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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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

  • misurato [Italian] A directive to perform in a measured or strict tempo.
  • new wave Subgenre of rock popular since the late 1970s, highly influenced by simple 1950s-style rock and roll; developed as a rejection of the complexities of art rock and heavy metal.
  • binary measure A measure containing two beats.
  • falsetto [Italian] Vocal technique whereby men can sing above their normal range, producing a lighter sound.
  • volta subito [Italian] A directive to turn the page quickly.
  • Nachahmung [German] Imitation.
  • variation An altered version of a rhythm, motive, or theme.
  • pentatonic scale A scale of five tones. Commonly, these tones correspond to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th of a major scale.
  • staccatissimo [Italian] A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner that shortens the notated duration of the note in a more exaggerated way than normal staccato.
  • ancora [Italian] “Still”, as in “still more slowly”.
  • groove Groove is the sense of propulsive rhythmic “feel” or sense of “swing” created by the interaction of the music played by a band's rhythm section (usually drums, electric bass or double bass, guitar, and keyboards).
  • saltando [Italian] Proceeding in leaps or skips.
  • come prima [Italian] “As before”. A directive to return to a previous tempo or to play a particular passage in the manner of a previous passage.
  • 8vb [Italian] A directive to perform an octave lower than written.
  • ripresa [Italian] A refrain or repeat.