genre that combines jazz improvisation with the amplified instruments and compositional techniques of rock music.
• Juju : A style of Nigerian popular music, derived from traditional Yoruba percussion.
• Jazz blues : A type of blues with more complex harmonies or rhythms and is often played at faster tempos than traditional blues.
• Jump blues : A type of upbeat jazz or swing which was popularized in the 1940s.
• Jaleo : A term often associated with flamenco music and dance, referring to the shouts and words of encouragement called out to the performers.
• Koto : A traditional Japanese stringed instrument with 13 strings, played by plucking.
• Klezmer : A musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe.
• Kettledrum : Another term for timpani, a type of drum that is tunable to specific pitches.
• Key : A group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a music composition.
• Keynote : The first note of a scale; also known as the tonic.
• Key signature : A notation at the beginning of a piece of music indicating which pitches are to be consistently played as sharp or flat.
• Klangfarbenmelodie : A German term meaning “tone color melody,” referring to a composition technique that involves splitting a musical line or melody between several instruments, highlighting changing timbres.
• Keyboard : A set of keys on a musical instrument, like a piano or organ.
• Knee lever : A control found on some instruments, such as the accordion, where pressure from the knee can change aspects of the sound.
• Largo : A very slow tempo indication, even slower than Adagio.
• Larghetto : A tempo indication meaning “somewhat slow,” but not as slow as Largo.
• Largamente : Broadly, with a rich and grand manner.
• Lead sheet : A form of musical notation that specifies the essential elements of a song: the melody, lyrics, and harmony.
• Ledger lines : Short lines that are added above or below the staff in musical notation to extend the range of notes.
• Leitmotif : A recurring musical theme, often in opera, associated with a particular character, place, or idea.
• Legato : A smooth and connected style of playing, where there are no noticeable gaps between notes.
• Leggiero : Light or nimble.
• Lento : Slow.
• Libretto : The text or script of an opera or other long vocal work.
• Ligature : A symbol indicating that two or more notes should be played or sung as a single phrase.
• Lydian : A mode or scale pattern, similar to the major scale but with a raised fourth.
• Lament : A song, composition, or passage expressing grief or sorrow.
• Leading tone : The seventh note of the diatonic scale, a half step below the tonic, which leads to the tonic note.
• Locrian : The seventh mode of the diatonic scale, characterized by its diminished fifth interval.
• Lyric : The words or text of a song.
• Lyricist : A person who writes the words for songs.
• Lyre : An ancient stringed instrument, typically associated with Greek classical antiquity.
• Lute : A plucked string instrument with a long neck and usually a pear-shaped body.
• Major scale : A diatonic scale characterized by the specific pattern of half-steps and whole-steps, producing a sound typically associated with happiness or brightness.
• Male alto : A male singer with a vocal range that is typically associated with female altos, often using falsetto to reach the higher notes.
• Measure : A segment of time defined by a given number of beats, separated by bar lines in musical notation.
• Melisma : The singing of a single syllable while moving through several different pitches.
• Melody : A sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying; the main theme in a piece of music.
• Meter : The rhythmic structure of music, indicating how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat.
• Mezzo forte : A dynamic marking indicating a moderately loud volume; literally “medium loud” in Italian.
• Mezzo piano : A dynamic marking indicating a moderately soft volume; literally “medium soft” in Italian.
• Mezzo-Soprano : A female vocal range that lies between the soprano and alto ranges.
• Middle Ages : The period in European history from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (around 5th century) to the beginning of the Renaissance (around late 15th century).
• Middle range : The set of pitches in a musical instrument or voice that are neither particularly high nor particularly low.
• Middle C : The note in the middle of the grand staff and the C nearest to the middle of the keyboard on a piano.
• Minor scale : A diatonic scale characterized by its minor third interval, producing a sound typically associated with sadness or solemnity.
• Mixolydian : The fifth mode of the diatonic scale, which can be formed by playing the white keys on a piano from G to G.
• Modulation : The process in music of changing from one key to another.
• Monophonic : Music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment or harmony.
• Motif : A recurring theme, idea, or musical phrase within a composition.
• Natural : A symbol in music notation that cancels a previous sharp or flat and returns the note to its original pitch.
• Neapolitan chord : A major chord built on the lowered second scale degree, often used in first inversion in classical music.
• Nocturne : A musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night, often for piano.
• Notation : The act, process, or method of representing music using written symbols.
• Nonet : A composition written for nine instruments or voices.
• Neoclassicism : A 20th-century music style marked by a return to traditional styles and forms, often with modern elements.
• Notturno : An alternative term for “nocturne.”
• Niente : An Italian term meaning “nothing.” In music, it implies a note or phrase that is played very softly or fading away to silence.
• Nonharmonic : Notes that are not part of the prevailing harmony and are considered dissonant.
• Ninth : An interval spanning nine diatonic scale degrees.
• Natural minor scale : A type of minor scale characterized by the specific pattern of half-steps and whole-steps.
• Neume : The basic element of Western and Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the invention of five-line staff notation.
• Obligato : An essential instrumental part, usually written to be played in addition to the main parts.
• Obbligato : An indispensable or prominent instrumental part in a piece of vocal music.
• Octave : The interval between one musical pitch and another with double or half its frequency.
• Octet : A musical composition written for eight voices or instruments.
• Opus : A term used to classify and number the works of composers, abbreviated as “Op.”
• Open strings : Strings that are played without being stopped or fingered.
• Organum : A type of early polyphony from the Middle Ages, which consists of a plainchant melody with at least one added voice to enhance harmony.
• Oratorio : A large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists, typically based on a religious theme.
• Orchestra : A large instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
• Orchestral composition : A musical work written specifically for an orchestra to perform.
• Ornament : Musical flourishes that aren’t essential to carry the overall line of the melody or harmony but serve instead to decorate or “ornament” that line.
• Ostinato : A continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm.
• Ottava : An Italian term (often seen as “8va” in sheet music) indicating that a passage should be played an octave higher than written.
• Overdubbing : A recording technique where a performer listens to a pre-recorded track and simultaneously plays along with it to create a new recording.
• Overtones : The series of frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency that exist naturally in musical instruments when played.
• Overture : An instrumental composition that introduces a longer work, such as an opera or ballet.
• Pentatonic scale : A musical scale with five notes per octave, often found in folk music and various world cultures.
• Perfect fourth : A musical interval spanning four letter names (e.g., from C to F) and is neither augmented nor diminished.
• Phrygian : The third mode of the diatonic scale, which can be formed by playing the white keys on a piano from E to E.
• Polyphony : A musical texture involving two or more melodic lines that are simultaneously independent and harmonically dependent.
• Polyrhythm : The simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms, where the beats do not necessarily coincide or align.
• Piano : 1) A large keyboard instrument with a wooden soundboard that amplifies strings struck by hammers; 2) An Italian term indicating a soft or quiet dynamic level in music.
• Pizzicato : A playing technique where stringed instruments are played by plucking the strings with the fingers, rather than using a bow.
• Polyphonic : Music that contains multiple independent melodies or voices occurring simultaneously.
• Quartet : A group of four musicians or singers, or a piece of music written for such a group.
• Quasi : An Italian term meaning “almost” or “as if,” often used in musical directions, e.g., “quasi recitativo” means “like a recitative.”
• Quaver : Another term for an eighth note, primarily used in British English.
• Quintet : A group of five musicians or singers, or a piece of music written for such a group.
• Quodlibet : A composition that combines several different melodies, usually popular tunes, in counterpoint and often in a light-hearted, humorous manner.
• Quint : An interval of a fifth.
• Quintal harmony : Harmony based on stacked fifths.
• Quarter note : Another term for a quarter note, the musical note played for one-quarter of the duration of a whole note (or semibreve).
• Quarter tone : A musical interval half the size of a half step or semitone, common in some non-Western musical systems.
• Querstand : A term sometimes used to describe a leading or cross relation, where a note in one chord is raised or lowered and then the altered note is immediately followed by its unaltered version in the next chord.
• Rapid alternation : A fast back-and-forth movement or change between musical elements, such as notes or rhythms.
• Range : The span of pitches an instrument or voice can produce, from its lowest to its highest note.
• Recitative : A style of vocal singing in operas, oratorios, and cantatas that imitates the rhythms and inflections of speech, often serving to advance the plot.
• Recurring motif : A musical idea or theme that appears repeatedly throughout a composition.
• Refrain : A repeated line or number of lines in a song or poem, typically at the end of each verse.
• Register : A particular range of pitches in a voice or musical instrument.
• Relative major : The major key that shares the same key signature as a particular minor key.
• Release : The ending or decay phase of a musical sound.
• Repeat : A sign or instruction in a score indicating that a section should be played again.
• Riff : A short, repeated melodic phrase, often in jazz and rock music.
• Ritardando : A gradual decrease in tempo.
• Root : The fundamental note of a chord upon which its intervals are built.
• Root note : The main note upon which a chord or scale is based.
• Rondo : A musical form characterized by the recurring return of a principal theme.
• Run : A fast series of ascending or descending musical notes.
• Rhythmic notation : The symbols used in music to represent the length and timing of notes and rests.
• Scale : A set of musical notes arranged in an ascending or descending order, based on a particular pattern of intervals.
• Second inversion : A chord in which the fifth of the chord is the lowest note.
• Sequence : A repetition of a musical phrase at a higher or lower pitch.
• Sforzando : A musical direction indicating a forceful or sudden accent on a note or chord.
• Sharp : A symbol in music notation indicating that the pitch should be raised by a half step.
• Sharp note : A note that has been raised in pitch by a half step.
• Slur : A curved line in musical notation indicating that notes should be played or sung smoothly and connectedly, without separation.
• Solfege : A system used for teaching pitch and sight singing in which each note of the scale is given a special syllabic name (e.g., Do, Re, Mi).
• Solo section : A portion of a musical composition intended to be played by a single instrumentalist or singer.
• Song structure : The arrangement of sections within a song, commonly including verses, choruses, bridges, and more.
• Soprano : The highest female vocal range or the highest part in choral music.
• Spiccato : A bowing technique for string instruments where the bow bounces lightly upon the strings.
• Staccato : A musical direction indicating that notes should be played short and detached.
• Staff : A set of five horizontal lines and the spaces between them, on which musical notation is written.
• Strict time : A musical performance with a consistent tempo without rubato or expressive fluctuations.
• String instruments : Musical instruments that produce sound through the vibration of stretched strings, such as the violin, cello, or guitar.
• Subdominant : The fourth note of a diatonic scale or the chord built upon this note.
• Supertonic : The second note of a diatonic scale or the chord built upon this note.
• Sustain : To hold a musical note for its full duration or the ability of an instrument to prolong a note’s sound.
• Syncopation : A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm, often by placing emphasis on normally unemphasized beats or using rests on normally emphasized beats.
• Tempo : The speed or pace at which a piece of music is played.
• Tempo marking : A term or notation indicating the desired pace of a piece of music (e.g., Allegro, Andante, Presto).
• Tenor : A male vocal range that sits between the bass and alto ranges or a part written in this range.
• Tenuto : A musical symbol indicating that a note or chord should be sustained for its full value, or slightly emphasized.
• Ternary form : A three-part musical form where the first and third sections are identical or closely related, often represented as ABA.
• Timbre : The distinct quality or character of a musical sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
• Time signature : A musical notation indicating how many beats are in each measure and which note value is equivalent to one beat.
• Tonic : The first note of a diatonic scale or the chord built upon this note.
• Traditional notation : The standard system of written symbols used to represent musical sounds, including notes, rests, dynamics, and other markings.
• Treble : The higher part in harmonized musical composition; often synonymous with soprano in choral music.
• Treble clef : A musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes, typically used for notes in the higher registers.
• Tremolo : A rapid repetition of a single note or rapid alternation between two notes.
• Triad : A chord consisting of three notes played simultaneously, usually built on stacked thirds.
• Trill : A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, often starting on the main note and moving to the note above.
• Triple time : A musical meter characterized by three beats per measure.
• Triplet : A group of three notes played in the time usually taken by two.
• Tritone : A musical interval that spans three whole tones, or exactly half an octave.
• Turnaround : A passage at the end of a section which leads to the next section, often used in blues and jazz to return to the beginning.
• Tutti : An Italian term meaning “all,” used in orchestral music to indicate a passage played by the entire ensemble.
• Upbeat : The last beat in a measure, which typically precedes the downbeat of the next measure.
• Unpitched : Describes a percussion instrument that doesn’t produce a definite musical pitch, such as a drum.
• Unisono (or simply Unison) : Several voices or instruments playing or singing the same note or melody simultaneously.
• Ukulele : A small stringed instrument similar to a guitar, but with four strings, commonly associated with Hawaiian music.
• Umbra : A term sometimes used to describe the series of notes generated in a bell’s sound.
• Unmeasured : Often refers to a style of performance where the rhythm is not strictly adhered to, or passages where the rhythm isn’t indicated in the notation.
• Ut (or Do) : The original name for the first solfège note of the scale, later replaced by “Do” in many traditions.
• Verse : A section of a song with lyrics and melody that typically tells the main story, preceding the chorus.
• Vibrato : A rapid, slight variation in pitch in singing or playing some musical instruments, producing a stronger or richer tone.
• Violin : A stringed musical instrument of treble pitch, played with a horsehair bow.
• Voice : The sound produced by the vocal cords and modified by the mouth, throat, and chest, used for speaking and singing.
• Vamp : A repeated, often simple musical accompaniment or phrase, typically to allow for solo improvisation or introduction of a singer.
• Variation : A form in music where a theme is repeated and changed in melody, rhythm, harmony, or other features.
• Waltz : A ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat, or a piece of music for such a dance.
• Western classical music : Art music rooted in the traditions of Western culture, including both liturgical and secular music, spanning from the medieval period to the present day.
• Whole note : A musical note with a duration of four beats in 4/4 time.
• Whole rest : A musical symbol denoting a silence for the same duration as a whole note.
• Whole step : An interval of two half steps in the diatonic scale, also known as a major second.
• Woodwind family : A group of musical instruments in which sound is produced by the vibration of reeds in the mouthpiece or by the passing of air across a mouth hole.
• Woodwind : Instruments that produce sound by directing a focused stream of air below the edge of a hole in a cylindrical tube.
• Xylophone : A musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets.
• Xylorimba : A pitched percussion instrument that combines elements of the xylophone and the marimba.
• Xenharmonic : Relating to musical scales, intervals, or tunings that do not conform to the traditional Western diatonic scale and conventional 12-tone equal temperament.
• Yodel : A form of singing or calling marked by rapid alternation between the normal voice and falsetto.
• Yoruba Drums : A group of drums associated with the Yoruba people of Nigeria, often used in religious and ceremonial events.
• Zarzuela : A Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, incorporating operatic, popular, and folk music elements.
• Zeitoper : A term used in the early 20th century to describe operas that deal with contemporary or topical subjects.
• Zigeunermusik : German for “Gypsy music.” Often used to describe the music played by Romani (Gypsy) musicians, especially in Eastern Europe.
• Zigzag staff : This term isn’t standard in music theory; it might refer to a graphic representation of music or another art form, rather than a conventional musical concept. If you have a specific context or definition in mind, please provide more details.
• Zither : A stringed instrument used in folk music and popular music, especially in Central European countries, that consists of several strings stretched across a thin, flat body.

