A Simple Music Glossary

A Simple Music Glossary

A accompaniment An accompaniment is the music which supports the main singer or player. acoustic The study of how music behaves is called acoustics. alto Alto is the name of a voice or instrument with a medium to high range. Alto is pitched below soprano and above tenor. anthem An anthem is a short piece of religious music. Many countries have a national anthem. This is usually a solemn song with patriotic words. aria An aria is a song for a single singer accompanied by an orchestra. In operas the main singers sing arias to explain their feelings. arpeggio When notes of a chord are played one after the other (instead of together), they are called an arpeggio. Arpeggios can go upwards or downwards. arranger An arranger is someone who rewrites music that was originally composed for another instrument or for voice. audition If you want to be in a choir, orchestra or band you may have to sing or play in front of other people who will check if you are good enough. This is called an audition. 1

B baritone Baritone is the name of a male voice (or instrument) that is fairly low. Baritone is below tenor and above bass. baroque music European music written between about 1600 and 1700 is often called baroque music. Baroque means richly decorated and it was originally used to describe the architecture of the time. Bach, Handle and Vivaldi are composers of baroque music. bass Bass is the lowest male voice. The bass line is the lowest part in any music. beat Most music is kept going by a basic pulse which is called the beat. It keeps going under the music like a heartbeat or the ticking of a clock. big band A big band is a large jazz group of instruments, trombones, saxophones, guitar and double bass. blues Blues is a melancholy style of jazz which originates from the black Africans who were sold into slavery in America. Its slow plodding tunes and sliding harmonies express feeling blue or unhappy. brass band A brass band is a large group of brass instruments. 2

C cadenza A cadenza is a short and elaborate piece of music in a concerto. It is written specially for the soloist to show off without the orchestra. A cadenza comes near the end of a movement and warns the orchestra to get ready to play again. calypso A calypso is a type of West Indian folk song, often played by steel bands. Calypsos have catchy tunes and a special lilting rhythm. Slaves in plantation fields were forbidden to speak and so developed calypsos so they could sing the latest news to each other instead. carol A carol is a simple religious song, usually with a number of verses and a chorus sung at Christmas. chamber music Music that can be played by between two and ten players, in a small room or chamber, is sometimes called chamber music. The classical composer Haydn wrote a lot of chamber music. choir A choir is a group of people who sing together. The singers sing different musical parts depending on how high or low their voices are. chord A chord is any group of two or more notes played at the same time. chorus The chorus is the part of a song that is repeated after each verse and has the same words all the way through. 3

classical music Classical music is the name given for the more formal types of music. That is not pop, jazz or light music. It is usually used to describe European music written between 1750 and 1830 including the music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. coda A short section at the end of a piece of music to finish it. The coda can be the same as the introduction to the piece. composer A composer is the person who invents a new piece of music. concert A concert is an event where people come specially to listen to live music. concerto A concerto is a piece of music in which a single instrument (played by the soloist) is accompanied by an orchestra. Most concerts have three movements. The first and last are fast; the middle one is slow. conductor The conductor is the person you will see beating time in front of a choir or orchestra. The conductor helps everyone keep in time together and makes sure that everyone plays at the right volume. 4

D descant A descant is a special high part, usually for the voices, which is usually added to the last verses of hymns or carols. discord A discord is a combination of two or more notes that sound unpleasant together. Composers use discords to express pain and sadness and to create tension. drone A drone is a low note that is held continuously throughout a piece of music. duet A duet (or duo) is a piece of music played or sung by two performers. dynamics The dynamics of music are how loudly or quietly it is played. E encore The French word meaning again is heard when an audience appreciates the music so much it wants to hear it again. 5

F flamenco The flamenco is a vivid a rhythmic type of Spanish music developed from the gypsy and Arab music of southern Spain. folk music Folk means of the people and is a term to describe a countries traditional music including songs, dances and rhymes. fugue A fugue is piece of music entirely based on one short tune. 6

G gamelan A gamelan is a type of orchestra from South East Asia which has about 40 members each playing beautifully decorated metallophones, or xylophones. There are also drums, gongs and a few wind and string instruments. Gamelan music often consists of improvisations on scales or five notes (pentatonic scales). glissando A glissando is a sliding sound that moves smoothly up or down between notes. It is often heard from a piano or harp when you slide a finger quickly across all keys or strings. graphic score A graphic score is a way of writing music so that it looks like a picture. Graphic scores use shapes, symbols or patterns rather than the usual system of written music, or notation. Gregorian chant Gregorian chant is another name for plainsong. It is a simple unaccompanied melody that is usually sung by monks or nuns. It has religious words, often from the Catholic mass, and it gently follows their rhythm. Gregorian chant is the oldest music of the Christian Church. It was the first music ever to be written down and has its own special system of musical symbols which is still in use today, over 1000 years later. 7

