Musical Terms Dictionary
Grave
GRAH-veh
Very slow and solemn
Read More →Largo
LAR-go
Broadly, very slow
Read More →Larghetto
lar-GET-toh
Somewhat broadly, not as slow as Largo
Read More →Adagio
ah-DAH-jee-oh
Slowly, leisurely
Read More →Adagietto
ah-dah-jee-ET-toh
Slightly faster than Adagio
Read More →Andante
an-DAHN-teh
Walking pace, moderately slow
Read More →Andantino
an-dan-TEE-noh
Slightly faster than Andante
Read More →Moderato
moh-deh-RAH-toh
Moderate tempo
Read More →Allegretto
al-leh-GRET-toh
Moderately fast, lighter than Allegro
Read More →Allegro
ah-LEH-groh
Fast, lively, cheerful
Read More →Vivace
vee-VAH-cheh
Lively, vivacious
Read More →Presto
PRES-toh
Very fast
Read More →Prestissimo
pres-TEES-see-moh
As fast as possible
Read More →Accelerando
ah-chel-leh-RAHN-doh
Gradually getting faster
Read More →Ritardando
ree-tar-DAHN-doh
Gradually getting slower
Read More →Rallentando
ral-len-TAHN-doh
Gradually slowing down
Read More →Rubato
roo-BAH-toh
Flexible tempo, robbed time
Read More →A tempo
ah TEM-poh
Return to original tempo
Read More →Tempo primo
TEM-poh PREE-moh
Return to the first tempo
Read More →Fermata
fer-MAH-tah
Hold or pause
Read More →Pianissimo (pp)
pee-ah-NEES-see-moh
Very soft
Read More →Piano (p)
pee-AH-noh
Soft
Read More →Mezzo piano (mp)
MET-zoh pee-AH-noh
Moderately soft
Read More →Mezzo forte (mf)
MET-zoh FOR-teh
Moderately loud
Read More →Forte (f)
FOR-teh
Loud
Read More →Fortissimo (ff)
for-TEES-see-moh
Very loud
Read More →Crescendo
kreh-SHEN-doh
Gradually getting louder
Read More →Decrescendo
deh-kreh-SHEN-doh
Gradually getting softer
Read More →Diminuendo
dee-mee-noo-EN-doh
Gradually getting softer (same as decrescendo)
Read More →Sforzando (sfz)
sfor-TSAHN-doh
Sudden strong accent
Read More →Fortepiano (fp)
FOR-teh-pee-AH-noh
Loud then immediately soft
Read More →Staccato
stah-KAH-toh
Detached, separated
Read More →Legato
leh-GAH-toh
Smooth, connected
Read More →Tenuto
teh-NOO-toh
Held, sustained
Read More →Marcato
mar-KAH-toh
Marked, emphasized
Read More →Portato
por-TAH-toh
Carried, slightly detached
Read More →Pizzicato
peet-see-KAH-toh
Plucked (for strings)
Read More →Arco
AR-koh
With the bow (return to bowing)
Read More →Glissando
glee-SAHN-doh
Sliding from one pitch to another
Read More →Tremolo
TREH-moh-loh
Rapid repetition of a note
Read More →Dolce
DOHL-cheh
Sweetly, softly
Read More →Cantabile
kan-TAH-bee-leh
In a singing style
Read More →Espressivo
es-pres-SEE-voh
Expressively
Read More →Maestoso
mah-es-TOH-soh
Majestically
Read More →Giocoso
joh-KOH-soh
Playfully, humorously
Read More →Appassionato
ah-pas-see-oh-NAH-toh
With passion
Read More →Agitato
ah-jee-TAH-toh
Agitated, restless
Read More →Tranquillo
trahn-KWEE-loh
Calmly, peacefully
Read More →Brillante
bree-LAHN-teh
Brilliantly, sparkling
Read More →Con brio
kohn BREE-oh
With vigor and spirit
Read More →Con fuoco
kohn foo-OH-koh
With fire
Read More →Con moto
kohn MOH-toh
With motion
Read More →Grazioso
grah-tsee-OH-soh
Gracefully
Read More →Leggiero
leh-JEH-roh
Lightly, nimbly
Read More →Pesante
peh-ZAHN-teh
Heavily, ponderous
Read More →Risoluto
ree-soh-LOO-toh
Resolutely, boldly
Read More →Scherzando
sker-TSAHN-doh
Playfully, jokingly
Read More →Sostenuto
sos-teh-NOO-toh
Sustained
Read More →Amoroso
ah-moh-ROH-soh
Lovingly, tenderly
Read More →Furioso
foo-ree-OH-soh
Furiously
Read More →Da capo (D.C.)