Learn anything? Please share!

You Might Also Like

Understanding the Colors of Noise and Their Effects

How To Conduct [Beginners Guide]

What James Horner’s Score to Braveheart Teaches Us About Modulation

Reharmonization: Diatonic Chord Substitution

Resources / Glossary

Glossary Of Musical Terms

Written by Dan Farrant

Are you feeling lost in a sea of musical terms? You’re not alone. Music is its own language, and it can be confusing. That’s why we’re creating this glossary of music terms.

From basic terms like ‘melody’ and ‘rhythm’ to more complex ones like ‘negative harmony,’ we break things down in a way that’s easy to understand. Each term links to a guide that explains it further. So go ahead, explore, and make the language of music a little less mysterious with our music dictionary!

• Absolute Music
• Aeolian Mode
• Altered Chord
• Articulation
• Augmented Chord
• Basso Continuo
• Beats Per Minute (BPM)
• Binary Form
• Circle Of Fifths
• Chromatic Scale
• Compound Interval
• Concert Pitch
• Counterpoint
• Decrescendo
• Diatonic Scale
• Diminished Chord
• Dorian Mode
• Dotted Note
• Enharmonic Equivalent
• Extended Chord
• Figured Bass
• Gregorian Chant
• Half Diminished Chord
• Harmonic Function
• Inverted Interval
• Ionian Mode
• Key Signature
• Locrian Mode
• Lydian Mode
• Mixolydian Mode
• Negative Harmony
• Neapolitan Chord
• Parallel Key
• Perfect Pitch
• Pentatonic Scale
• Phrygian Mode
• Picardy Third
• Program Music
• Relative Key
• Relative Pitch
• Secondary Dominant
• Seventh Chord
• Slash Chord
• Sonata Form
• Species Counterpoint
• Strophic Form
• Suspended Chord
• Syncopation
• Ternary Form
• Theme And Variation
• Through Composed Form
• Time Signature
• Treble Clef
• Triad Chord
• Tritone Substitution
• Twelve Tone Technique
• Whole Tone Scale

Signup for our Music Term of the Day Email and Expand Your Musical Vocabulary

Get In Touch

Hello Music Theory, Victoria Road, Godalming, Surrey, UK. GU7 1JR

[email protected]

+44 1483 974962

Popular Guides

Learn Music Theory

Types Of Music Notes

Guide To Scales

Modes In Music

Study Guides

Practice Papers

Video Courses

Company Info

Privacy Policy

Refund Policy

Terms Of Use

© Hello Music Theory 2024 |  Sitemap

The Ultimate List of Musical Terms (200+)

This post is the ultimate list of musical terms. Use the Table of Contents to zoom around, or CTRL+F/CMD+F to find the term you’re looking for.

Of any artistic discipline, music has some of the most complex and varied terminologies, from a bevy of fancy Italian words to essential slang tossed around in jazz circles.

Understanding these terms will not only help you produce better music but “speak the language” to other musicians.

Let’s start with the “#”s. 🙂

Table of Contents

A glossary of musical terms (and their definitions)

• 20th Century Music: music composed during the 20th century, characterized by a wide range of styles and techniques, including avant-garde, experimental, and electronic music.
• A cappella: without instrumental accompaniment
• ABA form: a musical form consisting of three sections: A, B, and A. The first and last sections are identical or very similar, while the middle section is contrasting
• Accelerando: speeding up
• Accent: emphasis on a note
• Accidental: a note that is not part of the prevailing key
• Acoustic: relating to musical sounds that occur naturally without artificial amplification
• Adagio : slow and stately (often applied to movements)
• Aeolian : the natural minor scale (technically mode)
• Afterbeat : accent that falls on the beat after the stressed one
• Al fine : Italian for “to the end,” indicating that the performer should continue playing until reaching the final barline or the word “fine” in the music
• Allegretto : moderately fast
• Allegro : fast, lively
• Alto range : the range of notes that can be sung or played by an alto voice or instrument
• Andante : at a moderate walking pace
• Antiphon : musical setting of a text that is sung by two choirs in alternation
• Appoggiatura : musical ornament consisting of a grace note that is one degree higher or lower than the main note.
• Arpeggio : musical ornament consisting of a chord broken into individual notes, played one after the other
• Arrangement : musical setting of a particular piece of music, often for a different combination of instruments
• Articulation : a musical direction that indicates how notes are to be played in relation to one another
• Audio signal: a signal that carries sound information, such as music or speech, usually in the form of an electrical or digital signal
• Atonal : without a key center
• Atonal music : music that lacks a tonal center or key and does not follow traditional harmonic rules
• Attack : the beginning of a note (in synthesis, the initial slope of the waveform generated when a key is pressed)
• Bar : an informal term for a measure
• Baritone : lowest male voice
• Baroque : the baroque period was a musical from 1600-1750, characterized by complex counterpoint and elaborate ornamentation. Baroque music often has highly stylized forms and ornate arrangements.
• Bass : lowest musical range, the bass clef is used for the notation of notes in this range
• Bass line: the lowest part of a musical composition or accompaniment, usually played by a bass instrument or sung by a bass voice
• Basso continuo : a form of musical accompaniment used in the Baroque period, consisting of a bass line played by a bass instrument (such as a cello) and a keyboard instrument (such as a harpsichord) playing chords and harmonies above the bass line
• Beat : the musical pulse that divides time into equal divisions
• Block chords: a type of chordal accompaniment where all the notes of the chord are played simultaneously (in “chord order”), rather than broken up or arpeggiated
• Body percussion: using different parts of the body, such as clapping, snapping, or stomping, to create rhythmic patterns or beats.
• BPM : beats per minute, a measure of tempo
• Brass bands: a type of musical ensemble consisting primarily of brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion.
• Brass instruments: a family of musical instruments made of brass, such as the trumpet, trombone, and tuba.
• Broken chord: a type of chordal accompaniment where the notes of the chord are played one at a time, rather than all together.
• Bridge : contrasting section that “bridges” the gap between the verse and chorus of a song
• Cadence : a musical phrase that comes to a rest
• Call and response : musical form consisting of a melodic phrase (the call) answered by another (the response), used often in jazz and blues music.
• Canon : musical composition in which a melody is imitated by one or more voices at a fixed interval
• Cantata : a musical composition for voices, usually with orchestra
• Capo : a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch of the strings, allowing the instrument to be played in a different key
• Cardioid : a microphone pattern that is sensitive to sound sources directly in front of the mic, while rejecting noise
• Cello : a large string instrument, played with a bow
• Chamber music : music written for a small ensemble of instruments
• Chant : simple, repetitive melody sung without accompaniment
• Chord : two or more notes played simultaneously
• Chorus : the main melodic refrain of a song
• Chromatic scale: a scale consisting of all twelve pitches of the Western chromatic system, in ascending or descending order
• Classical music : a broad term referring to the music of the Western classical tradition, spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day
• Clef : a musical symbol placed at the beginning of a staff that determines the pitch of the notes
• Cluster : a group of notes played close together, often discordantly
• Coda : a musical section that brings a piece to a close
• Common time : musical notation in 4/4 time
• Comping : rhythm guitar style that uses chords to “fill in” the spaces around the main melody
• Composer : a person who writes music
• Concert : a musical performance before an audience
• Conductor : a person who leads an orchestra or choir
• Consonance : musical harmony that is pleasing to the ear
• Contralto : the lowest female voice
• Contrapuntal : musical texture consisting of two or more melodic lines
• Copla : a musical form consisting of three sections, A-B-A
• Copyist : a person who copies musical scores by hand
• Counter melody: a secondary melody played or sung simultaneously with the main melody, often creating harmonic or rhythmic tension and interest
• Counterpoint : the relationship between two or more melodic lines
• Crescendo : a gradual increase in volume
• Cut time : musical notation that indicates that two beats should be played in the time of three
• Cycle : a musical form consisting of several movements or pieces that are played in succession
• Da Capo : musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the beginning
• Dal Segno : musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the sign
• Decay : the gradual fading of a sound (in synthesis, the release stage)
• Decrescendo : a gradual decrease in volume
• Delay : an audio effect that repeats the input signal after a short period of time
• Detune : to slightly adjust the pitch of a note
• Diatonic : relating to the major or minor scale
• Diatonic scale : a scale consisting of seven pitches arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps, commonly used in Western music
• Diminuendo : a gradual decrease in volume
• Dissonance : musical harmony that is harsh or unpleasant to the ear
• Dorian : the second mode of the major scale, which has a minor third
• Dotted half note : a half note with a dot next to it, indicating that it should be held for three beats instead of two
• Double stop : two notes played simultaneously on a string instrument
• Downbeat : the first beat of a measure
• Drone : a sustained note that is played in the background while other notes are played over it
• Duple : musical meter consisting of two beats per measure
• Duple meter: a time signature with two beats per measure, such as 2/4 or 6/8
• Dynamic instruction : a notation in sheet music indicating the relative loudness or softness of a musical passage, such as “piano” (soft) or “forte” (loud)
• Dynamic markings: the symbols used to indicate dynamics in sheet music, such as “p” for piano and “f” for forte.
• Dynamics : the volume of sound in music
• Eighth note/Eighth notes : a musical note worth one-eighth of a whole note
• English jig: a lively dance form in triple meter, commonly associated with English folk music and dance.
• Enharmonic : two notes that have the same pitch but are written differently in sheet music
• Ensemble : a group of musicians playing together
• Escape tone : a musical note that resolves dissonance by moving to a more stable note
• Fade : an audio effect that gradually decreases the volume of a sound
• Falsetto : a high-pitched male vocal range
• Fermata : musical notation indicating that a note should be held for a longer time
• Fifth : the musical interval between the first and fifth notes of a major or minor scale
• Final movement: the last section of a multi-movement piece of music, often serving as a grand finale or resolution to the preceding movements
• Flat : musical notation indicating that a note should be lowered by one semitone
• Flutter tonguing : a brass playing technique that produces a “fluttering” sound
• French horn : a brass instrument with a distinctive flared bell and long tubing, known for its rich, mellow tone and versatile range
• Form : the musical structure of a piece
• Forte : musical notation indicating that a note should be played loudly
• Fugue : a musical form consisting of the main theme and several variations
• Full choir : a choir consisting of all voice types, including soprano, alto, tenor, and bass
• Giocoso : musical notation indicating that a passage should be played in a light, playful manner
• Glissando : a musical technique in which notes are played in quick succession
• Glockenspiel : a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal bars
• Gong : a percussion instrument consisting of a large, circular metal plate
• Grace note : a musical note of very short duration
• Grand staff: the combination of the treble and bass staves in sheet music, commonly used for piano music and other keyboard instruments
• Grave : musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
• Grid : a network of vertical and horizontal lines used in musical notation
• Half note: a type of note with twice the duration of a quarter note, usually represented by an open notehead
• Half – step : the smallest musical interval in Western music
• Harmonics : overtones that are produced when a note is played
• Harmony : the simultaneous sounding of musical notes
• Head voice : a vocal range between chest voice and falsetto
• Hemiola : a musical effect created by playing three notes in the time of two
• Homophonic : musical texture consisting of a single melody with accompaniment
• Hook : a catchy musical phrase that is easy to remember
• Improvise : to make up music spontaneously
• Interlude : a musical passage that occurs between two main sections of a piece
• Intro : an introductory musical section
• Jazz standard : a musical composition that is widely known and often performed in jazz
• Jazz : a musical style that originated in the United States in the early 20th century
• Key : the tonal center of a piece of music
• Key signature : musical notation at the beginning of a piece that indicates the key
• Lead sheet : a musical composition consisting of melody, lyrics, and chord symbols
• Ledger lines: short lines added above or below the staff in sheet music to indicate notes that are outside the range of the staff
• Leitmotif : a musical phrase that is associated with a particular character or idea
• Legato : musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
• Locrian : the seventh and final mode of the major scale, which has a minor second
• Major scale : a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh
• Male alto: a male singer with a high range, similar to that of a female alto
• Measure : a unit of musical time containing a certain number of beats
• Melisma : a musical technique in which a single syllable of text is sung over multiple notes
• Melody : a succession of musical notes that create a recognizable tune
• Meter : the rhythmic structure of a piece of music, consisting of a certain number of beats per measure
• Mezzo forte: Italian for “moderately loud,” indicating a dynamic level between mezzo piano and forte
• Mezzo piano : Italian for “moderately soft,” indicating a dynamic level between piano and mezzo forte
• Mezzo-Soprano : a female singer with a range between soprano and alto, often considered the middle voice of the female voice types
• Middle ages : a period in Western history lasting from approximately the 5th to the 15th century, characterized by significant cultural, political, and social changes
• Middle range : the middle portion of a voice or instrument’s range, often considered the most versatile and expressive
• Middle C : the musical note in the middle of a piano keyboard
• Minor scale : a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
• Mixolydian : the fifth mode of the major scale, which has a major seventh
• Modulation : a change in musical key
• Monophonic : musical texture consisting of a single melodic line
• Motif : a short musical phrase that is repeated or used as a basis for variation
• Natural : musical notation indicating that a note should not be sharp or flat
• Neapolitan chord : a musical chord consisting of a root, minor third, and major sixth
• Octave : the interval between two musical notes with the same name
• Orchestra : a large musical ensemble consisting of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
• Orchestral composition : a piece of music written for a full orchestra, typically including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
• Ottava : musical notation indicating that a section should be played an octave higher or lower
• Pentatonic scale : a musical scale with five notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
• Perfect fourth : the musical interval between two notes that are five scale degrees apart
• Phrygian : the third mode of the major scale, which has a minor second
• Polyphony : musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines
• Polyrhythm : the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms
• Piano : musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
• Pizzicato : musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be plucked instead of bowed
• Polyphonic : musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines
• Quarter note: a type of note with half the duration of a half note, usually represented by a solid notehead.
• Quarter tone : an interval equal to one half of a half step or semitone, commonly used in microtonal music
• Rapid alternation : a technique in which a performer rapidly alternates between two notes or chords, often used in Baroque music
• Range : the span of musical notes that a performer can sing or play
• Recitative : musical composition in which the melody is accompanied by basic harmonic progressions
• Recurring motif : a short melodic or rhythmic pattern that appears multiple times throughout a piece of music, serving as a unifying element or musical theme
• Refrain : a phrase or verse that is repeated at the end of each stanza of a poem or song
• Register : a range of pitches within an instrument’s range Relative major: the major key with the same key signature as a given minor key
• Release : musical notation indicating when a note should be released
• Repeat : musical notation indicating that a section of music should be repeated
• Rhythmic notation: the written representation of rhythmic values in sheet music, including notes, rests, and time signatures.
• Riff : a musical phrase that is repeated throughout a piece
• Ritardando : musical notation indicating that the tempo of a piece should gradually slow down
• Root : the note from which a chord or scale is built
• Root note: the foundational note of a chord or scale, often used as a reference point for other notes and harmonies
• Rondo : a musical form consisting of a recurring main theme alternated with contrasting sections
• Run : a rapid succession of notes
• Scale : a series of musical notes arranged in ascending or descending order
• Second inversion : a musical chord consisting of a root, major third, and minor sixth
• Sequence : a musical technique in which a melodic or harmonic pattern is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
• Sforzando : musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a sudden, strong accent
• Sharp : musical notation indicating that a note should be raised by one semitone
• Sharp note : a note raised by a half step or semitone, indicated in sheet music by the “#” symbol
• Slur : musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
• Solfege : musical notation in which each note of a scale is represented by a syllable
• Solo section : a portion of a musical composition in which a single performer or instrument is featured, often accompanied by other instruments or a backing track
• Song structure : the organization of a song’s musical elements, including verses, choruses, bridges, and other sections
• Soprano : the highest singing voice
• Spiccato : musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be played with a short, detached sound
• Staccato : musical notation indicating that notes should be played with a short, detached sound
• Staff : the five horizontal lines on which musical notes are written
• Strict time : a performance style in which the tempo and rhythm of a musical piece are adhered to strictly and precisely
• String instruments : musical instruments that are played by plucking or bowing the strings, such as the violin, cello, and double bass
• Subdominant : the fourth degree of the major scale
• Supertonic : the second degree of the major scale
• Sustain : musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
• Syncopation : a musical technique in which accents fall on normally unaccented beats
• Tempo : the speed of a piece of music, typically measured in beats per minute
• Tempo marking : a notation in sheet music indicating the speed or pace of a musical passage, such as “andante” (moderate) or “allegro” (fast)
• Tenor : the musical range of the male voice between baritone and countertenor
• Tenuto : musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
• Ternary form : musical form consisting of three sections, typically A-B-A
• Timbre : the quality of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of instruments or voices
• Time signature : musical notation at the beginning of a piece of music that indicates the number of beats in each measure and the type of notes that receive one beat
• Tonic : the starting note
• Traditional notation : the standard system of musical notation used in Western classical music, including symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation
• Treble : musical notation indicating that a note should be played an octave higher
• Treble clef : a symbol used in sheet music to indicate notes in the higher range, typically used for soprano and alto voices and high-pitched instruments such as the violin or flute
• Tremolo : musical notation indicating that a note should be played rapidly and repeated
• Triad : a musical chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth
• Trill : musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a rapid alternating sound
• Triple time : a time signature with three beats per measure, such as 3/4 or 9/8
• Triplet : musical notation indicating that three notes should be played in the space of two
• Tritone : an interval of three whole steps
• Turnaround : a musical phrase that signals the end of a section and the beginning of the next
• Tutti : musical notation indicating that all instruments should play together
• Unison : musical notation indicating that two or more notes should be played at the same time
• Verse : a stanza of poetry or song lyrics
• Vibrato : musical technique involving a slight oscillation of pitch
• Violin : a musical instrument played with a bow, typically held between the chin and shoulder
• Voice : musical notation indicating the range of notes to be sung by a particular performer or group of performers
• Vamp : musical phrase that is repeated over and over again
• Variation : musical composition in which a theme is repeated with changes
• Waltz : musical composition in 3/4 time
• Western classical music : the classical music tradition of Western Europe and the Americas, including music from the Middle Ages to the present day
• Whole note : musical notation equivalent to four beats in 4/4 time
• Whole rest : musical notation equivalent to four beats of rest in 4/4 time
• Whole step : an interval equal to two half steps or semitones, commonly used in Western music to refer to the distance between two adjacent notes on a keyboard or fretted instrument.
• Woodwind family : a family of musical instruments made of wood or metal with a reed or mouthpiece, such as the flute, clarinet, and saxophone
• Woodwind : a musical instrument played by blowing air across a reed or into a flute-like tube
• Xylophone : a musical instrument consisting of tuned wooden bars struck with sticks or mallets
• Yodel : a musical technique involving rapid changes in pitch, typically used in folk music
• Zigzag staff : musical notation used for percussion instruments

