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

  • recitativo secco [Italian] Recitative accompanied only by continuo.
  • affettuoso [Italian] Tender, loving, affectionate.
  • rasch [German] Rapid, swift.
  • con disperazione [Italian] Desperately.
  • duct flute A type of flute, whose pitch is produced by an air column moving through a channel, or duct, and directed to strike a sharp edge or lip causing the air column to split and vibrate. Several types of duct flutes include recorder, flageolet, penny whistle, whistle flute and slide whistle.
  • lullaby A cradle song. A song sung to a child to soothe him to sleep or a gentle, quiet song.
  • root The fundamental note of a chord.
  • mezza voce [Italian] Literally, “half voice”. A directive to perform in a quiet or restrained manner.
  • molto [Italian] “Very”, “much”.
  • cent A logarithmic unit used in measuring the difference between two pitches in an equal-tempered scale. One cent is one one-hundredth of an equal-tempered semitone.
  • part song A vocal composition for two or more voices, usually unaccompanied.
  • inversion The position of a chord when the fundamental is not the lowest note. Also, the inversion of the order of the notes of an interval, obtained by raising or lowering either of the notes the necessary number of octaves.
  • ionian In the system of modes, the ionian mode is the one based on C; therefore, it is the modern major scale.
  • frequency Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch. Usually measured in Hertz (Hz).
  • fugato [Italian] In the style of a fugue.