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

  • bourrée [French] An old French dance in use during the Baroque period, very rapid and hearty, usually in 2/4 or 2/2 time.
  • slur A curved line drawn over or under a series of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato.
  • moto perpetuo [Italian] Literally, “perpetual motion”. A term used to describe rapidly executed and persistently maintained figuration.
  • equal temperament Tuning system dividing the octave into 12 equal semitones.
  • heptatonic scale Any scale of seven tones.
  • sharp An accidental symbol that raises the pitch of a note by a semitone.
  • musico [Italian] Term applied to any musician in the 17th and 18th centuries.
  • aubade [French] A song or instrumental composition concerning, accompanying, or evoking daybreak.
  • bene [Italian] “Well” or “good”.
  • Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis [German] The numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach.
  • feierlich [German] Solemn.
  • calma [Italian] Calm.
  • maestro [Italian] A title of respect given to a master musician.
  • consonant A chord (or an interval) that is pleasing and harmonious to the ear.
  • misterioso [Italian] Mysterious.