What did I miss?

Drop me a line and let me know what terms you’d like me to add to this list. Were it exhaustive, this list would probably be 6,000+ words.

Shoot me an email at matt [at] composercode [dot] com. 🙂

🎵 New: The Billie Collection 🎵 Play your favorite Billie Eilish songs!

+100 music terms: musician’s glossary

Yousician team 28 min read

Welcome to Yousician’s complete glossary of all the musical terms you need to know. These over 100 music terms are perfect to add to every aspiring musician’s vocabulary, no matter their skill level.

Whether you’re a fan of classical music or contemporary pop hits, knowing the language of music gives you a more profound understanding and appreciation of your favorite tracks and different musicians’ work.

Learn these music terms and more at Yousician’s blog. Make sure to check back when you run into new and foreign music terminology to learn their meaning.

A complete glossary of all the musical terms you need to know.

Table of contents

12 bar blues

Accelerando, articulation, circle of fifths, counterpoint, improvisation, key signature, sheet music, time signature, transcription.

12 bar blues is one of the most common chord progressions in popular music and the most common one in the blues genre. The number 12 refers to the number of measures, or bars.

Example of a 12 bar blues progression in the key of A:

Music performed without instrumental background. A capella is often performed with multiple voices with a choir but can be sung by a single singer as well. The word ‘a capella’ comes from Italian and means ‘in the style of the chapel’.

Accelerando is a term for the change of tempo where the composition is played at an increasing tempo. In other words, the tempo of the song or composition speeds up until the next tempo marking.

Acoustics is a wide concept with different meanings depending on what is referred to. Generally acoustics refers to the quality of sounds and the sonic qualities of a space, such as a concert hall.

Acoustic music consists of instruments that don’t use electronics to produce the sound. These include the acoustic guitar and bass as well as drums, piano, violin, trumpet and other classical instruments. Meanwhile, the electric guitar, electric bass guitar and synthesizer don’t count as acoustic instruments. However, acoustic instruments can be amplified electrically, for example with a microphone running into a speaker system.

Adagio is one of the basic tempo markings, indicating that the composition is played at a slow speed.

In tempo markings, an allegro is a piece of music played quickly (120-156 bpm) or in a lively way.

In tempo markings, andante refers to music played at a moderate tempo or at a walking pace.

Arco is a term used in music to indicate that a stringed instrument should be played with a bow rather than plucked with your fingers. A good example is the difference between strumming a guitar and playing a violin.

Arpeggio, also known as a broken chord, means that the notes of a chord are played in an ascending or descending order. The notes in an arpeggio can include only the chord’s notes in an ascending or descending order played back to back, or the notes can be played up and down. An example of a technique used to play arpeggios on a guitar is known as sweep picking. In addition, many keyboards and midi-controllers have a built-in feature for playing arpeggios.

In music, articulation refers to how individual notes are played. It’s like the musical equivalent of pronunciation. Articulation techniques, such as legato and staccato, are used to produce different sounds and effects.

Ballads aren’t necessarily songs and the definition of a ballad has changed throughout the centuries. However, today in music a ballad is a slow and often highly emotional form of narrative song. Common themes of ballads are love, loss and longing, making them often sad and sentimental at least in modern popular music. The AABA song structure is also known as the ballad form.

A bar is the unit used to indicate how many beats are in a single segment of music. Bar is a synonym of measure.

In the context of classical music, baritone is a male singing voice that is placed between the lowest bass voice type and a higher tenor voice. Baritone is the most common singing voice for men and this includes many well known singers in popular music, such as Frank Sinatra and David Bowie.

In music, baroque is a particular style of music, composed around the 17th and 18th centuries. This time period is located between the earlier Renaissance era and the following Classical era. Famous composers of the baroque era include Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi, to name only two.

In guitar playing, a barre is a technique where one finger presses down multiple strings simultaneously. In a way, the barring finger (most often the index finger of the fretting hand) acts as a capo by pressing down all strings on the same fret. Barre chords on guitar include the major F chord and minor B chord .

In music, bass can refer either to sounds with low frequency as well as the lowest type of male singing voice in classical music. The word ‘bass’ is generally also used to refer to a family of instruments including the bass guitar and double bass.

A breakdown is a part of a song where the music is stripped back, usually to just the drums or bass. It’s a great way to create a moment of tension before the music kicks back in. Different music genres have their own conventions for incorporating breakdowns in a song.

In modern popular music the bridge refers to a musical section that most often connects the second chorus of a song to the third (and often final) chorus. In classical music the transition between sequences can be called a bridge as well.

The end of a phrase that indicates the end of a passage of music. In jazz music, cadence can also refer to a sequence of chords. Cadence creates a sense of resolution within the phrase in question.

A canon in music is a song where multiple voices or instruments play the melody, starting at different times. This results in a harmonious and polyphonic texture that showcases the intricate interplay between different parts. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a well-known example of a canon.

A clip-like tool attached to the neck of a stringed instrument used to shorten the strings’ length. For example a guitar capo is used to raise the pitch of the instrument. The word ‘capo’ is short for ‘capodastro’, which is Italian for “head of the fretboard”.

Multiple musical tones played at the same time, such as playing three or more guitar strings or piano keys simultaneously. There are many types of chords, the most common being “major” and “minor”.

Chorus is a section of a song that is repeated more than once and contrasts with the other sections. Often the lyrics of a chorus don’t change between each repetition. The chorus can be preceded by a shorter pre-chorus or a bridge that connects the chorus to a verse. A chorus is also known as a refrain.

A concept in music theory where the 12 chromatic pitches are ordered as a sequence consisting of perfect fifths. The circle of fifths can be used as a tool for learning the general structure of music and expanding your knowledge of music theory.

The word ‘clef’ is derived from the French word for ‘key’, but in music refers to the symbol used in musical notation. A clef indicates the position of different notes in musical notation. The most common clefs are the G, F and C clefs.

Coda is the section that concludes a piece of music, such as the ending of a song. In popular music the coda is also known as an outro. The length of a coda can range from a few measures to an entire segment that concludes the piece.

Notes and chords played in consonance sound pleasing to the ear and “right”, as opposed to dissonant notes and chords. However, how one experiences dissonance or consonance is dependent on culture, experience and what one has learned to identify as sounding good or bad.

Counterpoint is a musical technique where two or more melodies are played at the same time, but remain independent and harmonically interdependent. Using counterpoint results in so-called polyphonic music. The term originates from Latin “punctus contra punctum”, meaning “point against point.”

A crescendo is when the music gradually gets louder. Its function in music is to create a sense of anticipation or excitement in the listener. A crescendo refers to the dynamics of a piece, meaning the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. In comparison, decrescendo means a gradual decrease in volume.

The term ‘da capo’ (abbreviated D.C.) is Italian and translates literally to ‘from the head’. However, in music da capo means ‘from the beginning’ and indicates a repetition of the previous section that was just played.

Dissonance in music refers to notes and chords that, when played together, sound harsh and unpleasant. The opposite of dissonance is consonance.

Dolce is an Italian word that means “sweetly”. In music, it’s used to indicate that a piece should be played in a gentle, sweet manner. The Dolce instruction indicates that the performer should play or sing softly and gracefully, emphasizing a pleasing, mellow, and sweet sound.

A sustained low pitched tone that can play continuously throughout a piece of music. Also referred to the part of an instrument that produces the sound, such as certain pipes in the bagpipes. Drone is also a genre of music, consisting of minimalistic, ambient and often low sustained sounds.

A duet is a piece of music performed by two singers or musicians. It’s like a musical conversation, with each performer taking turns or sometimes performing together. Duets are common in contemporary and 1900s popular music, with some well-known examples including “Shallow” by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper and “Easy Lover” by Phil Collins & Philip Bailey.

In music, dynamics refers to how strongly or loudly a piece of music should be played. By indicating the dynamics of a composition in sheet music, the composer can express variation in the intensity of playing and mood of the piece. Examples include ‘piano’ and ‘forte’.

A type of sad and mournful song, usually about lamenting the death of someone. The word ‘ elegy ’ is derived from a Greek word meaning “a song of mourning”. However, the word is not used only in music but can also refer to a poem dealing with similar themes.

An encore is an extra performance by a band or an orchestra after they have already ended their performance. An encore is often demanded by the audience who claps and cheers to tell that they want the performers to return on stage. For example, in a rock concert the band may return to play a couple or a few more songs when they are invited back on stage by the audience. An encore is also a part of a classical music concert where the entire orchestra first leaves and then returns during the audience’s applause. More than one encore is possible as well.

In the context of musical performance, an ensemble is a group of people playing and/or singing together. An ensemble can be entirely instrumental (such as an orchestra), vocal (a choir for example) or a combination of both (for instance a rock band). In other words, all bands are a type of ensemble. Ensembles come in many sizes from small trios playing jazz to great symphonic orchestras and choirs with tens of members.

An etude (also known as étude or study) is a short musical composition designed to provide practice in a particular technical skill in the performance of an instrument.

Falsetto is a singing technique where the singer uses their vocal cords to hit higher notes than their normal range. It’s often used in pop and R&B music but fits various genres of music.

A fermata is a symbol used in musical notation to show that a note or rest should be held longer than its usual duration. How long the note should be held is up to the performer to choose. Often fermata indicates holding the note twice as long as normal.

In music terminology, fill is a brief passage that is used to “fill gaps” in the song and sustain the listeners attention. A fill can be in the form of a drum fill, for instance, and this is likely the most common context where the word fill is used. However, a fill can be played with other instruments as well or even sung. A fill can be used as a transitory tool between two sections of a song.

The term ‘flat’ in music refers to a note being lower in pitch. In musical notation, if a note is flat it’s a semitone, or half a step, lower than the surrounding notes. The♭symbol is used to indicate a flat note. While flat notes are a semitone lower, sharp notes are a semitone higher. However, this is only one meaning of the term ‘flat’ in the context of music. You can also sing or play “flat”, which means producing a note that is slightly lower than the intended note; this is also known as playing “out of tune”.

Forte is a  term referring to the dynamics of a piece of music, indicating that a certain piece is to be played loudly or strongly. In musical notation forte is indicated with ‘f’.

In music, a groove is a rhythm that makes you want to move or dance. It’s the heartbeat of a song that keeps your foot tapping. Groove is created when the elements of a musical piece come together to establish a strong and infectious rhythm , often giving a track its distinct and engaging feel.

Simply, harmony refers to the process where different notes are played together in a way where the notes sound good together. Harmony is one of the most important aspects of music together with rhythm and melody.

Hook is an element of a song or a musical idea used to make the song catchy and memorable to the listener. In modern popular music a hook can be a line of lyrics, a riff or a melody, for example.

Improvisation is the act of creating music on the spot without any prewritten material. It’s like musical freestyling, often used in jazz and blues. In addition to live performances where the players improvise together or individually, improvisation can be used as a songwriting method.

