The Ultimate List of Musical Terms (200+)

A woman writing staff music on a chalkboard

This post is the ultimate list of musical terms. Use the Table of Contents to zoom around, or CTRL+F/CMD+F to find the term you’re looking for.

Of any artistic discipline, music has some of the most complex and varied terminologies, from a bevy of fancy Italian words to essential slang tossed around in jazz circles.

Understanding these terms will not only help you produce better music but “speak the language” to other musicians.

Let’s start with the “#”s. 🙂

Table of Contents

A glossary of musical terms (and their definitions)

20th Century Music: music composed during the 20th century, characterized by a wide range of styles and techniques, including avant-garde, experimental, and electronic music.

A

A cappella: without instrumental accompaniment
ABA form: a musical form consisting of three sections: A, B, and A. The first and last sections are identical or very similar, while the middle section is contrasting
Accelerando: speeding up
Accent: emphasis on a note
Accidental: a note that is not part of the prevailing key
Acoustic: relating to musical sounds that occur naturally without artificial amplification
Adagio: slow and stately (often applied to movements)
Aeolian: the natural minor scale (technically mode)
Afterbeat: accent that falls on the beat after the stressed one
Al fine: Italian for “to the end,” indicating that the performer should continue playing until reaching the final barline or the word “fine” in the music
Allegretto: moderately fast
Allegro: fast, lively
Alto range: the range of notes that can be sung or played by an alto voice or instrument
Andante: at a moderate walking pace
Antiphon: musical setting of a text that is sung by two choirs in alternation
Appoggiatura: musical ornament consisting of a grace note that is one degree higher or lower than the main note.
Arpeggio: musical ornament consisting of a chord broken into individual notes, played one after the other
Arrangement: musical setting of a particular piece of music, often for a different combination of instruments
Articulation: a musical direction that indicates how notes are to be played in relation to one another
Audio signal: a signal that carries sound information, such as music or speech, usually in the form of an electrical or digital signal
Atonal: without a key center
Atonal music: music that lacks a tonal center or key and does not follow traditional harmonic rules
Attack: the beginning of a note (in synthesis, the initial slope of the waveform generated when a key is pressed)

B

Bar: an informal term for a measure
Baritone: lowest male voice
Baroque: the baroque period was a musical from 1600-1750, characterized by complex counterpoint and elaborate ornamentation. Baroque music often has highly stylized forms and ornate arrangements.
Bass: lowest musical range, the bass clef is used for the notation of notes in this range
Bass line: the lowest part of a musical composition or accompaniment, usually played by a bass instrument or sung by a bass voice
Basso continuo: a form of musical accompaniment used in the Baroque period, consisting of a bass line played by a bass instrument (such as a cello) and a keyboard instrument (such as a harpsichord) playing chords and harmonies above the bass line
Beat: the musical pulse that divides time into equal divisions
Block chords: a type of chordal accompaniment where all the notes of the chord are played simultaneously (in “chord order”), rather than broken up or arpeggiated
Body percussion: using different parts of the body, such as clapping, snapping, or stomping, to create rhythmic patterns or beats.
BPM: beats per minute, a measure of tempo
Brass bands: a type of musical ensemble consisting primarily of brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion.
Brass instruments: a family of musical instruments made of brass, such as the trumpet, trombone, and tuba.
Broken chord: a type of chordal accompaniment where the notes of the chord are played one at a time, rather than all together.
Bridge: contrasting section that “bridges” the gap between the verse and chorus of a song

