Multilingual Music Glossary

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Found a word you don't know? No problem. Look it up in the Music Glossary!

We are currently providing explanations for 2484 terms from 12 languages, including English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Latin…

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Please note: a music glossary is just like a dictionary. It contains explanations to musical terms. If you are looking for a piece, please go here instead: search tunes.

Some random terms

  • spigliato [Italian] Self-confident, bold, smooth.
  • serialism A method of composition in which various musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and tone color may be put in order according to a fixed series.
  • white noise Sounds containing every audible frequency at approximately the same intensity.
  • traurig [German] Sad.
  • Biamonti Catalog [Italian] A chronological catalog of Ludwig van Beethoven's compositions, compiled by Giovanni Biamonti.
  • time signature A symbol placed at the left side of the staff indicating the meter of the composition.
  • monophony Music that is written for only one voice or part.
  • andante [Italian] Literally, “going”. A moderate tempo marking, usually around 76–108 BPM.
  • radical bass An bass line produced by linking the fundamentals of the chords in a progression.
  • Handel-Werke-Verzeichnis [German] The numbering system identifying compositions by George Frederic Handel.
  • senza [Italian] “Without”.
  • lento [Italian] Slow.
  • con anima [Italian] “With soul”, with feeling.
  • enharmonic Two notes, intervals, or scales having different names but equal pitch.
  • con semplicità [Italian] “With simplicity”.