dah KAH-poh
From the beginning
Read More →Dal segno (D.S.)
dahl SEHN-yoh
From the sign
Read More →Fine
FEE-neh
The end
Read More →Coda
KOH-dah
Tail, ending section
Read More →Segue
SEH-gway
Continue without pause
Read More →Attacca
ah-TAH-kah
Attack immediately, no pause
Read More →Cadenza
kah-DEN-tsah
Elaborate solo passage
Read More →Ossia
oh-SEE-ah
Or, alternative passage
Read More →Volta
VOHL-tah
Time (as in first time, second time)
Read More →Simile
SEE-mee-leh
Similarly, in the same manner
Read More →Fortississimo (fff)
for-tee-SEES-see-moh
Extremely loud
Read More →Pianississimo (ppp)
pee-ah-nee-SEES-see-moh
Extremely soft
Read More →Subito
SOO-bee-toh
Suddenly, immediately
Read More →Sempre
SEM-preh
Always, continuously
Read More →Molto
MOHL-toh
Very, much
Read More →Poco
POH-koh
Little, slightly
Read More →Più
pew
More
Read More →Meno
MEH-noh
Less
Read More →Assai
ah-SAH-ee
Very, quite
Read More →Ma non troppo
mah nohn TROHP-poh
But not too much
Read More →Allargando
al-lar-GAHN-doh
Broadening, slowing and getting louder
Read More →Animato
ah-nee-MAH-toh
Animated, lively
Read More →Calando
kah-LAHN-doh
Decreasing in tempo and volume
Read More →Comodo
KOH-moh-doh
Comfortable, at a convenient pace
Read More →Grave assai
GRAH-veh ah-SAH-ee
Very slow and solemn
Read More →Lento
LEN-toh
Slowly
Read More →Morendo
moh-REN-doh
Dying away
Read More →Mosso
MOHS-soh
Movement, motion
Read More →Smorzando
smor-TSAHN-doh
Dying away, extinguishing
Read More →Stringendo
strin-JEN-doh
Pressing forward, accelerating
Read More →Affettuoso
ah-fet-too-OH-soh
With affection, tenderly
Read More →Amabile
ah-MAH-bee-leh
Amiable, pleasant
Read More →Con anima
kohn AH-nee-mah
With soul, with feeling
Read More →Con dolore
kohn doh-LOH-reh
With sadness
Read More →Con grazia
kohn GRAH-tsee-ah
With grace
Read More →Con spirito
kohn SPEE-ree-toh
With spirit
Read More →Delicato
deh-lee-KAH-toh
Delicately
Read More →Dolente
doh-LEN-teh
Sorrowful, mournful
Read More →Energico
eh-NER-jee-koh
Energetically
Read More →Feroce
feh-ROH-cheh
Ferocious, fierce
Read More →Giocondo
joh-KOHN-doh
Joyous, merry
Read More →Grandioso
grahn-dee-OH-soh
Grandly, majestically
Read More →Lacrimoso
lah-kree-MOH-soh
Tearful, sad
Read More →Lugubre
loo-GOO-breh
Mournful, dismal
Read More →Marziale
mar-tsee-AH-leh
In a march style
Read More →Nobilmente
noh-beel-MEN-teh
Nobly
Read More →Pastorale
pas-toh-RAH-leh
In a pastoral style
Read More →Pomposo
pohm-POH-soh
Pompously, ceremoniously
Read More →Religioso
reh-lee-jee-OH-soh
Religiously, devoutly
Read More →Semplice
SEM-plee-cheh
