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

  • dissonance Any interval or chord that sounds impure, harsh, or unstable.
  • Tafelmusik [German] Literally, “table music”. Music that is performed at feasts and banquets.
  • fanfare A short, lively, loud, militaristic composition, usually composed for brass instruments and percussions.
  • bass flute A flute that plays one octave below the concert flute.
  • perfect pitch The ability of certain people to identify a given pitch without reference to any other pitch.
  • rastrum [Latin] A pen that has five points (nibs), for use in notating staff lines.
  • fois [French] “Time”, as in “first time” (première fois) or “second time” (deuxieme fois).
  • break In the flute or other wind instrument, the place between the lower register of the instrument and the higher. For example, the break on the flute is between C-sharp and D.
  • sheet music A generic term to mean any piece of paper with the notation of a composition printed on on it.
  • leading note The major seventh of a scale, so called because it lies a semitone below the tonic and “leads” towards it.
  • part In instrumental or choral music, the music for a single instrument or voice.
  • relative key The major and minor keys that share the same key signature.
  • brioso [Italian] Vivacious, spirited, lively.
  • arabesque [French] An ornament or an embellished work. The term is taken from the Arabic art and architecture which is very ornate.
  • troppo [Italian] Too much.