A

A cappella: Vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.

Accent: Emphasis placed on a note or chord.

Accidental: A symbol that alters the pitch of a note (♯, ♭, ♮).

Absolute Pitch: The rare ability to identify a musical note without reference.

Accompaniment: Musical support provided to a melody or soloist.

Arpeggio: Notes of a chord played one after another instead of simultaneously.

Arrangement: Adapting a musical piece for different instruments.

Articulation: The way individual notes are attacked and released.

Atonal: Music that does not have a clear tonal center.

Attack: The initial sound produced when a note begins.

B

Ballad: A slow song often telling a story.

Bass: The lowest part in musical harmony.

Bar: A segment of music containing a fixed number of beats.

Beat: The steady pulse of a piece of music.

BPM: Beats per minute, used to measure tempo.

Bridge: A contrasting section connecting parts of a song.

Bend: A guitar technique where a note is raised in pitch.

Backbeat: Accents typically on beats two and four.

Bar Line: A vertical line dividing measures in notation.

C

Cadence: A sequence of chords that ends a phrase.

Chord: A group of notes played together.

Clef: A symbol indicating the pitch range of written notes.

Chromatic: Movement in half steps.

Chord Progression: A sequence of chords forming harmony.

Chord Tone: A note belonging to the current chord.

Counterpoint: Two independent melodies played together.

Crescendo: Gradually increasing in volume.

Chart: A sheet of music used for performance.

Click Track: A metronome used during recording.

D

Diatonic: Notes belonging to a specific key.

Dynamics: The volume level in music.

Decrescendo: Gradually getting softer.

Dominant: The fifth scale degree that resolves to the tonic.

Drone: A sustained pitch under changing harmonies.

Downbeat: The first beat of a measure.

Double Stop: Playing two notes simultaneously.

Dotted Note: A note extended by half its value.

E

Enharmonic: Notes that sound the same but are written differently.

Etude: A study piece designed to develop technique.

Ear Training: Exercises to recognize pitch and intervals.

Ensemble: A group performing together.

Extended Chord: A chord containing notes beyond the seventh.

Equalization: Adjusting audio frequencies in recording.

F

Fermata: A pause held longer than its written value.

Forte: A dynamic marking meaning loud.

Flat: A symbol lowering a pitch by a half step.

Fingerstyle: Guitar technique using fingers instead of a pick.

Form: The structure of a musical composition.

Frequency: The vibration rate determining pitch.

Feedback: Loop created when amplified sound re-enters a microphone.

G

Glissando: A slide between two notes.

Groove: The rhythmic feel created when musicians lock together.

Genre: A category or style of music.

Ghost Note: A lightly played rhythmic note.

Grace Note: A quick decorative note.

Gain: The level of signal amplification.

H

Harmony: Notes sounding together to support melody.

Half Step: The smallest interval in Western music.

Hook: A catchy musical phrase.

Head: The main melody in a jazz piece.

Harmonic Rhythm: The rate at which chords change.

I

Interval: The distance between two notes.

Intonation: Accuracy of pitch.

Improvisation: Creating music spontaneously.

Instrumental: Music without vocals.

Inversion: Rearranging notes of a chord.

J

Jam: Informal improvisational playing.

Jazz: A genre emphasizing improvisation and swing.

Jam Session: Musicians improvising together.

Jazz Standard: A widely known jazz composition.

K

Key: The tonal center of a piece.

Key Signature: Sharps or flats at the beginning of music.

Key Change: Moving to a different key.

Kick Drum: The low drum played with a foot pedal.

L

Legato: Smooth connected notes.

Ledger Line: Lines extending the musical staff.

Loop: A repeating musical section.

Lick: A short musical phrase.

M

Melody: A sequence of musical notes.

Modulation: Changing keys.

Major Scale: A seven-note scale following a whole and half step pattern.

Minor Scale: A scale often associated with darker moods.

Meter: Organization of beats.

Motif: A recurring musical idea.

N

Notation: A system for writing music.

Natural: A symbol cancelling sharps or flats.

Note Value: Duration of a musical note.

Nuance: Subtle expressive variation.

O

Octave: Interval spanning eight notes.

Orchestra: A large ensemble of instruments.

Overtone: A higher frequency above a fundamental pitch.

Ostinato: A repeated musical pattern.

P

Pitch: How high or low a note sounds.

Piano: A dynamic marking meaning soft.

Phrase: A musical sentence.

Palm Muting: Guitar technique dampening strings.

Polyrhythm: Multiple rhythms played simultaneously.

Pedal Tone: Sustained note while harmonies change.

Q

Quartet: A group of four musicians.

Quarter Note: A note lasting one beat in 4/4 time.

Quintet: A group of five musicians.

R

Rhythm: Pattern of sound and silence.

Rest: A symbol indicating silence.

Riff: A repeating musical phrase.

Reverb: Effect simulating acoustic space.

Resolution: When tension settles into a stable chord.

S

Scale: A series of notes ordered by pitch.

Staccato: Short detached notes.

Syncopation: Accenting normally weak beats.

Sustain: The length of time a note rings.

Subdominant: The fourth scale degree in a key.

Subdivision: Dividing beats into smaller units.

T

Tempo: The speed of music.

Triad: A three-note chord.

Timbre: The tonal color of a sound.

Time Signature: Indicates beats per measure.

Transpose: Shifting music into another key.

U

Upbeat: A weak beat before the downbeat.

Unison: Two parts playing the same pitch.

Upper Register: Higher pitch range.

V

Verse: A section of a song with lyrics.

Vibrato: Rapid variation in pitch.

Voice Leading: Movement of notes between chords.

Voicing: Arrangement of notes within a chord.

W

Whole Note: A note lasting four beats.

Waltz: Music in triple meter.

Walking Bass: Bass line moving in steady quarter notes.

X

Xylophone: A percussion instrument with wooden bars.

XLR: A professional audio cable connector.

Y

Yodel: Vocal technique shifting between registers.

Youth Orchestra: An ensemble of young musicians.

Z

Zither: A stringed instrument played by plucking.

Zydeco: A Louisiana musical style blending blues and Cajun influences.

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