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

  • mariachi [Spanish] Traditional Mexican ensemble popular throughout the country, consisting of trumpets, violins, guitar and bass guitar.
  • a cappella [Italian] Choral or vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.
  • quasi [Italian] “Almost”.
  • alterezza [Italian] Pride or haughtiness.
  • MIDI Acronym for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface”; technology standard that allows networking of computers with electronic musical instruments.
  • harmonic minor scale A minor scale where the seventh tone is raised by a semitone, both ascending and descending.
  • natural minor scale A scale similar to the major scale, but with the third, sixth and seventh degrees lowered by a semitone.
  • comic opera A sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.
  • ragtime Late nineteenth century piano style created by African-Americans, characterized by highly syncopated melodies.
  • 15ma [Italian] A directive to perform two octaves higher than written.
  • flat An accidental symbol that lowers the pitch of a note by a semitone.
  • eight note A note having the time duration of one eighth of a whole note.
  • appoggiatura [Italian] Ornamental note, usually taking half of the duration of the main note it precedes.
  • binary measure A measure containing two beats.
  • popular music Music of the common people.