C

Cadence: a musical phrase that comes to a rest
Call and response: musical form consisting of a melodic phrase (the call) answered by another (the response), used often in jazz and blues music.
Canon: musical composition in which a melody is imitated by one or more voices at a fixed interval
Cantata: a musical composition for voices, usually with orchestra
Capo: a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch of the strings, allowing the instrument to be played in a different key
Cardioid: a microphone pattern that is sensitive to sound sources directly in front of the mic, while rejecting noise
Cello: a large string instrument, played with a bow
Chamber music: music written for a small ensemble of instruments
Chant: simple, repetitive melody sung without accompaniment
Chord: two or more notes played simultaneously
Chorus: the main melodic refrain of a song
Chromatic scale: a scale consisting of all twelve pitches of the Western chromatic system, in ascending or descending order
Classical music: a broad term referring to the music of the Western classical tradition, spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day
Clef: a musical symbol placed at the beginning of a staff that determines the pitch of the notes
Cluster: a group of notes played close together, often discordantly
Coda: a musical section that brings a piece to a close
Common time: musical notation in 4/4 time
Comping: rhythm guitar style that uses chords to “fill in” the spaces around the main melody
Composer: a person who writes music
Concert: a musical performance before an audience
Conductor: a person who leads an orchestra or choir
Consonance: musical harmony that is pleasing to the ear
Contralto: the lowest female voice
Contrapuntal: musical texture consisting of two or more melodic lines
Copla: a musical form consisting of three sections, A-B-A
Copyist: a person who copies musical scores by hand
Counter melody: a secondary melody played or sung simultaneously with the main melody, often creating harmonic or rhythmic tension and interest
Counterpoint: the relationship between two or more melodic lines
Crescendo: a gradual increase in volume
Cuttime: musical notation that indicates that two beats should be played in the time of three
Cycle: a musical form consisting of several movements or pieces that are played in succession

D

Da Capo: musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the beginning
Dal Segno: musical notation indicating that a piece should be repeated from the sign
Decay: the gradual fading of a sound (in synthesis, the release stage)
Decrescendo: a gradual decrease in volume
Delay: an audio effect that repeats the input signal after a short period of time
Detune: to slightly adjust the pitch of a note
Diatonic: relating to the major or minor scale
Diatonic scale: a scale consisting of seven pitches arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps, commonly used in Western music
Diminuendo: a gradual decrease in volume
Dissonance: musical harmony that is harsh or unpleasant to the ear
Dorian: the second mode of the major scale, which has a minor third
Dotted half note: a half note with a dot next to it, indicating that it should be held for three beats instead of two
Double stop: two notes played simultaneously on a string instrument
Downbeat: the first beat of a measure
Drone: a sustained note that is played in the background while other notes are played over it
Duple: musical meter consisting of two beats per measure
Duple meter: a time signature with two beats per measure, such as 2/4 or 6/8
Dynamic instruction: a notation in sheet music indicating the relative loudness or softness of a musical passage, such as “piano” (soft) or “forte” (loud)
Dynamic markings: the symbols used to indicate dynamics in sheet music, such as “p” for piano and “f” for forte.
Dynamics: the volume of sound in music

E

Eighth note/Eighth notes: a musical note worth one-eighth of a whole note
English jig: a lively dance form in triple meter, commonly associated with English folk music and dance.
Enharmonic: two notes that have the same pitch but are written differently in sheet music
Ensemble: a group of musicians playing together
Escape tone: a musical note that resolves dissonance by moving to a more stable note

F

Fade: an audio effect that gradually decreases the volume of a sound
Falsetto: a high-pitched male vocal range
Fermata: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for a longer time
Fifth: the musical interval between the first and fifth notes of a major or minor scale
Final movement: the last section of a multi-movement piece of music, often serving as a grand finale or resolution to the preceding movements
Flat: musical notation indicating that a note should be lowered by one semitone
Flutter tonguing: a brass playing technique that produces a “fluttering” sound
French horn: a brass instrument with a distinctive flared bell and long tubing, known for its rich, mellow tone and versatile range
Form: the musical structure of a piece
Forte: musical notation indicating that a note should be played loudly
Fugue: a musical form consisting of the main theme and several variations
Full choir: a choir consisting of all voice types, including soprano, alto, tenor, and bass

G

Giocoso: musical notation indicating that a passage should be played in a light, playful manner
Glissando: a musical technique in which notes are played in quick succession
Glockenspiel: a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal bars
Gong: a percussion instrument consisting of a large, circular metal plate
Grace note: a musical note of very short duration
Grand staff: the combination of the treble and bass staves in sheet music, commonly used for piano music and other keyboard instruments
Grave: musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
Grid: a network of vertical and horizontal lines used in musical notation

H

Half note: a type of note with twice the duration of a quarter note, usually represented by an open notehead
Half–step: the smallest musical interval in Western music
Harmonics: overtones that are produced when a note is played
Harmony: the simultaneous sounding of musical notes
Head voice: a vocal range between chest voice and falsetto
Hemiola: a musical effect created by playing three notes in the time of two
Homophonic: musical texture consisting of a single melody with accompaniment
Hook: a catchy musical phrase that is easy to remember

