1 @node Glossary, , , Top
4 This is a list of musical terms, along with explanations and
5 translations. It is not complete, so additions are welcome.
6 Languages are marked thusly:
10 @item UK - British English
17 @item Enharmonic Comma
26 F: doigté, D: Fingersatz
28 F: indication de pédale
41 F: accent, D: Akzent NL: accent I: accento.
46 F: altération accidentelle, D: Vorzeichen, Versetzungszeichen, Akzidenz NL: toevallig teken, I: accidento.
56 F: alto, D: Alt, NL: alt.
60 @item ancient form??? (diatonic minor scale)
61 F: forme du mode mineur ancien.
66 F: appogiature, ports de voix, notes d'agrèment, D: langer Vorschlag, NL: lange voorslag, I: appogiature.
70 @item arbitrary number of bars' rest
71 F: bâton de pause, NL: meermaats rust.
76 F: arpège, arpègement, D: Arpeggio, Brechungen, NL: gebroken akoord, I: arpeggio.
80 @item artificial measure
81 F: mesure artificielle.
90 @item ascending interval
92 F: intervalle ascendant, NL: stijgend interval.
95 @item augmented (interval)
97 F: augmenté (intervalle), D: übermäßig (Intervall), NL: overmatig interval.
102 1. A manuscript in the composer's own hand. 2. Music prepared for
103 photoreproduction by freehand drawing, with only the aid of a
104 straightedge ruler and T-square, which attempts to emulate
105 engraving. This required more skill than engraving.
115 @item backfall; forefall
117 F: accent, chute, port de voix, D: Vorschlag, NL: korte voorslag, I: appogiature.
125 F: barre (de mesure), D: Taktstrich, NL: maatstreep, I: stanghetta.
133 F: mesure, D: Takt, NL: maat, maatstreep.
141 F: bariton, D: Bariton, NL: bariton.
147 D: F-Schlüssel, NL: F sleutel.
149 A clef shaped as a curl with two dots. The position between the dots is the line of the F below central C.
156 F: clé de fa, D: Bass-Schlüssel, NL: bas sleutel, I: chiave di basso.
158 A clef setting with central C on the first top ledger line.
165 F: basse, D: Bass, NL: bas.
173 F: barre, D: Balken, NL: waardestreep/balk, I: barra.
181 F: temps, D: Takt(-schlag), NL: tel.
189 F: accolade, D: Klammer, NL: accolade, haak, I: accolada.
191 Symbol at the start of a system that connects staffs.
198 D: Blechbläser, NL: koper (blazers).
206 F: clé d'ut, D: Altschlüssel, NL: alt sleutel, I: chiave di tenore.
208 Clef setting that has central C on the middle staff line.
217 A clef symbol that looks like a horizontally mirrored 3. It indicates the position of the central C. Used in different positions.
240 F: cadence, D: Kadenz, NL: cadens.
248 F: fioriture, D: Kadenz, NL: cadens, I: cadenza.
258 1/1200 of an octave (1/100 of an equally tempered semitone)
263 @item chain of trills
265 F: chaîne de trilles, NL: triller.
289 F: accord, D: Akkord, NL: akkoord.
295 @item chromatic scale
297 F: gamme chromatique, D: Chromatische Tonleiter, NL: chromatische toonladder.
303 @item chromatic semitone
305 F: demi-ton chromatique, NL: chromatische halve toon.
311 @item chromatic transposition
313 F: transposition chromatique.
321 F: genre chromatique.
327 @item church mode; ecclesiastical mode
329 F: mode ecclésiastique, D: Kirchentonart, NL: kerk toonladder.
337 F: clé, D: Notenschlüssel, NL: sleutel, I: la chiave (pl. le chiavi).
345 F: comma, D: Komma, NL: komma.
347 Difference in pitch of a note when the note is derived from a different tuning system.
352 @item compound interval
354 F: intervalle composé, D: Komplementärintervall.
360 @item compound measure
362 F: mesure composée, NL: samengestelde maat.
368 @item conjunct movement
370 F: mouvement conjoint.
376 @item consonant interval; consonance
378 F: consonance, D: Konsonanz, NL: consonant.
386 F: contralto, D: Alt(-stimme), alt-.
398 A music copyist did fast freehand scores and parts on preprinted staff
399 lines for performance. Some of their conventions (e.g.: the placement of
400 noteheads on stems) varied slightly from those of engravers. Some of
401 their practices (not that) were superior and could well be adopted by
402 music typesetters. This also required more skill than engraving.
