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

  • fusion Style that combines jazz improvisation with amplified instruments of rock.
  • deciso [Italian] Decided, bold.
  • lebhaft [German] Lively.
  • litany A prayer or processional of supplication to God, to Mary, or to the saints in which the priest or deacon chants the supplication and the congregation responds with “Ora pro nobis”, “Kyrie eleison”, etc.
  • triple meter A metrical pattern having three beats to a measure.
  • giocoso [Italian] Jolly, merry, playful.
  • consonant A chord (or an interval) that is pleasing and harmonious to the ear.
  • simple interval An interval covering a single octave or less.
  • tonality The organization of a composition around a tonic.
  • galliard [French] Lively triple-meter French court dance.
  • largamente [Italian] With a broad, full sound.
  • lesto [Italian] Quick, swift.
  • vago [Italian] Vague, indefinite.
  • accent The stress of one tone over others.
  • 8vb [Italian] A directive to perform an octave lower than written.