H harmony Harmony is a combination of notes together in chords. You may sing words to a song and it has no harmony. But if you add chords to the tune, then you are harmonizing it. Harmony can make a tune more interesting and change its character. hymn A hymn is a religious song used during worship. Hymns usually have a simple tune and easy to remember words so that everyone can join in. 8

I impromptu An impromptu is a short, cheerful piano piece. improvisation Improvisation is making up music whilst you are singing or playing. instruments The most common instrument is your own voice. Other instruments are categorised into family names: o Wind instruments : These produce sounds by vibrating a column of air inside a tube. Different tube lengths make different noises; longer tubes making deeper notes. o Woodwind family : Usually made from wood, woodwind instruments are really just tubes with holes in them. Opening and closing the holes alters the tube length and thus the note. Woodwind players make sounds either by blowing across an edge or by blowing a reed to make it vibrate. o Brass family : Brass instruments are long metal tubes, coiled round to make them easier to hold. Brass players squeeze their lips across a mouthpiece and blow. Different notes are played by different lip shapes or by moving slides and valves in the tube to change length. 9

o Keyboard family : Keyboard instruments have keys to press down to make a note. The most common keyboard instrument is the piano. o String family : String instruments have tightly stretched strings that vibrate to produce a sound. The shorter the string, the higher the note. The strings are plucked or strummed with the fingers or a bow is used to make a sound. o Percussion family : These are simple instruments usually played by a tap or a shake. Examples include maracas, cymbals, tambourine, wood blocks and castanets. 10

J Jazz Jazz is a style of popular music. Jazz musicians usually make up the music as they go along by improvisation on popular tunes. K key The key of a piece of music is named after the scale it uses. For example, music using the scale of G is said to be in the key of G. key signature A key signature is the group of sharps or flats that comes at the beginning of each line of written music, to remind you to play them. 11

L libretto The words for an opera or musical are called the libretto. They help you to understand what is happening on stage. lullaby A lullaby is a gentle song that is sung to help make a baby sleep. lyrics The words of pop songs are usually called lyrics. 12

M madrigal A madrigal is an unaccompanied song for several voices. Madrigals were common in Elizabethan times in England when people often sung at home with friends or family. major Scales and keys in western music come in two main types: major and minor. Major scales and scales make the music cheerful; minor keys and scales make the music more serious. march A march is a piece of music with a strong beat written to help soldiers keep in step. mass The mass is the main service of the Roman Catholic Church. It is often set to music. melody Melody is another word for tune. It is usually easy to remember and recognise. metronome A metronome is a machine that indicates the right speed to play a piece of music. minimalist music Minimalist music is often very repetitive and hypnotic. Minimalist composers use tiny bits of tune and simple chords. The most famous minimalist composers are the Americans Philip Glass and Steve Reich. minor Scales and keys in western music come in two main types: major and minor. Major scales and scales make the music cheerful; minor keys and scales make the music more serious. 13

minuet A minuet is a graceful dance, popular in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.. They are sometimes used for the third movements in symphonies and sonatas. movement A long piece of music is often divided into several separate sections called movements. Each movement is self-contained and usually has a different character to provide variety and contrast in the piece. musicals Musical plays (or shows) include acting, singing and dancing. Musicals developed from light operas, but unlike operas musicals include words. The plots are usually cheerful, vibrant and romantic and are very popular. mute A mute is a device that muffle the sound of an instrument. 14

N notation When we write music down we use a kind of code which helps others understand what is written down this is called notation. Notation includes symbols to show the rhythm, mood and pitch of the music. Notation Name Demisemiquaver Meaning 1/8 beat Semiquaver 1/4 beat Dotted Semiquaver 3/8 beat Quaver 1/2 beat Dotted Quaver 3/4 beat Crotchet 1 beat Dotted Crotchet 1 1/2 beats Minim 2 beats Dotted Minim Semibreve Demisemiquaver rest Semiquaver rest Quaver rest Crotchet Minim rest Semibreve rest 3 beats 4 beats 1 1/8 beats 1/4 beat 1/2 beat 1 beat 2 beats 4 beats 15

Notation Name Sharp Flat Natural Tie Meaning Drag symbol to a note Drag symbol to a note Drag symbol to a note Ties together two notes of the same pitch Repeat bar Repeat bar Double bar Play marker Stop marker Da Capo Dal Segno Segno From the beginning Repeat section marked Sign Treble Clef Bass Clef 16

O octave When you go eight steps up or down the notes of a scale, you reach a note that is an octave higher or lower than the note you started on. Notes an octave apart have the same letter name. octet An octet is a group of players or a piece of music for eight instruments. opera An opera is a play that is set to music with the characters usually singing the parts instead of speaking them. oratorio An oratorio tells a story (often a religious one) in music. An example being the Handels Messiah. orchestra An orchestra is a large group of instruments that play together. ostinato An ostinato is a short section of tune or rhythm that is continuously repeated. overture The short orchestral piece of music at the beginning of an opera, musical or oratorio is called the overture. It warns the audience that the performance is about to begin. 17