Simply, plainly
Read More →Soave
soh-AH-veh
Sweetly, gently
Read More →Sonore
soh-NOH-reh
Sonorous, with full tone
Read More →Teneramente
teh-neh-rah-MEN-teh
Tenderly
Read More →Trionfante
tree-ohn-FAHN-teh
Triumphantly
Read More →Vigoroso
vee-goh-ROH-soh
Vigorously
Read More →Col legno
kohl LEHN-yoh
With the wood (of the bow)
Read More →Con sordino
kohn sor-DEE-noh
With mute
Read More →Divisi
dee-VEE-zee
Divided (section splits into parts)
Read More →Portamento
por-tah-MEN-toh
Smooth glide between pitches
Read More →Senza sordino
SEN-tsah sor-DEE-noh
Without mute
Read More →Sforzato
sfor-TSAH-toh
Forced, strongly accented
Read More →Sul ponticello
sool pon-tee-CHEL-loh
On the bridge (strings)
Read More →Sul tasto
sool TAHS-toh
On the fingerboard (strings)
Read More →Trillo
TREE-loh
Trill
Read More →Uniti
oo-NEE-tee
United (after divisi)
Read More →Al fine
ahl FEE-neh
To the end (at the Fine marking)
Read More →Bis
bees
Twice, repeat
Read More →Encore
ahn-KOR
Again (French)
Read More →Intermezzo
in-ter-MET-soh
Interlude, middle piece
Read More →Pausa
POW-sah
Rest, pause
Read More →Primo
PREE-moh
First
Read More →Reprise
reh-PREEZ
Repeat, return of theme
Read More →Ritornello
ree-tor-NEL-loh
Little return, recurring passage
Read More →Secondo
seh-KOHN-doh
Second
Read More →Senza replica
SEN-tsah REH-plee-kah
Without repeat
Read More →Al niente
ahl nee-EN-teh
To nothing, fade to silence
Read More →Calando
kah-LAHN-doh
Lowering (volume and tempo)
Read More →Manc ando
mahn-KAHN-doh
Lacking, fading
Read More →Perdendosi
per-DEN-doh-see
Losing oneself, dying away
Read More →Rinforzando (rfz)
reen-for-TSAHN-doh
Reinforcing, sudden emphasis
Read More →Ad libitum (ad lib)
ahd LIB-ih-toom
At liberty, freely
Read More →A piacere
ah pee-ah-CHEH-reh
At pleasure, freely
Read More →Alla breve
AH-lah BREH-veh
Cut time (2/2)
Read More →Andante maestoso
an-DAHN-teh mah-es-TOH-soh
Walking pace, majestically
Read More →Ben marcato
ben mar-KAH-toh
Well marked, clearly accented
Read More →Col canto
kohl KAHN-toh
With the singer/melody
Read More →L'istesso tempo
lee-STES-soh TEM-poh
The same tempo
Read More →Non tanto
nohn TAHN-toh
Not so much
Read More →Quasi
KWAH-zee
As if, almost
Read More →Recitativo
reh-chee-tah-TEE-voh
In the manner of a recitative
Read More →Ritenuto
ree-teh-NOO-toh
Held back, immediately slower
Read More →Tempo giusto
TEM-poh JOO-stoh
In strict time
Read More →Vivo
VEE-voh
Lively, vivacious
Read More →Volante
voh-LAHN-teh
Flying, light and fast
Read More →Zart
tsart
Tender, delicate (German)
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