I

Improvise: to make up music spontaneously
Interlude: a musical passage that occurs between two main sections of a piece
Intro: an introductory musical section

J

Jazz standard: a musical composition that is widely known and often performed in jazz
Jazz: a musical style that originated in the United States in the early 20th century

K

Key: the tonal center of a piece of music
Key signature: musical notation at the beginning of a piece that indicates the key

L

Lead sheet: a musical composition consisting of melody, lyrics, and chord symbols
Ledger lines: short lines added above or below the staff in sheet music to indicate notes that are outside the range of the staff
Leitmotif: a musical phrase that is associated with a particular character or idea
Legato: musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
Locrian: the seventh and final mode of the major scale, which has a minor second

M

Major scale: a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh
Male alto: a male singer with a high range, similar to that of a female alto
Measure: a unit of musical time containing a certain number of beats
Melisma: a musical technique in which a single syllable of text is sung over multiple notes
Melody: a succession of musical notes that create a recognizable tune
Meter: the rhythmic structure of a piece of music, consisting of a certain number of beats per measure
Mezzo forte: Italian for “moderately loud,” indicating a dynamic level between mezzo piano and forte
Mezzo piano: Italian for “moderately soft,” indicating a dynamic level between piano and mezzo forte
Mezzo-Soprano: a female singer with a range between soprano and alto, often considered the middle voice of the female voice types
Middle ages: a period in Western history lasting from approximately the 5th to the 15th century, characterized by significant cultural, political, and social changes
Middle range: the middle portion of a voice or instrument’s range, often considered the most versatile and expressive
Middle C: the musical note in the middle of a piano keyboard
Minor scale: a musical scale with seven notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
Mixolydian: the fifth mode of the major scale, which has a major seventh
Modulation: a change in musical key
Monophonic: musical texture consisting of a single melodic line
Motif: a short musical phrase that is repeated or used as a basis for variation

N

Natural: musical notation indicating that a note should not be sharp or flat
Neapolitan chord: a musical chord consisting of a root, minor third, and major sixth

O

Octave: the interval between two musical notes with the same name
Orchestra: a large musical ensemble consisting of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
Orchestral composition: a piece of music written for a full orchestra, typically including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
Ottava: musical notation indicating that a section should be played an octave higher or lower

P

Pentatonic scale: a musical scale with five notes, consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh
Perfect fourth: the musical interval between two notes that are five scale degrees apart
Phrygian: the third mode of the major scale, which has a minor second
Polyphony: musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines
Polyrhythm: the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms
Piano: musical notation indicating that a note should be played very softly
Pizzicato: musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be plucked instead of bowed
Polyphonic: musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines

Q

Quarter note: a type of note with half the duration of a half note, usually represented by a solid notehead.
Quarter tone: an interval equal to one half of a half step or semitone, commonly used in microtonal music

R

Rapid alternation: a technique in which a performer rapidly alternates between two notes or chords, often used in Baroque music
Range: the span of musical notes that a performer can sing or play
Recitative: musical composition in which the melody is accompanied by basic harmonic progressions
Recurring motif: a short melodic or rhythmic pattern that appears multiple times throughout a piece of music, serving as a unifying element or musical theme
Refrain: a phrase or verse that is repeated at the end of each stanza of a poem or song
Register: a range of pitches within an instrument’s range
Relative major: the major key with the same key signature as a given minor key
Release: musical notation indicating when a note should be released
Repeat: musical notation indicating that a section of music should be repeated
Rhythmic notation: the written representation of rhythmic values in sheet music, including notes, rests, and time signatures.
Riff: a musical phrase that is repeated throughout a piece
Ritardando: musical notation indicating that the tempo of a piece should gradually slow down
Root: the note from which a chord or scale is built
Root note: the foundational note of a chord or scale, often used as a reference point for other notes and harmonies
Rondo: a musical form consisting of a recurring main theme alternated with contrasting sections
Run: a rapid succession of notes
Rhythmic notation: the written representation of rhythmic values in sheet music, including notes, rests, and time signatures.

