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

  • A440 The standard tuning of the A above middle C at 440 Hz.
  • non [Italian] “Not”.
  • double whole note A note twice as long as a whole note. Mainly used in pre-1650 music.
  • brioso [Italian] Vivacious, spirited, lively.
  • affannato [Italian] Anguished.
  • spiccato [Italian] Very separated, detached.
  • French model A flute with pointed French-style arms and open-hole finger keys, as distinguished from the plateau style with closed holes.
  • tessitura [Italian] The most musically acceptable and comfortable range for a given singer or, less frequently, musical instrument.
  • paso doble [Spanish] Literally, “double step”. A Spanish dance in a brisk duple meter, typically 2/4 time.
  • fiddle A name for the violin, especially when used to perform folk music.
  • arrangement A rewriting of a piece of existing music with additional new material, or a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch. If a musical adaptation does not include new material, it is more accurately termed a transcription or orchestration.
  • double sharp An accidental sign (‛x’) that raises a note by two semitones.
  • staccato [Italian] A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner, as opposed to legato.
  • double exposition In a concerto, a twofold statement of the theme, once by the orchestra and once by the soloist.
  • staff Series of five horizontal lines upon and between which the musical notes are written, thus indicating, in connection with a clef, their pitch.