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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Some random terms

  • envoi [French] A short final stanza of a ballade which serves as a summary or dedication.
  • perfect Term applied to the intervals of a unison, octave, fourth, and fifth when they are exactly in tune and not augmented nor diminished.
  • flute A woodwind instrument that is held horizontally and sounded by blowing across the mouthpiece of the instrument.
  • simple interval An interval covering a single octave or less.
  • singhiozzando [Italian] Sobbing. May suggest the use of a strong portamento.
  • mesto [Italian] Sad.
  • chromatic scale A scale consisting of all 12 semitones.
  • schwungvoll [German] Rousing, spirited, energetic.
  • malinconico [Italian] Melancholic.
  • Schleppend [German] Dragging.
  • tailgate A slang term for a trombone Glissando in Dixieland jazz.
  • comme ci-dessus [French] “As above”.
  • key signature The sharps or flats appearing at the beginning of each staff indicating the key of the music.
  • beat The basic time unit of a piece of music. For example, each tick sounded by a metronome would correspond to a beat.
  • larigot [French] A shepherd's flute or pipe.