music

Accompanist

A performer who plays music that supports the main performer'(s)

Lyricist

A person who writes words to songs

Note

A pitched sound.

Melody

A succession of single notes.

Rest

A symbol indicating a measured silence in music

Clef

A musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes

Quarter Note

A note that receives 1 beat of sound in 4/4 time

Half Note

A note that receives 2 beats of sound in 4/4 time

Dotted Half Note

A note that receives 3 beats of sound in 4/4 time

Whole Note

A note that receives 4 beats of sound in 4/4 time

Bass Clef

Clef mainly used by the men and is also called the F clef.

Treble Clef

Clef mainly used by the women and is also called the G clef.

Barline

divides the staff into measures

Time Signature

specifies how many beats are in each measure and what note value constitutes one beat.

Beat

the basic durational unit in a piece of music

Measure

the space between two bar lines

Crescendo

to gradually become louder.

Decrescendo

to gradually become softer.

Legato

to play or sing notes smoothly and connected.

Slur

A curved line notated above two or more notes that indicates they are to be played legato

Tie

A curved line that joins two or more notes of the same pitch that last the duration of the combined note values

Quarter Rest

A rest that receives 1 beat of silence in 4/4 time

Half Rest

A rest that receives 2 beats of silence in 4/4 time

Dotted Half Rest

A rest that receives 3 beats of sound in 4/4 time

Whole Rest

A rest that receives 4 beats of silence in 4/4 time

Eighth Rest

A rest that receives a half beat of silence in 4/4 time

Sixteenth Rest

A rest that receives a quarter beat of silence in 4/4 time

Mezzo Forte

Italian word meaning moderately loud

Forte

Italian word that means loud

Piano

Italian word that means soft

Mezzo Piano

Moderately soft

Sacred

Music with religious context

Accidentals

Sharps, flats or naturals occurring in a piece of music that are not in a key signature

A Tempo

The Italian term indicating to return to the original tempo

Vivace

The Italian word indicating a very fast tempo

Ritardando

The Italian word indicating to gradually slow down

Grand Staff

The combination of the bass and treble staves together which is used to notate music

Soprano

The highest female singing voice

Tenor

The highest natural male singing voice

Staff

The horizontal lines and spaces on which music is notated

Rhythm

The organization of music in time using long and short note values

Pitch

The location of a note related to its highness or lowness

Alto

The lowest female singing voice

Bass

The lowest male singing voice

Sight Reading

The reading of music at first sight

Harmony

The result produced when two or more tones are

Tempo

The speed or rate at which a song is sung or played

Dynamics

The symbols used in music to tell how loud or soft to play or sing

Staccato

To sing short and detached

Beam

the horizontal line that connects notes into easily visible groups.