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

Hint: Don't worry about accents over letters, just skip them.

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…

You may browse the glossary alphabetically, or directly search for a term by using the search box above.

If you are looking for a symbol, check out our Guide to Musical Symbols.

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

  • Leichen-musik [German] Funeral music.
  • canticle A sacred hymn or song.
  • serioso [Italian] Serious, grave.
  • upbeat The last beat of any measure, usually a weak beat.
  • Klang [German] Sound, tune, ringing, sonority.
  • replica [Italian] Repetition.
  • polyharmony Two or more streams of harmony played against each other; common in twentieth century music.
  • cakewalk Traditional, syncopated African-American form of music and dance which originated among slaves in the Southern United States.
  • rhythm section In a popular music band or ensemble, the performers who establish the rhythmic pulse of a song or musical piece, and who lay down the chordal structure.
  • pop Term born as an abbreviation of popular music, that since the 1950s has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternative to rock and roll.
  • affettuoso [Italian] Tender, loving, affectionate.
  • gizmo key On a flute, an optional key on the B foot joint which can enhance the responsiveness of C7 (the highest C playable on a flute).
  • dramatic soprano A soprano voice type with a heavier tone color and more power throughout her range.
  • da capo aria [Italian] A lyric song in A-B-A form, commonly found in operas, cantatas and oratorios.
  • funk American musical style that originated in the 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music.