S

Scale: a series of musical notes arranged in ascending or descending order
Second inversion: a musical chord consisting of a root, major third, and minor sixth
Sequence: a musical technique in which a melodic or harmonic pattern is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
Sforzando: musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a sudden, strong accent
Sharp: musical notation indicating that a note should be raised by one semitone
Sharp note: a note raised by a half step or semitone, indicated in sheet music by the “#” symbol
Slur: musical notation indicating that notes should be played smoothly and without interruption
Solfege: musical notation in which each note of a scale is represented by a syllable
Solo section: a portion of a musical composition in which a single performer or instrument is featured, often accompanied by other instruments or a backing track
Song structure: the organization of a song’s musical elements, including verses, choruses, bridges, and other sections
Soprano: the highest singing voice
Spiccato: musical notation indicating that a string instrument should be played with a short, detached sound
Staccato: musical notation indicating that notes should be played with a short, detached sound
Staff: the five horizontal lines on which musical notes are written
Strict time: a performance style in which the tempo and rhythm of a musical piece are adhered to strictly and precisely
String instruments: musical instruments that are played by plucking or bowing the strings, such as the violin, cello, and double bass
Subdominant: the fourth degree of the major scale
Supertonic: the second degree of the major scale
Sustain: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
Syncopation: a musical technique in which accents fall on normally unaccented beats

T

Tempo: the speed of a piece of music, typically measured in beats per minute
Tempo marking: a notation in sheet music indicating the speed or pace of a musical passage, such as “andante” (moderate) or “allegro” (fast)
Tenor: the musical range of the male voice between baritone and countertenor
Tenuto: musical notation indicating that a note should be held for its full value
Ternary form: musical form consisting of three sections, typically A-B-A
Timbre: the quality of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of instruments or voices
Time signature: musical notation at the beginning of a piece of music that indicates the number of beats in each measure and the type of notes that receive one beat
Tonic: the starting note
Traditional notation: the standard system of musical notation used in Western classical music, including symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation
Treble: musical notation indicating that a note should be played an octave higher
Treble clef: a symbol used in sheet music to indicate notes in the higher range, typically used for soprano and alto voices and high-pitched instruments such as the violin or flute
Tremolo: musical notation indicating that a note should be played rapidly and repeated
Triad: a musical chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth
Trill: musical notation indicating that a note should be played with a rapid alternating sound
Triple time: a time signature with three beats per measure, such as 3/4 or 9/8
Triplet: musical notation indicating that three notes should be played in the space of two
Tritone: an interval of three whole steps
Turnaround: a musical phrase that signals the end of a section and the beginning of the next
Tutti: musical notation indicating that all instruments should play together

U

Unison: musical notation indicating that two or more notes should be played at the same time

V

Verse: a stanza of poetry or song lyrics
Vibrato: musical technique involving a slight oscillation of pitch
Violin: a musical instrument played with a bow, typically held between the chin and shoulder
Voice: musical notation indicating the range of notes to be sung by a particular performer or group of performers
Vamp: musical phrase that is repeated over and over again
Variation: musical composition in which a theme is repeated with changes

W

Waltz: musical composition in 3/4 time
Western classical music: the classical music tradition of Western Europe and the Americas, including music from the Middle Ages to the present day
Whole note: musical notation equivalent to four beats in 4/4 time
Whole rest: musical notation equivalent to four beats of rest in 4/4 time
Whole step: an interval equal to two half steps or semitones, commonly used in Western music to refer to the distance between two adjacent notes on a keyboard or fretted instrument.
Woodwind family: a family of musical instruments made of wood or metal with a reed or mouthpiece, such as the flute, clarinet, and saxophone
Woodwind: a musical instrument played by blowing air across a reed or into a flute-like tube

X

Xylophone: a musical instrument consisting of tuned wooden bars struck with sticks or mallets

Y

Yodel: a musical technique involving rapid changes in pitch, typically used in folk music

Z

Zigzag staff: musical notation used for percussion instruments

What did I miss?

Drop me a line and let me know what terms you’d like me to add to this list. Were it exhaustive, this list would probably be 6,000+ words.

Shoot me an email at matt [at] composercode [dot] com. 🙂

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