The word ‘interval’ comes from the Latin word ‘intervallum’, meaning distance. In music, an interval describes the distance between the pitch of two tones.

Intro is the beginning of a song that is often followed by the first verse in the basic verse-chorus form of popular music. The intro of a song usually establishes the tone, mood, genre and lyrical themes of the song and may also introduce some recurring melodies and other musical ideas.

The key is a central scale of notes that a song is built on, named by the root note, also called a tonic. It can be major or minor, for example D major. A key signature determines the key and which notes will be flat or sharp by default to match the harmony of the song.

The key can also change in the middle of a song, one common example is to take the key of the song a step higher to increase excitement. This is called a modulation. Also it’s not uncommon to deviate from the key as it can produce interesting results.

The key signature is a set of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music. It tells the musician what key the musical piece is in.

Largo is a term that means “slow” in Italian. In music, it indicates a slow tempo, often used for dramatic or solemn pieces. In comparison, “allegro” refers to a fast tempo in music.

Legato refers to playing musical notes smoothly and there’s no break between the notes when they’re played. In musical notation, legato is indicated with a curved line. For example when playing the guitar, slides, bends, hammer-ons and pull-offs are indicated with a curved line as the strings aren’t picked between different notes.

Lyrics are the words of a song sung by the vocalist. The lyrics can be performed in other ways than singing as well, for example by rapping, screaming or as spoken word. While the performer is referred to as a vocalist, the person (or persons) who writes the lyrics is known as a lyricist.

In music, the term major can be used to describe a chord, scale or key. A way to identify a major chord or scale for instance, is to listen whether it sounds happy. You can contrast major scales and chords with minor ones and, as a consequence, change the mood and tone of a song.

A melody consists of a series of musical tones that constitute a whole. This is perceived by the listener as a single cohesive entity. Melody is one of the most important aspects of music together with rhythm and harmony.

A metronome is a device that helps musicians keep a steady tempo while they play. It produces a clicking or beeping sound at a specific rate, which can be adjusted to match the desired speed of the song. Nowadays, you can download a metronome app for your smartphone or use an online metronome.

As opposed to major chords, scales and keys, minor ones can be identified by listening if they sound dark and sad. For example, minor chords are written with a lower-case ‘m’, while major chords are written without the ‘m’.

A minuet is a type of dance music that was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, originating in France. It’s usually in triple time and has a light, elegant feel.

Modulation is when a piece of music changes the key. It’s a way to add variety and interest to a piece, like taking a detour on a musical journey.

Motifs are recurring and recognizable fragments or a musical idea in a composition. A motif may be repeated with or without changes to it throughout the musical piece.

A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. It’s often slow, peaceful, and dreamy. The term “nocturne” comes from French, meaning “of the night”.

An octave is the distance between the 1st and 8th notes of a major scale. For example, the C major scale goes C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, and the distance between the first C and the final C is called an octave. Each time you go up an octave, you double the frequency of the note. For example, if you play a note at 440Hz, then the octave is at 880Hz. The word ‘octave’ is derived from the Latin word for eight, ‘octavus’.

An opera is a form of theater where the story is told through singing instead of speaking. It often involves elaborate costumes and sets, and the music is usually classical. Operas cover a wide range of themes and emotions, making it a multifaceted medium for storytelling and artistic expression. Some famous operas include Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Don Giovanni” as well as Puccini’s “La bohème” and “Tosca”.

Outro is the ending or conclusion of a song. The term ‘outro’ is usually used in the context of popular music, while the term ‘coda’ is more commonly used in classical music. An outro can have different forms and there’s no single correct way to end a song. For example, the outro can be a gradual decrease in volume as the song fades out or a more abrupt ending.

Overture is a musical introduction to a performance, such as an opera, play or even a movie. An overture is often played by an orchestra and its purpose is to set the mood for the performance that’s about to begin.

A pentatonic scale is a scale with five notes for each octave. Pentatonic scales are widely used throughout the world, not only in Western music. Pentatonic scales are also used in different musical genres and can be divided into major and minor pentatonic scales.

Percussion refers to any instrument that makes a sound when it’s hit, shaken, or scraped. Percussion instruments include drums, cymbals, tambourines, maracas, and many others. Although percussion instruments most often play the rhythm of a song, they can also play melody and harmony.

Pitch is a sound that is clear enough to distinguish from noise, that makes it possible to tell if a sound is higher or lower than another. Pitch is an attribute of sound along with loudness, length and timbre.

Polyrhythm is when two or more different rhythms are played simultaneously. What makes polyrhythms particularly challenging is that they can involve playing two rhythms of different lengths at the same time. This means that the two overlapping rhythms don’t start and end at the same time. It’s like a musical jigsaw puzzle, with each piece fitting together to create a complex pattern.

A prelude is a short piece of music that is often played as an introduction to a longer piece, like an opera or ballet. It helps set the mood and prepare the audience for what’s to come.

A quartet is a band, choir, ensemble or some other group of four musicians performing together. The word ‘quartet’ can also be used to refer to a piece of music composed for four instruments or voices.

Reprise is the repetition of a piece of music within a song, album or performance. For example, many movie scores contain a repetition of a motif during more than a single scene.

Reverb, short for reverberation, is the echo you hear when a sound bounces off a surface and comes back to you. In music, it’s often used to give a sense of space or depth to the sound. Nowadays, reverb can be established with an artificial reverb effect.

Rhythm is the placement of sounds, rests and emphasis in time. It’s a crucial building block and basis of all music. In sheet music, rhythm is marked by varying note lengths, with tempo defining the pace of the rhythm and time signature defining how it’s counted.

A riff is a short passage consisting of notes and chords that is repeated throughout a song. In popular music, and especially different rock genres, riffs are usually played with the guitar and bass. For example, many rock songs are known especially for their memorable guitar riffs. A good example of a guitar riff is the opening riff of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes. Other famous guitar riffs can be found in “Come as You Are” by Nirvana, “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, just to name a few. However, riffs can be played with a number of different instruments and in many different genres of music.

A root is the base note of a key, scale or chord. In the key of B major, the root is B.

A scale is a set of notes ordered by the root note. It defines the notes that fit the harmony at hand. The most common ones are the major and minor scales, but there are plenty of other scales like chromatic, mixolydian or harmonic minor, for example.

The term ‘sharp’ in music refers to a note being higher in pitch. In musical notation, if a note is sharp, it is a semitone higher than the surrounding notes. The # symbol is used to indicate a sharp note. While sharp notes are a semitone higher, flat notes are a semitone lower. In addition to referring to a note being higher in pitch, the term ‘sharp’ can also refer to sharp singing or tuning.

Sheet music is a printed form of musical notation showing the pitches, rhythm and/or chords of a song.

Solfège is a method of music education teaching aural skills, recognition of pitches, harmony and rhythm, and reading notation.

A piece of music performed by a single singer or player, known as the soloist. Solos are common in rock and pop genres, for example in the form of a guitar solo where the guitarist is the center of attention while the rest of the band plays in the background.

Sonata is a principle of composing large scale works, often referring to Western classical music from the early 19th century onwards. A famous example is the Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Soprano is one of the female singing voices alongside mezzo-soprano and alto. The soprano is the one with the highest vocal range and a soprano is able to sing the middle C note or even higher.

A staff is a set of five horizontal lines where music is written. Each line and space represents a different note. A grand staff in music is a combination of two staves, with one staff placed above the other. The grand staff is commonly used in notation for piano and keyboard instruments.

A large scale composition for an orchestra consisting of sections called movements.

Tablatures or tabs are a type of musical notation that is used commonly with fretted instruments, such as the guitar, bass and ukulele. For example, guitar tablatures use fret numbers and strings to indicate which notes are played, unlike in traditional sheet music. Drums can also be played with tablature.

Tempo is the speed of a piece of music is often indicated in beats per minute (or BPM).

Tenor is the highest type of singing voice for men . Famous tenors include Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti as well as Freddie Mercury and Bruce Dickinson in the world of rock music.

Tenuto is a musical direction meaning a note should be held for its full length. It’s like a musical emphasis, highlighting a particular note or chord. In musical notation, tenuto can be indicated in three ways: with the word “tenuto” written above the passage, with the abbreviation “ten.”, or with a horizontal line below or above the note it concerns.

Timbre refers to the unique quality of a sound that makes it different from other sounds. It’s what makes a piano sound different from a guitar, even when they’re playing the same note.

Time signature defines how many beats there are in a bar, and which note value the beats are. In the most common time signature 4/4 (read: four four time), there are four quarter notes per bar. Other common signatures are ¾ (waltz) and 6/8, less common examples are 5/4 (‘Take Five’ by Dave Brubeck Quartet, Theme from Mission Impossible) or 7/4 (‘Money’ by Pink Floyd). The time signature can also change within a song. In the context of Western music, unusual time signatures and surprising time signature changes are a common characteristic of experimental music genres and progressive rock, for instance.

Tone can refer to a single pitch or to the audible characteristics of sound (timbre).

Transcription in music is the process of writing down a piece of music, usually from a recording. It’s like taking dictation, but for music instead of words. Thanks to transcription, we have access to old classical pieces that were composed before the technology to record music for later listening. Creating sheet music from a recording is making a musical transcription of said recording.

Tremolo has two common meanings. The first is playing a note repeatedly and rapidly, for example a guitarist picking a note quickly, over and over. This kind of tremolo picking is a common technique in a variety of music genres, such as black metal and surf music.

The second meaning of tremolo is a rapid variation in volume, for example quickly turning the volume up and down, creating a shuddering effect. Guitarists often achieve this using an electronic effect. A good example of the tremolo effect in rock music can be found in Creedence Clearwater Revival’s version of Midnight Special.

A tritone is a musical interval that spans three whole tones. It’s often considered dissonant or “unpleasant” to the ear and was even called the “devil’s interval” in the Middle Ages.

In music the term ‘tune’ can have a number of meanings. When used as a noun tune can refer to the song itself as well as the melody of a song. As a verb, ‘tune’ refers to the act of tuning an instrument and setting it to the correct tune.

Tuning refers to the process of adjusting an instrument so it produces the desired notes at the correct pitch.

For example, guitar strings are typically tuned to the notes E-A-D-G-B-E. To tune a guitar means to adjust the strings so they precisely match those pitches. There are also “alternate tunings”, in which the strings can be tuned to different notes.

Tuning is standardized so that the note A4 (the A above middle C on the piano) is usually set to the frequency of 440Hz.

In popular music, verse is a part of the song structure. In the commonly used verse-chorus form, a verse is followed by the song’s chorus and contrasts with other parts. A pop or rock song usually consists of at least two verses that have similar chords, melody and rhythm but may differ lyrically.

An effect in music where the pitch of a note changes rapidly, resulting in a vibrating effect. Vibrato can be achieved with an instrument, for example by using an effect pedal, the whammy bar of a guitar or by moving your finger up and down while holding down the fret. Vibrato can be also achieved with the human voice and is a technique often used by skilled vocalists.

A person who has exceptional talent, skills and knowledge of for example music, painting or some other art form. For instance, a guitar virtuoso would be a highly skilled guitar player who is commonly praised for their guitar ‘virtuosity’, such as Eddie Van Halen.

Ready to start playing?

Related articles

Drop c tuning, drop d tuning, the billie collection: learn billie eilish songs with yousician.

Learn the songs you love with Yousician

the future of music

Suggestions

Music glossary: 65 music terms you should know.

There are tons of music terminology and definitions every aspiring musician encounters sooner or later. 

And that can seem like a completely different language to a beginner. 

But most of these terms are not as complicated as they sound, especially if you already have a basic understanding of music. 

So for today’s article, we compiled a list of the most important music terms every musician should know.

With this basic music glossary, you’ll create a solid foundation to build upon. 

So let’s begin! 

An accent mark emphasizes a specific note or group of notes in a chord and indicates that a louder dynamic needs to be applied to that particular note. 

2. Accidental

Accidentals refer to notes that are not within a specific key signature.

A sharp (♯) tells you to raise a note up by one half-step, and a flat (♭) tells you to lower a note down by one half-step.

Adagio is the Italian word for ‘slowly’, and in music, the term refers to a slow tempo. 

Since it means ‘cheerful’ in Italian, allegro means the music should be played at an upbeat and bright tempo.

Alto is a vocal range assigned to a singer in a choir, but the word is also used to describe a lower female voice.

The alto range of pitches is below Soprano but higher than the Tenor range, so altos are usually female singers. 

The term andante refers to a moderately slow tempo. 

7. Arpeggio

Arpeggio means playing notes of a chord one note at a time instead of striking them all at once. 

The word comes from the Italian word arpeggiare, meaning to play on a harp.

A bar is a unit of time that contains a certain number of beats.

In music notation, a bar is bounded by vertical lines. 

The beat is the basic unit of time; a repeated pulsation determined by the time signature.

Multiple beats make up a bar.

In music, BPM stands for beats per minute.

The term refers to the number of beats that will occur within 60 seconds.

11. Cadence

A cadence is a sequence of chords used to indicate the ending of a phrase. 

12. Cadenza

A cadenza is an improvised or written-out music performed by a soloist at or near the end of a piece of music.  

A canon is a musical form and compositional technique based on the principle of imitation.

In canons, a melody is played and then imitated one or more times.

A clef is a musical symbol at the beginning of a music staff that indicates the pitch of the notes. 

The treble clef notates musical notes above Middle C, and the bass clef is used to notate pitches below Middle C. 

In sheet music, a coda is a symbol used to denote where the final passage of a piece begins.

16. Crescendo

A crescendo is a gradual increase in the volume (loudness) of the musical passage. 

17. Da Capo

Da Capo (often abbreviated as D.C.) is a term used to indicate that the musician should go back to the beginning of the piece and play it again. 

18. Dal Segno

Dal Segno is used in sheet music to tell the musician to resume playing the piece from a different section of the piece.

19. Diminuendo

A diminuendo is a gradual decrease in the loudness of the musical passage. 

20. Dissonance

Dissonance is an inharmonious sound or combination of sounds.

21. Dynamics

In music, the term dynamics refers to the intensity and volume level of a musical piece. 

Some of the common dynamic markings in musical notation include forte (loud), piano (soft), mezzo forte (moderately loud), and mezzo piano (moderately soft).

22. Enharmonic

The term enharmonic refers to two notes that have different spellings but sound the same.

23. Fermata

In sheet music, the fermata symbol indicates that a note should be played longer than its standard duration. 

In musical notation, flat means lower in pitch by one semitone or half step. 

Forte is marked by f in sheet music and it refers to louder dynamics. 

26. Fortepiano

In musical notation, fortepiano (fp) indicates a forte followed immediately by piano.

So, a musician should play the notes loudly and then switch to a quiet dynamic. 

A fugue is a piece of music based on a central theme that is repeated and layered with other voices or instruments.

28. Giocoso

The term giocoso indicates that the musical piece should be played in a lively and playful way. 