P phrase A phrase is a short section of a tune, usually short enough to be sung in one breath. pitch The pitch of a sound is its highness or lowness. A telephone is usually high in pitch whereas a trombone is low in pitch. pizzicato Pizzicato is an instruction to players of bowed stringed instruments like the violin, telling them to use their finger or thumb to pluck a string. This makes a short penetrating sound ideal for special effects. prelude A prelude is a short instrumental piece of music, often played before something else. 18

Q quartet A quartet is a group of four performers, or a piece for four performers. For example the string quartet is the most important forms of chamber music. quintet A quintet is a group of five musicians who sing or play together. 19

R raga A raga is a type of scale used in Indian music. Raga means to please and each raga creates a different mood or mental picture. reed A reed is a thin piece of cane, metal or plastic. Woodwind instruments like the oboe have reeds in their mouthpieces, and so does the clarinet. The reed vibrates when air is blown over it, producing sound. rehearsal A rehearsal is when musicians come together to practice their performance. requiem The requiem is the Roman Catholic Church service in memory of the dead. It is often set to music. rhythms Rhythms are patterns of sounds and silences. Our bodies often want to move in time to strong rhythms which is why rhythm is so important to dance music and pop music. rondo A rondo is an instrumental piece in which the main tune comes back several times. In between there are contrasting sections of other music. round A round is a piece in which all parts sing the same tune. The voices enter in turn, overlapping with each other. 20

S scale A scale is a series of notes arranged from lowest to highest and back again. scherzo A scherzo is a fast, lighthearted piece of music. It is often the third movement in a sonata or symphony. Scherzo is the Italian word for joke. score The score of a piece of music is the written or printed copy showing the music for all the performers together. semitone On a keyboard, a semitone is the smallest step from any black or white key to the next one above or below it. septet A septet is a group of seven players or a piece for seven instruments. serenade A serenade is a love song to be sung under a lady s window at night-time, often accompanied by a guitar. sextet A sextet is a group of six players or a piece for six instruments. shanty A shanty is a sailors song. It has strong rhythms which help sailors keep together when pulling the ship s ropes. soloist A soloist is someone who plays or sings on his or 21

her own. sonata A sonata is an instrumental piece for a soloist or a few players. It usually has several movements of different types and speeds, often fast-slowfast. song A song is a short piece of music for a voice. It usually has a number of different verses. Folk songs are very old songs that were taught from memory long before we started to write the words down. song cycle A song cycle is a group of songs which are performed together. They often tell a continuous story, or are about the same subject. soprano Soprano is the name of the highest female voice, or the higher member of a family of instruments. Soprano is pitched above alto. A boy s soprano voice is called treble. sound Sounds are vibrations in the air. When musical instruments are hit, plucked, scraped or blown, they vibrate and make sound waves. suite A suite is a collection of short instrumental pieces. They can either be played as a set or individually. symphony A symphony is a substantial piece of music for an orchestra, often lasting for half an hour or longer. syncopation Syncopation is a type of rhythm. It means playing off the beat or emphasizing notes on weak beats. 22

T tempo The tempo of a piece of music is the speed at which it is played. tenor Tenor is the name of a male voice (or instrument) with a medium to low range. Tenor is pitched below alto and above bass. theory Music theory is the study of how music works. If you study theory, you learn how to compose. You also learn about notation, harmony, orchestration and acoustics. timbre Timbre is the particular quality of a sound. If you play the same note on two different instruments you will hear that the timbre of the sound is different although the notes are the same. toccata A toccata is a keyboard piece intended to show off the player s skill. tone The kind of sound produced by a performer or instrument is called the tone. A tone is also the name given to any step on a keyboard of two semitones. treble A treble is a boy soprano. trill A trill is a type of ornament. It sounds like a fast warble between a note and the next note above or below it. trio A trio is a group of three people singing or playing together. A piece for three performers is also called a trio. 23

tuning Tuning an instrument means adjusting it to a fixed pitch. Performers must take care to play or sing in tune with each other. 24

U unison When people play or sing the same notes or the same tune together, this is called playing or singing in tune. V variations Variations are versions of the same tune (or theme) that are altered in different ways. Variations come in sets, and each set does something new to the theme. It is not always easy to spot what has changed. vibrato Vibrato is a slight up-and-down wavering of the pitch of a note. String players, wind players and singers use vibrato to make their sound richer and more expressive. virtuoso A virtuoso is an outstanding, brilliant performer. voice Whilst singing your voice is your very own instrument. There are four basic types of voice. Soprano and alto are the higher and lower female (or boys ) voices. Tenor and bass are the higher and lower men s voices. 25

W waltz A waltz is a type of dance. One strong beat is followed by two lighter ones (a tum ti ti, tum ti ti rhythm). X xylophone A percussion instrument with wooden bars that are hit with beaters to produce sound. Y yodelling Yodelling is a special kind of loud, forceful singing, used by cowherds to call to each other on the mountain slopes of the Swiss Alps. Z zither A zither is a plucked string instrument used in Austrian and Bavarian folk music. 26

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