If you are learning to read sheet music, or taking piano lessons, you may come across a term you are not familiar with. Your tutor will be able to help you understand the terminology and interpret it correctly according to the piece.
For quick reference, consult this handy glossary of some of the more common musical terms you might encounter as you learn to play the piano.
A CAPPELLA – without musical accompaniment
ACCIACCATURA – a very fast grace note
ACCENT – stress a note, or part of a beat
ADAGIO – slowly
ADANTE – moderately
AGITATO – agitatedly
ALLEGRO – fast and lively
ALTO – high; alto is second-highest voice in the choir
ANTINOMIES – two voices in conversation
ARPEGGIO – separate notes of a chord played one after the other
BASS – low notes; then lowest voice in the choir
BASSO CONTINUO – continuous bass sound
BEAT – a steady pulse or rhythm
BRIDGE – a connection between two parts or themes of a piece of music
CANDENZA – a solo piece in a concerto
CANTABILE – in a ‘sing song’ style
CANTATA – a piece of music intended for recitals in a church
CHORD – two or more notes played together; normally, a chord will have three notes
CODA – the closing section of a movement
COLORATURA – with colour
COMMON TIME – the time signature 4/4
CONCERTO – a piece in which a solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra
CONTOUR – the direction of the melody, ascending in tones or descending
CONTRAPUNTAL – two melodic lines that are played at the same time
CRESCENDO – increasing in volume
DESCRESCEDO – decreasing in volume
DEVELOPMENT – middle section in a piece of music that develops opening motifs
DIMINUENDO – decreasing in volume
DYNAMICS – loud notes, soft notes
ETUDE – a piece of music designed to enable practice of an instrument
EXPOSITION – themes heard for the first time
FORTE – loud
FUGUE – a complex contrapuntal form
GLISSANDO – a continuous slide from one pitch to the next
HARMONY – two sounds played together that complement each other
IMPROVISING – to make something up on the spot
LARGO – broadly, slowly
LEGATO – joined, smooth
MELODY – notes in succession with different pitches
METER – the number of beats in a measure
MEZZO-SOPRANO – a voice range between alto and soprano
MOTIVE – a melody that is repeated throughout a piece of music
MOVEMENT – part of a longer piece of music
OBSTINATO – obstinate, persistent
OCTAVE – eight successive notes that form a scale
PIANO – soft
PIZZICATO – plucked
RANGE – lowest to highest notes
RECAPITULATION – final of a piece of music
REQUIEM – music for a funeral or mass
RHYTHM – the steady beat of music aligned with the tempo
RONDO – a section of music that alternates with two separate sections
SCHERZO – a playful piece or section
SONATA – a piece in four movements
SOPRANO – very high; the highest musical voice
SOTTO VOCE – soft and under-spoken
STACCATO – short, disconnected notes
SYMPHONY – a long work for an orchestra consisting of four or more movements
SYNCOPATION – accenting a weak beat or part of a beat
TACET – silent
TEMPO – the speed of the beat
TENOR – medium; the second lowest musical voice
THEME – a melody that forms the basis of a longer piece
TIME SIGNATURE – the meter and type of note for a section of music
TREMELO – rapid repetition of two notes
VARIATION – a development of a theme
VIBRATO - vibrating
VIRTUOSO – a gifted musician
If you would like to put some of these terms into practise then you will need a suitable instrument to play them on. Why not check out some of our fantastic pianos for sale here.