29. Glissando

Glissando tells the musician to slide in pitch from note to note.

30. Glockenspiel

The glockenspiel is a percussion instrument with metal bars that are struck by a hard mallet.

Grave means ‘solemn’ in Italian, and in music, it signifies an extremely slow tempo.

32. Half Step 

A half step is the distance between two notes or the smallest interval. 

In music theory , the key is a set of notes on which a piece of music is based. 

And the term tonic note refers to the first note in any scale or key. 

Largo means ‘large’ in Italian, and in musical notation, it signifies a large and slow-moving pace.

35. Leggero

Leggero means ‘light’ in Italian, and in sheet music, it indicates that the musical piece should be played lightly.

Legato means that the musician should play the notes in a smooth and connected way. 

Motif refers to a specific melody or notes used in different ways throughout a piece of music or song.

A motif is also often defined as the smallest independent particle in a musical idea.

38. Natural

A natural note is a note that is neither sharp nor flat.

Natural notes are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, and they are represented by the white keys on the keyboard of a piano.

A nonet is a group of nine musicians. 

In music theory, an octave is a distance between one note and another note that’s double its frequency. 

So, if a particular note is one octave higher means that it’s the same note but in a higher section of the instrument.

41. Ostinato

The term ostinato refers to a rhythmic pattern that is repeated throughout a piece of music.

A pan is a term used in audio production to describe the stereo direction of the audio signal. 

43. Pianissimo

A pianissimo is a dynamic marking used to indicate that the musical piece should be played very softly. 

In music, a pitch is a term for how high or low a note sounds.

Essentially, a pitch refers to the position of a particular sound in the complete range of sound.

45. Pizzicato

Pizzicato is a compositional marking that tells musicians to pluck their instruments.

46. Poco-a-poco

Poco-a-poco means ‘little by little’ in Italian, and in music, it refers to slight variations in tempo or dynamics. 

Presto means ‘instantly’ in Italian, and in musical notation, it’s used to indicate a very fast tempo.

48. Quarter tone

A quarter tone refers to a musical interval that is half the value of a semitone and a quarter of the value of a whole tone.

49. Quintuplet

A quintuplet is a rhythmic notation or a group of five sixteenth notes that occur within the span of one-quarter notes.

50. Rhapsody

A rhapsody is a one-movement piece of music based on a free-flowing structure and versatile dynamics. 

51. Ritardando

Ritardando instructs the player to gradually slow down in tempo.

A rondo is a type of orchestral form or song structure that typically contains multiple repeating sections.

Rubato refers to expressive and rhythmic freedom.

With rubato, you can choose your own tempo for a part or a phrase of music.

54. Scherzo

Scherzo is a short orchestral piece of music that is usually very lively and playful. 

55. Sforzando

Sforzando is an indication to play a note abruptly and loudly. 

In musical notation, sharp means higher in pitch by one semitone or half step. 

A slur is a symbol in musical notation indicating that the notes should be played without separation. 

58. Solfege

Solfege (or solfeggio) is a system where pitches of a musical scale correspond to syllables.

The term is also used to describe musical education which includes teaching aural skills, sight-reading, and pitch.

59. Soprano

Soprano refers to a range of pitches in the highest register of tones.

The term is often used to describe the highest female voice type. 

60. Sostenuto

Sostenuto means ‘sustained’ in Italian, and in musical notation, it tells the musician to play the piece in a smooth sustained manner.

61. Staccato

Staccato is a form of musical articulation that signifies a short, brisk note. 

In musical notation and performance, staccato is the opposite of sostenuto. 

In music, a tempo is the pace or speed at which a piece of music is played.

Some of the most common tempo markings include allegro, largo, andante, and presto.

63. Tremolo 

Tremolo is a technique musicians use to create a trembling sound. 

The trembling effect can be created by playing an individual note or two alternating notes as quickly as possible.

Trill refers to the rapid succession of two or more notes.

The notes played in a trill are usually only a semitone apart.

65. Vibrato 

Vibrato is a type of musical effect where the pitch of a note is moved up and down very quickly and subtly. 

Music Terms You Should Know – Final Thoughts 

Some music terms we explained today are a bit difficult to grasp, but most of them probably refer to the concepts you’re familiar with but just didn’t know the name of. 

Either way, we hope this ultimate music glossary helped you get a better understanding of it all. 

And you can come back to it whenever you come across a confusing music term.

You may also like: Best Online Music Lessons

Will Fenton

15 Best Lainey Wilson Songs of All Time (Greatest Hits)

15 Best Christina Aguilera Songs of All Time (Greatest Hits)

Latest from music industry.

10 Best Website Builders for Musicians & Bands

What Is a 360 Deal in the Music Industry?

What Is A&R (Artists & Repertoire) & How Does It Work?

Deezer vs Spotify: Which Platform Wins?

YouTube Music vs Spotify: Which Platform Wins?

Musical Dictonary

The most common musical terms defined

Music Terms beginning with "A"

• Accent - Articulation - Tells the musician to put emphasis or weight on the front of the note.
• Accelerando - Tempo Marking - Abbreviates as accel. and means to gradually increase the tempo. There is usually a tempo marking at the end of the accelerando that lets you know what tempo to reach.
• Accidental - Musical Symbol - This symbol modifies a note's pitch. Sharps, flats, double sharps, double flats, and natural signs are all accidentals.
• Accompaniment - All parts/voices other than the solo line. In this example, the trumpet is the solo line and the piano is performing the accompaniment.
• Adagio - Tempo Marking - Translates to "slowly" and is a tempo between 66 and 76 beats per minute.
• Allargando - Style Marking - Often abbreviated with allarg. and it means to "widen." Which is performed by slowing the tempo and broadening while maintaining a full tone.
• Allegro - Tempo Marking - Literally translated to "cheerful" but is interpreted in music to be a quick tempo, usually between 120 and 156.
• Allegretto - Tempo Marking - Fairly quick, but not as fast as Allegro
• Alto - Vocal Range - The second-highest vocal group in the choir. Either a low female voice or a high male voice.
• Andante - Tempo Marking - At a walking pace, typically between 76 and 108 beats per minute.
• Aria- Musical Form - A long accompanied vocal piece that is usually part of a larger work like an opera.
• Assai - Style Marking - This means "very" and is always combined with another music term.
• Atonal - Music Theory - Atonal music is a piece that has no tonal center, meaning that it isn't written in a specific key or mode. Atonal styles of composition became popular around 1908 and persist today. Some prominent composers who used atonality are Alban Bern, Arnold Schoenberg, and Anton Webern.

Music Terms beginning with "B"

• Ballad - Musical Form - A French term for a poem or narrative that has been set to music.
• Band - Ensemble - Also called a wind band or wind ensemble, this type of ensemble consists of woodwind and brass instruments.
• Bar - Music Theory - The term "bar" can be interchangeable with "measure." It is the smallest segment of a musical piece.
• Bar line - Music Theory - Barlines are used to separate bars/measures.
• Baritone - Instrument - The term Baritone can refer to either a vocal range or an instrument. For vocalists, a Baritone in singing is a middle-range male voice between the bass and tenor ranges. As an instrument, the baritone is a brass instrument that resembles a small tuba. It is pitched in B-flat and has a practical range of E to B-flat 1.
• Bass - Instrument - The bass is the largest of the stringed instruments. It is also called the "double bass" or "upright bass."
• Bass Clef - Music Theory - Also known as an F-clef, this symbol appears that the start of the staff and lets the musician know the note correlation to ledger lines. The ledger lines in the bass clef are "G, B, D, F, A" and the spaces are "A, C, E, G."
• Basso Continuo - Music Theory - A style of accompaniment in the Baroque era that consisted of a basic bassline and harmonies. Basso Continuo is typically performed with a small ensemble consisting of a piano (or other keyboard instruments) and a cello or lute.
• Bassoon - Instrument - The bassoon is a double-reed instrument (meaning that the mouthpiece is created by two reeds). It has a practical range from B-flat 1 to G5.
• Beam - Music Theory - The beam is used to connect two (or more) notes of equal or lesser duration. For example, a beam can connect two eighth notes.
• Beat - Music Theory - A beat is a pulse you feel when listening to music. It measures the passing of time (tempo) and helps musicians perform together and read rhythms.

Music Terms beginning with "C"

• Cadence - Music Theory - The end of a harmonic progression that creates a sense of resolution. There are several types of cadences, like a Perfect Authentic Cadence and Half Cadences. You will typically find them at the end of a phrase or piece.
• Cadenza - Music Theory - A section of a piece (typically a solo ) where the musician performs an unaccompanied section comprised of ornamented themes from the work. This is sometimes improvised.
• Caesura - Musical Symbol - It is written by two lines either slashed ( // ) or upright ( | | ). It means to take a pause, typically between phrases. The duration can range from a short breath to a full rest.
• Cantata - Musical Form - A vocal work with instrumental accompaniment. A cantata is made up of multiple movements.
• Cello - Instrument - The cello is a stringed instrument with a range between C2 and C6.
• Chorale - Musical Form - This can be stand-alone or part of a larger work. It is usually a simplified and harmonized rendition of a simple tune or hymn.
• Chord- Music Theory - A collection of notes played simultaneously to create harmonies. Chord progressions are what create the feeling of tension and release in music.
• Chromatic - Music Theory - Referring to scales or passages comprised of semi-tones or half-steps.
• Clarinet - Instrument - A clarinet is a woodwind instrument with a range of E3 to C7. There are three instruments in the clarinet family: B-flat, A, and E-flat.
• Clef - Musical Symbol - A symbol placed at the beginning of the staff that indicated the pitches of the ledger lines.
• Coda- Musical Symbol - A concluding section of a musical work.
• Con - Musical Term - Translates to "With." An example is "con moto" meaning "with motion."
• Concerto - Musical Form - Composition that is typically made of three movements and written for a soloist and orchestral accompaniment.
• Countertenor - Vocal Range - The highest singing male voice.
• Crescendo - Dynamic Marking - Written underneath the staff, this symbol instructs the musician to get louder.

Music Terms beginning with "D"

• Da Capo - Musical Term - Literally translates to "from the head" and it instructs the musicians to return to the beginning or to repeat a section of music.
• Decrescendo - Dynamic Marking - Written below the staff, a decrescendo tells the musicians to decrease volume through the duration of the symbol.
• Diatonic Music Theory - A term used to describe a passage that sticks to the notes of a scale/mode without any chromatic alteration.
• Diminuendo - Musical Term - Sometimes abbreviated as dim., it means the musicians should decrease volume.
• Dissonance - Music Theory - The opposite or lack of harmony. It is used to describe a chord or interval where the notes clash.
• Dolce - Style Marking - Translates to "sweetly."
• Dotted Note - Musical Symbol - An addition to a rhythmic value that instructs the musician to add half of the value of the note to the end of the note. As an example, a whole note gets four beats. When the dot is added to a whole note, the musician should add another two beats (half the value of the whole note) to the duration.
• Downbeat - Music Theory - A downbeat is where the primary beats of the music occur.
• Duet - Ensemble - A duet is a musical ensemble comprised of two musicians. It can also refer to two instrumentalists being highlighted in a larger ensemble, as in the horn and flute duet in Shostakovitch's 5th Symphony.
• Dynamics - Dynamic Marking - Tells the musician how loud or soft notes should be played.

Music Terms beginning with "E"

• Ensemble - Ensemble - A term for a group of musicians.
• Etude - Musical Form - French for "study." An Etude is a short musical piece that is written to help a musician practice a certain skill. For example, there might be an etude written to help a musician practice a certain articulation by repeating the articulation in different contexts.

Music Terms beginning with "F"

• Fermata - Musical Symbol - Often called the "birds-eye," the fermata means the musician should hold the note until the conductor gives a cutoff or cue to move on to the next beat. They can be over a note or rests but should be interpreted in the same way. You will most often find fermatas at the end of a section or piece.
• Fine- Musical Term - Pronounce fee-nay, this means "end" or "finish." Usually written above a measure, it means that this measure should be the very last measure played. It is usually used in conjunction with "D.S. al fine."
• Flat - Musical Symbol - A "flat" is an accidental that lets the musician know to lower the pitch by one-half step. It is written as â™­.
• Flute - Instrument - Despite being made of metal, the flute is part of the woodwind family. It is in the key of C and has a practical range of three octaves with the bottom of the range being middle C. Also in the flute family are the piccolo and bass flute.
• Form - Musical Term - Music works are often written according to a "form." This is like a format or template. A form is comprised of sections that have tonal centers, usually notated by letters. Some musical forms include Binary (AB), Ternary (ABA), Rondo (ABACA), and Sonata (ABACABA)
• Forte - Dynamic Marking - Abbreviated with a lowercase "f" and means that the passage should be played loudly. This dynamic lasts until you see a new dynamic marking.
• Fortepiano - Dynamic Marking - Hit the start of the note loud but then go immediately to soft.
• Fortissimo - Dynamic Marking - Written with two lowercase "f" (ff), this symbol tells the musician to play very loudly.
• French Horn - Instrument - The French horn is a brass instrument pitched in F. It is often called just a "horn" or an "F horn."
• Fugue - Musical Form - A fugue is a compositional device where a short melody or phrase is introduced (known as the subject) by a single instrument at the beginning and then repeated as new voices/instruments enter.

Music Terms beginning with "G"

• Glissando - Articulation - A continuous slide between two notes.
• Grave - Musical Marking - Play in a slow, solemn, and serious style.

Music Terms beginning with "H"

• Half-step - Music Theory - A half-step is the smallest interval in a chromatic scale. For example, imagine a piano and move from a white key to the next adjacent black key. This would be a half-step.
• Harmony - Music Theory - Simultaneous sounding of musical notes/pitches that produce chords that are pleasing to listen to. It is the opposite of dissonance. Some traditional harmonic intervals are the Major third, Major fourth, and Major fifth.
• Heptatonic - Music Theory - A scale that has seven pitches per octave. This would include the Major and minor scales.
• Hymn - Musical Form - A religious song.

Music Terms beginning with "I"

• Instrumentation - Music Theory - A term that refers to the selection of instruments that are playing in a piece or section.
• Interval - Music Theory - The distance between two pitches/notes.
• Intonation - Music Theory - In music, this refers to how accurate a pitch is, or how in-tune a note is.

Music Terms beginning with "K"

• Key Signature - Musical Symbol - A key signature is a collection of accidentals that let a musician know the "key" or tonal center of a section of music. It will appear at the start of the staff right after the clef.

Music Terms beginning with "L"

• Larghetto - Tempo Marking - Rather slow and broad, typically between 60 and 66 beats per minute.
• Largo - Tempo Marking - Broadly, slow, and stately. Typically between 40 and 60 beats per minute.
• Ledger Line - Music Theory - A ledger line is a short line that continues the staff up or down. Ledger lines are used when a note is below or above the staff.
• Legato- Articulation - Written with a horizontal line, it means to play the notes long and connected.
• Leitmotif - A recurring melodic or harmonic theme in music that is associated with a particular person or idea. The most obvious example of a leitmotif would be the character themes in the movie Star Wars.
• Lento - Tempo Marking - Slow tempo between 40 and 60 beats per minute.

Music Terms beginning with "M"

• Marcato - Articulation - Perform the note with added emphasis.
• Major - Music Theory - Meaning that the piece is consistent with a Major scale.
• Maestoso- Music Marking - Translates to "majestic."
• Measure - Music Theory - Another name for a "bar." It is the smallest complete (contains the complete amount of beats) segment of a piece of music.
• Melody - Music Theory - A series or sequence of notes in a single voice that is the focus or subject of a piece of music.
• Meno - Music Marking - This means less. You will see it with another term, like "Meno mosso" meaning "less motion."
• Mezzo - Musical Term - This translates to "half." It usually qualifies another term. For example, mezzo forte is softer (or half) of forte.
• Mezzo Forte - Dynamic Marking - Written as "mf" this dynamic is softer than forte.
• Mezzo Piano - Dynamic Marking - Abbreviated with "mp" and means slightly soft.
• Minor - Music Theory - Built around the minor scale. Music in minor keys typically sounds sadder. There are three different types of minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic.
• Mode - Music Theory - A musical mode is a type of scale. A good way to imagine a mode is to think of the C scale (no sharps, and no flats). Imagine you were to keep that same key signature, but started and ended the scale on D. This new scale would be a mode. The seven modes are Ionian (Major), Dorian (minor), Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.
• Molto - Musc Marking - Very or Much. You will see this with other musical terms, like "Molto Vivace" or "Very Fast."
• Motif - Music Theory - a phrase or music fragment that recurs throughout a musical work.
• Mosso - Music Marking - This means "movement" and is often paired with a qualifier. An example is meno mosso, meaning "less movement."
• Movement - Musical Form - A movement is a section of a larger work. A symphony will usually be comprised of four smaller movements. They are complete pieces on their own but have tonal and thematic relationships to the other movements within a piece.

Music Terms beginning with "N"

Natural - Musical Symbol - An accidental that lets the musician know that no adjustment needs to be made to the note. You will typically only see these if you are undoing part of the key signature. Note Head - Music Theory - This is the fat part of a music note that lives on the staff line. Its location lets the musician know what pitch the note is. Notes - Music Theory - Notes are symbols that communicate two pieces of information. (1) What pitch should be played (2) When and for how long the pitch should be played. This is all communicated in where the note lives on the staff and what the rhythmic value of the note is.

Music Terms beginning with "O"

• Oboe - Instrument - A woodwind instrument that uses a double reed as a mouthpiece. The oboe is pitched in C and has a range of B-flat3 to A6.
• Octave - Music Theory - There are a finite amount of note names. They are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. After you go through them, they repeat. An octave is one set of these notes (a total of 12 half-steps) before the repetition.
• Opus - Music Term - Part of a composer's collection of work. It is a way to chronicle a composer's work.
• Oratorio - Musical Form - Large musical work for orchestra and voice. Oratorios typically have a religious theme.
• Ornament - Music Theory - An embellishment that is not written in the music. The musician adds unwritten complementary notes to the music in order to decorate the note. Some examples of oranments are trills, mordents, appoggiatura, acciaccaturas, and turns.
• Ostinato - Musical Form - A continued repeated musical phrase or rhythm.
• Overture - Musical Form - A musical piece that comes at the start of a larger work, like an opera or suite.

Music Terms beginning with "P"

• Partita - Musical Form - A suite for solo instruments or chamber groups.
• Pentatonic - Music Theory - A scale comprised of five notes. These are made without semitones and have the fourth and seventh removed.
• Piano- Dynamic Marking - Written with a lowercase p, this dynamic marking instructs the musician to play softly.
• Pianissimo- Dynamic Marking - Written with two lowercase p's (pp), this dynamic marking instructs the musician to play very softly.
• Pitch - Music Theory - A pitch is a note that sounds. It can be measured in hertz (Hz).
• Piu- Style Marking - Translates to "more" and is usually a modifier for another musical term. For example, piu mosso would translate to more motion and instructs the musician to play more quickly.
• Pizzicato - Articulation - An articulation marking for string players. Pizzicato tells the musician to sound a note by plucking the string.
• Poco a Poco- Style Marking - Translates to "little by little" or gradually. This will typically be paired with dynamic or tempo markings. For example, crescendo poco a poco would instruct the musician to get louder very gradually.
• Presto - Tempo Marking - Very, very fast tempo. Usually between 168 and 200 beats per minute.

Music Terms beginning with "Q"

• Quarter tone - Music Theory - Half of a half-step or semi-tone.
• Quartet - Ensemble - An ensemble comprised of four musicians. A common example is a string quartet, which a group made of two violins, a viola, and a cello.
• Quintet - Ensemble - An ensemble comprised of five musicians. One of the more common examples is the brass quintet, which is an ensemble made of two trumpets, a french horn, a trombone, and a tuba.

Music Terms beginning with "R"

• Rallentando - Tempo Marking - Abbreviated by ral. This marking instructs the musician to gradually slow down in tempo.
• Recitative - Musical Term - A style of singing where the notes are sung in a manner similar to speech. It would be sung in the rhythm of speech and is often done with many words on a single note/pitch.
• Repeat Sign - Musical Symbol - This instructs the musician to repeat a section of music.
• Resolution - Music Theory - A chord changing from one of tension/dissonance to one of release/consonance. Typically from some chord to the tonic.
• Rest - Musical Symbol - This is the symbol for silence. It marks the passage of time for the musician while they don't play.
• Ritardando - Tempo Marking - Often seen abbreviated as "rit." It means to gradually slow down.
• Ritenuto - Musical Symbol - Immediate reduction of speed.
• Rondo - Musical Form - Sometimes written as "Rondeau," this form has a structure of A - B - A - C - A - B - A. Each section has a different tonal center.
• Rubato - Musical Symbol - When the musician disregards strict tempo for musical purposes.

Music Terms beginning with "S"

• Saxophone - Instrument - Part of the woodwind family due to its use of a reed, but the saxophone is made of brass. There are several types of saxophone in the family: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass.
• Scale - Music Theory - An ordering of notes that make a key or mode.
• Sempre - Style Marking - Meaning "always." This term is usually combined with another musical term, typically an articulation marking. For example, sempre staccato would mean every note should always be played short.
• Senza - Music Marking - Italian for "without." You will see this paired with another term.
• Septet - Ensemble - An ensemble comprised of seven musicians.
• Serialism - Music Theory - A modern composition technique where a fixed series of notes (especially the twelve chromatic pitches) are used to create the melody and harmony.
• Sextet - Ensemble - An ensemble comprised of six musicians.
• Sforzando - Articulation - Abbreviated as sf or sfz. Performed similarly to an accent, but with more emphasis and quick backing away.
• Sharp - Musical Symbol - Written with a pound sign (#). The sharp raises a note by a half step.
• Simile - Music Marking - Similarly. Perform in a similar style.
• Slur - Articulation - Perform notes without articulation.
• Solo - Ensemble - A piece for a (or that features) a single musician.
• Sonata - Musical Form - A form comprised of three major sections: The exposition, the development, and the recapitulation.
• Soprano - Vocal Range - The highest of the vocal ranges.
• Sostenuto - Style Marking - Play in a sustained manner.
• Staccato - Articulation - Written as a dot above or below the note (.), this instructs the musician to play the note short and disconnected.
• Stem - Music Theory - Part of a note, the stem is part of what indicates the rhythmic value of a note.
• Symphony - Musical Form - Long composition for orchestra.

Music Terms beginning with "T"

• Tacet - Musical Term - Instructs the musicians not to play in a movement or section of a larger work.
• Tempo - Music Theory - Tempo lets musicians know how fast or slow a passage of music should be performed. It can be expressed with a tempo marking or in beats per minute.
• Tenor - Vocal Range - A higher male voice with a range from C3 to C5.
• Tenuto - Music Marking - Abbreviated with ten. and means to hold the note to its full value.
• Theme - Music Theory - A reoccurring melody.
• Tie - Articulation - Connects two notes to combine the rhythm/note duration.
• Time Signature - Musical Symbol - Comprised of two numbers, the time signature lets the musician know (1) What note value will receive the beat (2) How many beats are in a measure.
• Tonality - Music Theory - The idea that music is organized around keys or a central tone (tonic). This establishes relationships between notes and chords.
• Tonguing - Articulation - The act of using your tongue to interrupt the airflow, creating space between notes (articulation)
• Tonic - Musical Term - The first scale degree.
• Transposition - Music Theory - Moving music so that it sounds higher or lower. Some instruments are written in pitches other than C. For example, the F horn is written in F, meaning that its notes are transposed.
• Treble Clef - Musical Symbol - A clef that determines the staff lines. Also called G clef, it makes the G above middle C the second staff line from the bottom.
• Tremolo - Musical Symbol - Instructs the musician to create a wavering effect on the tone. Tremolos are usually created by rapid repetition of the note.
• Trill - Musical Symbol - A type of musical ornament where the musician rapidly alternates between the marked note and a note either a whole or half step above the written note.
• Trio - Ensemble - A music ensemble comprised of three musicians.
• Trombone - Instrument - The trombone is a brass instrument that uses a slide (instead of a valve) to alter the pitch. The trombone is pitched in C and has a practical range is from E2 to F5, meaning their music is usually written in bass clef. Other members of the trombone family include the bass trombone, alto trombone, and contrabass trombone.
• Trumpet - Instrument - A valved brass instrument pitched in B-flat. The trumpet has a range of F#3 to F#6.
• Tuba - Instrument - A tuba is a valved brass instrument with a range from D1-D4.

Music Terms beginning with "U"

• Unison - Musical Term - Instruments/different voices playing the same pitches together.
• Upbeat - Music Theory - The space exactly in the middle of two beats.

Music Terms beginning with "V"

• Viola - Instrument - A stringed instrument that is slightly larger than a violin. The viola has a range of C3 to E6.
• Violin - Instrument - The smallest of the string family, the violin has a range of G3 to A7.
• Vivace - Tempo Marking - Meaning lively and fast, this tempo marking ranges from 156 to 176 beats per minute.

Music Terms beginning with "W"

• Waltz - Musical Form - A dance-like piece in triple meter.

Reviewing The Best Metronome Apps Of 2023

These apps were ranked as the best metronome apps, but how good are they really? Which one is actually the best?

The 12 Major Scales

The major scales are the building blocks of music, mastering them is the first step to learning to play quickly in any key.

Picking The Right Instrument To Learn

Questions you should answer before picking an instrument to learn.

What Does BPM Mean In Music?

Tempo markings can be written as a word, or as a number (BPM). What does that number actually mean?

• Online Metronome
• Instrument Tuner
• Piano Drone
• Practice Wizard
• Musical Dictionary
• Practice Journal
• Fingering Charts

Filter Results

• clear all filters

Resource Type

• Worksheets 
• Guided Lessons
• Lesson Plans
• Hands-on Activities
• Interactive Stories
• Online Exercises
• Printable Workbooks
• Science Projects
• Song Videos

middle-school

• Drawing & Painting
• Music 
• Art History
• Foreign language 
• Math 
• Reading & Writing 
• Science 
• Social emotional 
• Social studies 
• Typing 
• Coloring 
• Holidays 
• Offline games 
• Seasonal 
• Common Core 

Music Worksheets & Printables

Our exercises are provided online for free. If they help you, please purchase our apps to support the site.

Tenuto for iPhone and iPad

Enhanced offline versions of our exercises and calculators., staff identification, note identification, identify the displayed note., key signature identification, identify the displayed key signature., interval identification, identify the displayed interval., scale identification, identify the displayed scale., chord identification, identify the displayed chord., staff construction, note construction, construct the requested note., key signature construction, construct the requested key signature., interval construction, construct the requested interval., scale construction, construct the requested scale., chord construction, construct the requested chord., keyboard identification, keyboard note identification, identify the highlighted piano key., keyboard reverse identification, identify the note by pressing a piano key., keyboard interval identification, identify the interval of the highlighted piano keys., keyboard scale identification, identify the scale of the highlighted piano keys., keyboard chord identification, identify the chord of the highlighted piano keys., fretboard identification, fretboard note identification, identify the note of the marked fretboard position., fretboard interval identification, identify the interval of the marked fretboard positions., fretboard scale identification, identify the scale of the marked fretboard positions., fretboard chord identification, identify the chord of the marked fretboard positions., ear training, keyboard ear training, listen and press the piano key of the played note., note ear training, listen and identify the played note., interval ear training, listen and identify the played interval., scale ear training, listen and identify the played scale., chord ear training, listen and identify the played chord., for teachers, exercise customizer, create a permanent link to a customized exercise., code checker, validate an exercise verification code..

Musical Terms PDF

Download this free PDF of musical terms. The Musical Terms PDF includes dynamics, tempo, articulations, and other terms.

Give this free sheet of terms to students as a reference sheet.

These reference sheets can also be found in the Music Assignment Book. 

• Reviews (8)

8 reviews for Musical Terms PDF

Bethany Majetich (verified owner) – July 3, 2020

Very clear, succinct descriptions of some of the most commonly seen musical terms.

Kathy Sturgis – July 3, 2020

This is a great sheet to share with students.

Lisa (verified owner) – July 10, 2020

Excellent resource to put in student binders as well as to display on walls of studio/music rooms. Thank you so much!

Jo shul gi – July 17, 2020

Wow~!!! Thank you~

Susan (verified owner) – August 27, 2020

This is a simple and clear guide to music terminology. A great reference for students and parents. Allows students to learn music terms in Italian, too!

D Schroeder (verified owner) – August 28, 2020

I enjoy the simplicity and clear formatting of this sheet ( and others). They are good reference pages for my students notebooks.

Marietta (verified owner) – April 22, 2021

I always like to tell my students in learning music they’re also learning some Italian which is super cool isn’t it! This sheet outlines the beginning steps of that process with tempo and dynamic markings

Connie jones – May 22, 2024

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your review  *

Name  *

Email  *

You may also like…

Music Assignment Book

Prep B Piano Workbook

Halloween Fortune Tellers – Set 1

Related products.

Birthday Cake and Candles Clipart

Dynamics Reference Sheet

Tempo Reference Sheet

Product categories.

• Assignment Book
• Merchandise
• Piano Workbooks
• Piano Practice Tests
• Piano Review Books
• Violin Workbooks
• Ensemble Music
• Games & Activities
• Music History
• Note Naming
• Visuals/Guides
• Uncategorized

Quick Search

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

PDF Workbook

Kyle Gullings

The buttons below are links to download all worksheets from the textbook as combined PDFs.

This may be useful if, for example, you do not have reliable internet, or you are simply browsing the whole workbook at once. But in general, we recommend using the links at the end of each chapter instead of downloading this file. This is because:

• The PDF may not have the most up-to-date assignments. This is a static file, meaning that has to be manually re-uploaded to make changes—it is not automatically generated.
• The PDF has been compressed to reduce the file size. Some images or text may be compromised from this process.

Download PDF Workbook (48.9 MB)

Last updated: August 19, 2024

Open Music Theory Copyright © 2023 by Kyle Gullings is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

What this handout is about

This handout features common types of music assignments and offers strategies and resources for writing them.

Writing about music

Elvis Costello once famously remarked that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” While he may have been overstating the case, it is often difficult to translate the non-verbal sounds that you experience when you listen to music into words. To make matters more difficult, there are a variety of ways to describe music:

• You can be technical and use terms from music theory. Example: “The cadential pattern established in the opening 16 bars is changed by a phrasal infix of two bars (mm. 22–24), thus prolonging the dominant harmony in the third phrase.”
• You can describe your feelings and personal reactions to the music. Example: “I felt that the chorus of the song was more gripping than the opening.”
• You can try to give a play-by-play description of what’s happening in the music. Example: “The saxophone soloist played a lot of scales in his improvisation, and the pianist added sparse chords to it.”

Without an extensive knowledge of music theory, you will most likely wind up doing a combination of 2 and 3. However, in all of these examples, you are only describing the music. Most music professors want you to analyze it. (So what if the dominant is prolonged? What is the effect and meaning of this?) How your description of music becomes an analysis of music depends on the kind of assignment you are answering. Consult our handout on understanding assignments for help in getting started.

Making an argument about music

Often, you will be asked to make an argument about a particular piece of music. In its most basic form, this is a statement about the piece with evidence that persuades your reader to agree with your argument. Clearly presenting your overall argument will help you organize your information around that main point. See our handout on argument.

For example, if you are writing about the historical importance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, you might develop an argument like this:

“Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, completed and first performed in 1824, is historically significant because of the ways that it challenged and expanded audiences’ expectations of symphonic structure.”

If this is your argument, then you should research what the audience expectations for a symphony might have been in 1824 based on other pieces of the time. How many movements did symphonies typically have? What were their formal structures? What were the performing forces? Once you understand the expectations of the day, you can identify the specific ways that Beethoven’s Ninth is different as well as what specific moments of the work (the entrance of the choir, the grand recapitulation which begins the last movement, etc.) you can cite as evidence for your argument. As you can see, making an argument in music involves historical or cultural evidence AND specific observations about the piece itself which combine to give a richly textured picture of the music and the composer, as well as the context from which they both emerged.

Even when making evaluative or interpretive claims about music, you should always provide evidence to support your claims. Music often evokes strong emotions in listeners, but these may not be the same for everyone. Music that you experience as “powerful” or “triumphant” may be experienced by another listener as “angry” or “violent.” Giving specific examples from the music will help explain your emotional reactions and give your reader a context for understanding them. For example, instead of saying

“The chorus of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit” sounds angrier than the verses,’ you might argue that, “The added distortion in the guitar, increase in volume, and additional strain on Kurt Cobain’s voice give the chorus of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ an angrier or more critical tone than the verses.”

Musical terminology

On occasion, or in some assignments, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of technical vocabulary used to describe even the simplest musical gestures. Over the past thousand years, the study of music (particularly Western classical music) has acquired a host of specialized terms from Latin, Italian, German, and French, many of which remain untranslated in common usage. Do not be intimidated! If you have questions about these terms, ask your instructor or consult a reliable music dictionary . Typically the terms that will be most helpful to you and most essential in your writing will be ones that have been covered in class and explained in the textbook.

In addition to all the terms that you DO want to use, musical discourse also comes with some terms that professors and TAs might find particularly unhelpful. Generally these include casual value judgments such as  “good,” “bad,” “lame,” “awesome,” “girly,” “soulful,” etc. These words may be fine when discussing an album with your friends, but they are not acceptable descriptors in academic writing. The most glaring of these words, however, and the one that your instructors will undoubtedly be on the lookout for is “authenticity” (and its close relatives “authentic,” “real,” genuine,” etc.). Instructors are particularly bothered by this word for two reasons:

• “Authenticity” is bound by a whole host of cultural and historical assumptions that make it impossible to pinpoint with any accuracy. Music that is considered “authentic” by one person might be considered deeply inauthentic to another and vice-versa. Similarly, music that was considered “authentic” by a group of fans in the 1960s may have lost its “authenticity” in the 1980s, but may have enjoyed a newfound “authenticity” in the early 2000s.
• “Authenticity” is not a claim about the substance of the music. Describing a performer as “authentic” is shorthand for referring to one’s personal conception of how musicians should look, sound, and act. What was it, specifically, that led you to interpret a particular artist as authentic? Was it an effective use of anti-commercial rhetoric in their lyrics or public persona? Was it their references to a particular tradition of music-making such as “folk” or “the blues”?

Examining the ways in which a particular style, band, or song came to be understood as “authentic” by its fans can be a valuable subject of inquiry, but any time you come across the word—in your or someone else’s writing—you should imagine it in scare quotes and try to more closely examine what the author is trying to say with the word in that particular context.

Common music assignments

Concert report.

You may have the opportunity to attend a live concert and report on it. Pay careful attention to the types of questions in the prompt. This is different from a music review in which you pass judgment on how “well” the players performed. Your professor might be okay with you adding your opinion, but most professors want you to listen closely to the music and try to describe it as accurately as possible using some of the vocabulary you’ve learned in class. A typical prompt usually asks for information about the performance venue, the performers, the music itself, and quite possibly your reactions to it. Make sure your report answers all of the questions!

Strategies: Read through the concert program. Sometimes there are program notes that provide background information and formal discussion of the music. This might act as a model for your own report. If your “concert” is more like a jazz jam session, you may not know the names of any of the pieces you hear. Sometimes you can just pick out your favorite performances to discuss. Elements to listen for might include (but are not limited to) instrumentation, variety of pieces performed, interaction of the performers, the setting (size, type, and location of the venue, acoustics of the space, etc.), audience reaction, and your own subjective interpretation.

Historical analysis: placing a piece in context

You may encounter this assignment in a music history or appreciation course. An instructor might ask you to pick a piece of music and discuss its historical context. This usually requires research, whether on the composer, the original performance, or the historical meaning. Sometimes you will be asked to relate the music itself to its historical setting. You may also need to make an argument about the piece. See our handout on writing history papers .

For example, you could write a paper relating how Mozart’s 1778 visit to Paris affected the compositions he wrote while there.

Strategies: Make sure you feel comfortable with the basic historical information before beginning an analysis. If you don’t know exactly what Mozart did and when, you will have trouble making any kind of argument.

If you are crafting an argument about how music relates to historical circumstances, then you should discuss those musical elements that most clearly support your argument. A possible thesis might be “Because Mozart wanted a job in Paris, he wrote a symphony designed to appeal to Parisian tastes.” If that is your argument, then you would focus on the musical elements that support this statement, rather than other elements that do not contribute to it. For example, “Though his Viennese symphonies featured a repeated exposition, Mozart did not include a repeat in the symphonies he composed in Paris, which conformed more closely to Parisian ideas about musical form at the time.” This observation might be more helpful to your argument than speculation about what he ate in Paris and how that influenced his compositional process.

Song analysis

How do the music and text (a song’s lyrics, an opera’s libretto) work together? You may complete this assignment for a music history or appreciation class. You should aim to make an argument about the song in question, using both text and music to support your claims.

Strategies: Look at how the text is set to music. This often requires you to first examine the text. Is it in a regular poetic form on its own? Does it have some type of pattern or other play with words? What is the meaning of the text? For more on word play and rhyme schemes, see our handout on poetry explications .

Now look at the text and listen to the music with it. Does the composer set it in an unusual way for the genre? Does the music seem to fit with the general meaning of the text, or does it seem to be at odds with it? Does the composer bring out certain words or lines of text? Why?

For example, you might say, “In the chorus of ‘Poses,’ Rufus Wainwright sets his first line of text to a long, arching melody, reminiscent of opera.” This describes the music and lets the reader know what part you are talking about and how you are hearing it (it reminds you of opera). Now tell the reader what is significant about this. What does it do for the meaning of the text? “The text suggests that ‘you said watch my head about it,’ but this rising operatic melody seems to suggest that the singer is really floating away and gone into another world.” Now your description of the music functions as evidence in an argument about how the song has two layers of meaning (text and music).

If you can do more theoretical music analysis, this might be a good opportunity to look at how the harmonies and phrase structures do or do not line up with the text. “Schubert sets the regular metrical pattern of the text to even four-bar phrases until he gets to the line ‘Ich will den Boden kuessen’ (I want to kiss the ground), whereupon it changes dramatically from there.” Once again, go further by explaining how this observation helps us understand the meaning of the text. “This technique extends the time spent on these lines and makes it seem like the singer is so frantically trying to reach green earth (through the snow), that he can’t maintain a steady pattern. He is overcome by desperate emotion when he thinks of seeing the ground again.” Now you have elucidated a moment in the music that casual listeners might have missed, and you have told them how, and why, it heightens the meaning of the text.

Performance/media comparison

For this assignment, you will compare different performances of a piece, different stagings of an opera, or different settings of a story (e.g. a stage version of an opera versus its movie adaptation). See our handout on comparing/contrasting for more tips on this type of assignment.

Strategies: Make sure you know the basic work before you begin comparing different versions of it. If you are comparing different instrumentalists’ or singers’ interpretations of a piece of music, then familiarize yourself with the piece. Listen to many different versions until you feel comfortable with it. Then you can focus on whatever elements of the individual performance the professor asks you to analyze (tempo, rubato, inflection, articulation, tone color, vibrato, etc.). Make sure you are familiar with these basic elements of music as well. Then ask yourself, what is the overall effect of the different performances? Do they interpret the piece differently? If they are not distinct in terms of overall interpretation, how are they different? How are these differences significant to your understanding or experience of the piece? Now you can use your musical elements to explain why.  Remember to go beyond simply listing differences and similarities by making an argument about the music and its significance.

Let’s say you were asked to compare two performances of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations: one recorded by Glenn Gould in 1955 and the second recorded by Jory Vinikour in 2001. You might observe that Gould’s performance is significantly faster than Vinikour’s and that Gould does not always repeat each section as the score indicates. How does Vinikour’s decision to play more slowly and with more repeats impact your experience of the piece? What might this tell you about the approach that Vinikour takes to Bach’s music versus the approach that Gould takes? You might also observe that Gould’s performance is on the piano while Vinikour’s is on the harpsichord. How does the instrumentation affect your experience of the piece? Is it historically significant that the two performers chose different instruments? Does this tell us something about the status of Baroque-period performance in the 1950s versus Baroque performance in the early 2000s?

In the case of opera, there are more elements beyond the music to take into consideration. Your assignment might ask you to focus on the staging (costume, set design, lighting, action). Remember that just as a play may be produced in different ways, there is no one “correct” staging of an opera. Some may be very traditional and attempt to portray the setting and time period used in the libretto (text). Others may try to make social commentary by “updating” the scenario to something that seems more relevant today. Others may try to comment upon the opera/story itself by making even more avant-garde productions.

For example, a production of Handel’s opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt) might be set in Egypt in 47 BC, as it is in the original storyline. Or a modern opera producer and stage designer might collaborate and “update” it to appear to be about a Western superpower in the Middle East. Same exact text and music, different costumes, set design, lighting, and on-stage action. Does one production seem more believable to you? Does one make you think about the implications of the story more than the other?

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Bellman, Jonathan. 2007. A Short Guide to Writing About Music , 2nd ed. New York: Pearson Longman.

Herbert, Trevor. 2009. Music in Words: A Guide to Researching and Writing About Music . New York: Oxford University Press.

Holoman, D. Kern. 2014. Writing About Music: A Style Sheet , 3rd ed. Oakland: University of California Press.

Wingell, Richard. 2009. Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide , 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

Skip to Content

Tyler Childers concert Aug. 17: What to know

• Share via Twitter
• Share via Facebook
• Share via LinkedIn
• Share via E-mail

Before CU Buffs football games become the main attraction in Folsom Field this fall, there’s one more summer concert. Tyler Childers appears on Saturday, Aug. 17. Main gates open at 5 p.m., and the first act begins at 6:30 p.m.

Limited tickets are still available , but they are moving fast and are expected to sell out before Saturday.  Plan ahead for crowds and traffic to best avoid delays and to get to the fun on time. 

Know before you go

What: Tyler Childers: Mule Pull ‘24 tour  When: Saturday, Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m. Where: Folsom Field Gates open: 5 p.m. Parking: $40 per car; lots open at 2:30 p.m.

  No bags allowed

Bags are not allowed with the exception of small purses (4.5" x 5"); empty poster tubes, sleeves and slings; and bags that are medically necessary. All of the above are subject to inspection.  

Concertgoers should expect heavy traffic and allow extra time to navigate city and campus streets. 

Please visit CU Boulder’s Parking and Transportation website for complete details on Tyler Childers parking, rideshare drop-off and pickup information, ADA accessible parking and other transportation options, including information on bus transit, bike share and e-scooters. 

Parking in campus lots, which open at 2:30 p.m., is $40 per vehicle. Parking must be purchased on site and is not available in advance. Payment is accepted by credit card only. 

There will be no commercial vending areas or commercial parking on the CU Boulder campus. Parking lots close one hour after the event has concluded. No overnight parking on campus.

Drivers will want to be aware of the city of Boulder’s new lane markings and lane configurations along Colorado Avenue. Red “bus only” lanes may be reserved for buses and right turns only. Please follow instructions provided by those directing event traffic.

Concertgoers will be directed to report any safety concerns by texting/calling an in-stadium number that will be displayed on Folsom Field screens during the show. CU Boulder’s  Division of Public Safety provides security support for all large events held on campus. In an emergency, please call 911 to be routed to the DPS communications center.

Enjoy the show!

• Performances & Concerts

Events & Exhibits

Campus community, related articles.

Concerts, drone show July 1–4 to bring excitement and crowds

WelcomeFest 2024 lineup announced—Tobi Lou to headline

The oboe as vocalist—a Faculty Tuesdays performance Aug. 27

News headlines.

• Arts & Humanities
• Business & Entrepreneurship
• Climate & Environment
• Education & Outreach
• Health & Society
• Law & Politics
• Science & Technology
• Administration
• Announcements & Deadlines
• Career Development
• Getting Involved
• Mind & Body
• Arts & Culture
• Conferences
• Lectures & Presentations
• Sports & Recreation
• Workshops & Seminars

Subscribe to CUBT

Sign up for Alerts

Administrative eMemos

Buff Bulletin Board

Events Calendar

Next Assignment

Next assignment lyrics.

How to Format Lyrics:

• Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
• Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
• Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
• Use italics ( <i>lyric</i> ) and bold ( <b>lyric</b> ) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
• If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Genius is the world’s biggest collection of song lyrics and musical knowledge

Dan Merica, Associated Press Dan Merica, Associated Press

Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press

Chris Megerian, Associated Press Chris Megerian, Associated Press

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/kamala-harris-chose-a-long-term-approach-when-tasked-to-tackle-rise-in-border-crossings

Kamala Harris chose a long-term approach when tasked to tackle rise in border crossings

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, watching tens of thousands of migrants from Central America reach the U.S.-Mexico border just a few months into his administration, tapped his second-in-command to help address the influx — a decision that has exposed Vice President Kamala Harris to one of her biggest political liabilities.

In grappling with migration, Harris proceeded cautiously. She focused her time and prestige on boosting private investment in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, the so-called Northern Triangle; her goal was to help create jobs to bolster economies and dissuade migrants from making the perilous journey to the United States.

It was a decidedly long-term — and limited — approach to a humanitarian crisis, and it has allowed Republicans to tie her to the broader fight over the border. While migration from the Northern Triangle ebbed, it surged from other nations, sparking an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, one that Republicans have aggressively sought to exploit at Harris’ expense.

A review of Harris’ work on immigration reveals a record that is more nuanced than the one presented by her critics or allies. It also provides insights into how Harris — who took over as the Democratic standard-bearer when Biden dropped out of the presidential race last month — might tackle one of the nation’s most vexing concerns.

WATCH: A look at Kamala Harris’ legal career and political record

Harris was never the “border czar,” or put in charge of border security or halting illegal border crossings, as former President Donald Trump, Republicans and even the occasional media outlet have claimed. Instead, she was tasked in March 2021 with tackling the “root causes” of migration from the Northern Triangle and pushing its leaders — along with Mexico’s — to enforce immigration laws, administration officials said.

Harris’ backers say she demonstrated leadership by leveraging her stature to win investments that might curb migration years down the road.

“She felt — and I think she was right — that what she could do the most was help basically lead the effort to draw in investment, using the confidence that a relationship with the White House would give to investors,” said Ricardo Zúniga, a former State Department official who specialized in the Northern Triangle and who traveled with Harris to the region.

Critics contend that she could have done far more but chose a less risky path, ensuring the problem only worsened.

“She was like, ‘nope, I’m just root causes,’’” said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for less immigration. “Even if it worked, it’s the sort of thing that takes generations, not one term.”

He also said there was no evidence that Harris pushed Mexico and the Northern Triangle nations to enforce immigration laws.

Harris has defended her work, and her campaign began running a television ad Friday that said Harris as president would “hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking.” Democrats have also blasted Trump for helping tank a bipartisan immigration bill earlier this year that would have increased funding for border security, including the hiring of new Customs and Border Protection personnel.

Trump “has been talking a big game on securing the border, but he does not walk the walk,” the vice president said last month in Atlanta. Later, she added, “Donald Trump does not care about border security. He only cares about himself.”

Immigration becomes a big political issue

Immigration has long been an issue that motivates Trump and his base of supporters, and polls show it is among the most important issues on the minds of voters. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump said he would build a wall along the border between the United States and Mexico and get Mexico to pay for it. Trump was not able to complete the project, and Mexico did not fund the part of the barrier that was constructed. The former president also used explosive language to describe immigrants, launching his campaign by suggesting Mexico was sending its “rapists” and criminals to the United States.

While in office, Trump sought to tightly restrict asylum, which was challenged in the courts. This time around, Trump has promised to oversee a “mass deportation” of migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

Migration numbers have spiked and dropped during both presidencies. Border Patrol arrests on the southern border fell in Trump’s first year in office, then shot back up his next two, rising to more than 850,000 in 2019. The numbers plunged in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic before rising even higher during Biden’s presidency, reaching a peak of more than 250,000 encounters in December 2023, before falling below 84,000 in June of 2024, federal statistics show.

When Biden took office, he reversed dozens of Trump’s moves on immigration even as apprehension numbers began to rise.

Harris was put in a ‘difficult spot’

Harris received the migration assignment when border crossings were rising, garnering considerable attention and leading to bipartisan calls for action.

Chris Newman, an immigration rights advocate in Los Angeles, said Harris was put in a difficult spot.

“She was tasked with developing a long-term policy framework rather than creating a short-term political performance project,” said Newman, the legal director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

Biden and Harris had taken office only two months before, and Harris was under pressure to build her policy portfolio. When he was vice president, Biden had taken on a similar role on immigration. In 2021, though, Harris was dealing with an especially challenging situation given the lack of governing partners in the region. El Salvador’s new president, Nayib Bukele, had a fraught relationship with the administration due to human rights questions raised by his crackdown on crime in his nation. The man who was then president of Honduras has since been convicted of drug trafficking.

The headaches for Harris began almost immediately, validating the concerns of some on her team that it was a no-win assignment.

Harris traveled to Mexico and Guatemala in June 2021, where she defended the fact she had not been to the U.S.-Mexico border during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt by saying she hadn’t “been to Europe. And I mean, I don’t … understand the point that you’re making.”

She also drew criticism on that trip for warning migrants bluntly: “Don’t come” to the U.S.

Harris decided to focus on bringing private investment to the region, tapping into a network of business and nonprofit executives and using the prestige of the White House to signal the Biden administration was backing this effort.

The work linked multinational companies — like Visa, Nestle and Meta — with smaller nonprofits and Latin American businesses, all of which pledged to increase their investments or bolster their work with at-risk communities.

Focused on private investment

The Associated Press contacted all thenearly two dozen companiesthe White House touted as participants in the outreach effort. Some, like AgroAmerica, a sustainable food corporation, that pledged to invest more than $100 million in six new projects, reported their work had begun and they were on track to meet their investment goals. Others, including Columbia Sportswear Company, said they would likely surpass their pledges.

Most companies, however, either declined to comment or did not respond when asked about their efforts.

The vice president’s office has said Harris’ efforts have generated more than $5.2 billion in investment promises. In an illustration of how long it takes the promises to translate into concrete spending, the State Department reported that companies have plowed nearly $1.3 billion in the region as of June 2024, the bulk of it in Guatemala and Honduras.

READ MORE: Past match-ups offer clues on how Harris might debate Trump

“We are on track to exceed our commitments,” Peter Bragdon, a top executive at Columbia Sportswear Company, said of their promise to purchase up to $200 million in products from the region. That pledge would create nearly 7,000 jobs over five years, the company said. The executive called Harris’ efforts a “work in progress” but “a smart approach.”

Katie Tobin, who worked as the top migration adviser at the National Security Council for three years, credited Harris’ focus with spurring investment in reducing these numbers, arguing that Harris “was able to leverage her credibility” and the power of the White House to persuade companies to invest in “a risky investment environment.”

“That was very much Kamala Harris,” she added. “I have never seen something like that done before in this space and it made a real impact.”

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, a sharp critic of Harris, said the vice president and White House were taking credit for investments that would have been made anyway.

The companies are “not doing it because someone asked them to,” said Scott, who co-founded a major medical company. “They’re doing it because it makes economic sense.”

Addressed corruption

Harris also sought to address endemic corruption that has fueled migration from Central America. Before her 2021 trip to Guatemala, Harris met with a group of exiled Guatemalan prosecutors and judges in Washington.

Among them was Thelma Aldana, a former chief prosecutor who fled her country after what she said were politically motivated corruption charges.

“I came out of it convinced that she has a genuine interest in seeing things change in Central America,” Aldana said.

The vice president also deserves credit for helping stop Guatemala’s former president, Alejandro Giammattei, from overturning the 2023 election of his successor, Bernardo Arévalo, according to Luis Von Ahn, a U.S.-based technology entrepreneur from Guatemala.

“Giammattei didn’t want to leave power, the administration of Kamala Harris came and told him ’stop (messing) around,’” said Von Ahn, the founder of the language app Duolingo. “That’s a big help to Guatemala. If an extremely corrupt president doesn’t want to leave it’s terrible and (his exit) lets us be a better country.”

Verdict is out on Harris’ approach

While the Harris campaign and White House have pointed to statistics that show migration from Northern Triangle countries has dropped substantially since early 2021, there is debate over what is responsible for that drop.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Harris and the administration deserve credit for the reduction because their efforts “worked.”

Independent analysts, however, said they were skeptical that Harris’ approach was responsible for the dip. They said the decrease was likely driven by regional factors, including the ascension of El Salvador’s new president and his aggressive drive to combat violent crime. His government reported a 70% drop in homicides in 2023.

Julia Gelatt, associate director of the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, said investment can take years to alter migration patterns — if it ever does.

“Even a whole lot of economic development doesn’t curb immigration in the way countries hope it will,” Gelatt said.

Riccardi reported from Denver. Associated Press writer Sonia Pérez D. in Guatemala City contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

• Frank Cerabino
• Nation & World
• Fort Lauderdale

Why are people calling Harris’ VP pick Tim Walz a ‘midwest princess’? How campaign is ‘pop music’ coded

If you or anyone around you is under the age of 30 this summer, you've heard the terms "brat" or "brat summer" so much that it is now a part of your personal vocabulary. But do you know what a " Midwest Princess " is?

For fans of glittery popstar Chappell Roan, the answer is obvious. But what does it mean when those refer to  Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate Tim Walz as one?

Wondering what green-tinted fam cams on social media and a camo hat says about the Democratic presidential campaign? Here's what to know and how you can impress your Gen Z relatives with your niche pop culture knowledge.

But first, who is Tim Walz?

Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Walz, 60, is also a former teacher, coach, and congressman, as well as a U.S. Army National Guard veteran .

Walz was elected  to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and served 12 years before being elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and again in 2022. During his time as governor, he has pushes for several progressive policies, including free school meals, tax cuts for the middle class, and protections for abortion rights.

Who is Chappell Roan? How does 'Midwest princess' term relate?

Chappell Roan, real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, is a 26-year old pop star from Willard, Missouri . Roan was launched into stardom this year after the release of debut album "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess" last year, becoming one of Olivia Rodrigo's opening acts on the "Guts" World Tour and headlining multiple festivals.

Referred as "the next big thing," Roan loves to dress up, sing, dance and celebrate drag, often featuring queens as her show openers. She also highlights and celebrates her both Midwestern upbringing and the LGBTQ+ community in her music.

What is a 'Midwest Princess'?

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, she shared what the term means .

"I think I just am, I don’t know how to explain it! I think it’s just a girlie from the Midwest who is doing their own thing and causing a ruckus — a little bit of a rebel," she said.

"It doesn’t have to be a girl. A Midwest Princess does not mean girl or boy, it can mean anything. It can mean a feeling or an attitude of just... rhinestone-cowgirl-trashy in-your-face, but [also] loving and accepting and free."

Harris, Walz campaign jump on connection. Sells out merch identical to Roan

Due to the rise of Walz on social media, many have dubbed him a "Midwest princess" alongside Roan due to his dad jokes online, his progressive stances and his overall Midwest charm.

"Walz isn’t Brat, he’s the Rise of A Midwestern Princess and your fancams should be soundtracked accordingly," one user joked.

Capping off the night. https://t.co/pgF98PaOLr pic.twitter.com/DwAQ4hoKkY — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 7, 2024

Following the VP announcement, the campaign listed a camo-printed hat, emblazoned with bright orange letters reading “HARRIS WALZ." Walz took to social media and shared a post on X of him wearing the "Harris Walz" hat with the caption, "Capping off the night."

If the hat at all looks familiar, it’s because it suspiciously looks similar to a popular merch item sold by Roan. Her website sells a nearly identical camo trucker hat with orange lettering that reads “Midwest Princess. ”

According to Teen Vogue, the campaign's 3,000 hats were sold within 30 minutes of the sale going live, with sales amounting to nearly $1 million. It is currently only  available for preorder  for $40 with an expected release date of Oct. 14.

Kamala Harris is also 'brat.' What is 'Brat'?

It all has to do with Charli XCX, who released "Brat" on June 7, featuring hits such as "Von Dutch" and "360." In USA TODAY’s review, the album embraces a hot-mess pop star aesthetic, prioritizing club culture at its core but still offering introspective lyrics on aging, womanhood, grief and anxiety.

In addition to its awards and acclaim from reviewers, the album has also spawned a pop culture movement — brat summer. It depends on who you ask but most define the phrase as just simply having fun and being a little messy.

What is ‘brat’ summer? Why Kamala Harris’ campaign is embracing meme around Charli XCX album

But how is Kamala Harris "brat" exactly? Social media and supporters have identified her as the latest figure to symbolize having a "brat summer." Harris' campaign has fully adopted the trend, having  rebranded  on X with a new header − a neon green background reading “kamala hq” in the style of the “BRAT” album cover. 

Why do candidates jump on pop culture trends during elections?

As more politicians hop on the "brat" and "Midwest princess" trend, many social media users are wondering if they actually like the album or have even listened to either of these albums.

are any of them vetting the lyrics on the album before they’re going elbow deep into this https://t.co/zYkrkXoTo6 — veet (@vveetto) July 23, 2024

yall have lost the plot so fast.. remember how we talked about not idolizing politicians???????? kamala is not brat. walz is not a midwest princess. they are the ruling class and we are the people and no merch will ever make them care about you https://t.co/sXy1R9oMpl — eliza ! (@eeeliiizzuhh) August 6, 2024

Some consider politicians jumping on popular meme and trends as "cringey" and "obvious pandering," many referencing Hillary Clinton's viral joke about the mobile game "Pokémon Go" while campaigning in 2016.

“I don’t know who created Pokémon Go,” she said. “But I’m trying to figure out how we get them to have Pokémon Go to the polls.”

But why do they do it? After interviewing several politicians on their social media usage,  Vice  found that participating in these trends can create a stronger connection with voters and get information out.

A Pew Research Center found that 25% of social media users follow candidates or other political figures on various social media platforms. A similar Pew Research Center  study  found that a similar share of Americans have engaged with social media content from politicians.

However, many still voiced the many challenges they face from trying to hop on these trends, such as being called "inauthentic" by Gen Z, sparking unintended backlash and not being taken seriously. Users in favor of Harris and Walz have warned that they better tread lightly before partaking in the jokes.

Does Chappell Roan give Tim Walz her endorsement?

While Charli XCX dived into the meme by tweeting "Kamala is brat," some aren't so sure Roan is excited about the connection to Harris' campaign.

The popstar quote-tweeted a fan who pointed out the similarities of the two merch items, asking "Is this real?" The responses to her remark ranged from "yes queen" to "not the U.S. government coming for your brand."

is this real https://t.co/4HBBEQuo7q — Chappell Roan (@ChappellRoan) August 7, 2024

At June's Governors Ball festival in New York City, Chappell addressed the White House asking her to perform for their 2024 Pride event. Before singing "“My Kink Is Karma," she shared that she turned down the Biden administration’s invitation .

"This is a response to the White House, who asked me to perform for Pride. We want liberty, justice, and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come," she said.

Additional comments during her set suggest she declined the invitation in honor of the LGBTQ+ community and the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, saying: "freedom for all oppressed people in occupied territories."

What is Kamala Harris' actual campaign song?

It's not even a song off "brat" or "Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess." It's not even from either artist.

According to  CNN , the Harris campaign received permission from Beyoncé to use the song "Freedom" throughout her presidential campaign. The song is off the singer's 2016 studio album "Lemonade."