407 F: crescendo, D: Crescendo, I: crescendo.
409 written with an extended opening angular bracket, indicates increasing volume
416 D: Stichnoten, NL: stichnoten.
418 In an orchestral part, notes for a different instrument that hint when to start playing. Usually printed in smaller type.
431 @item dash over/below
442 D: Decrescendo, I: decrescendo.
444 written with an extended closing angular bracket, indicates decreasing volume
449 @item degree [of the scale]
451 F: degré [de la gamme], D: Stufe [der Tonleiter], NL: trap [van de toonladder].
457 @item descending interval
459 F: intervalle descendant, NL: dalend interval.
465 @item diatonic major scale
467 F: gamme diatonique majeure, D: Diatonische Durtonleiter, NL: diatonische majeur toonladder.
473 @item diatonic minor scale
475 F: gamme diatonique mineure, D: Diatonische Molltonleiter.
481 @item diatonic semitone
483 F: demi-ton diatonique, NL: diatonische halve toon.
491 F: genre diatonique, D: diatonisch.
499 F: diatonique, NL: diatonisch.
501 A diatonic scale is a scale consisting of whole and half tones.
506 @item diminished (interval)
508 F: diminué (intervalle), D: vermindert (Intervall), NL: verminderd (interval).
514 @item disjunct movement
516 F: mouvement disjoint.
522 @item dissonant interval; dissonance
524 F: dissonance, D: Dissonanz, NL: dissonant interval; dissonant.
530 @item dominant ninth chord
532 F: accord de neuvième dominante, NL: dominant noon akkoord.
538 @item dominant seventh chord
540 F: accord de septième dominante, D: Dominantseptakkord, NL: dominant septiem akkoord.
548 F: dominante, D: Dominante, NL: dominant.
550 A tone that creates tension;the fifth degree of the scale.
557 D: Dorische Tonart, NL: dorische toonladder.
559 Mode obtained by raising the sixth in minor mode. A Dorian scale can be played from D to D with no sharps or flats.
564 @item dot (augmentation dot)
566 F: point, D: Punkt (Verlängerungspunkt), NL: punt, I: punto.
568 An augmentation dot after note adds multiplies the duration by one and a half.
573 @item dot and curved line combined
575 F: point et liaison combinés.
583 D: Staccato, NL: staccato, I: staccato.
585 Play each note short.
592 F: point, D: Punkt, NL: punt.
600 F: note pointée, D: punktierte Note.
606 @item double appoggiatura
608 F: appogiature double.
614 @item double bar line
616 F: double barre, D: Doppel(takt)strich, NL: dubbele streep, I: doppia barra.
618 Indicates the end of a section within a movement.
623 @item double dotted note
625 F: note doublement pointée, D: doppel-punktierte Note.
633 F: double bémol, D: Doppel-Be, NL: dubbelmol, I: doppio bemolle.
641 F: double dièse, D: Doppelkreuz, NL: dubbelkruis, I: doppio diesis.
643 Raise pitch by two semitones
650 F: trille double, D: Doppeltriller.
659 F: double triolet, D: Doppeltriole, NL: dubbele triool.
665 @item double whole note
667 UK: breve, D: Brevis, NL: brevis, I: breve.
669 Note during twice as long as a whole note. Mainly used in pre-1650 music.
676 F: temps binaire, NL: tweedelige maatsoort.
684 F: duolet, D: Duole, NL: duool.
692 F: durée, D: Dauer, Länge, NL: duur, lengte.
708 F: croche, UK: quaver, D: Achtelnote, NL: achtste noot.
716 F: demi-soupir, UK: quaver rest, D: Achtelpause, NL: achtste rust.
724 D: Notenstechen, NL: steken.
726 Engraving means incising or etching a metal plate for
727 printing. Photoengraving means drawing music with ink in a manner
728 similar to drafting or engineering drawing, using similar tools.
730 The traditional process of music printing is done through: cutting in a
731 plate of metal. Now also the term for the art of music typography.
738 F: enharmonique, D: enharmonisch, NL: enharmonisch.
740 Two notes, intervals, or scales are enharmonic if they have different names but sound the same. Examples: C sharp and D flat, diminished fourth and major third
745 @item equal temperament
747 F: tempérament égal, NL: getempereerde stemming.
749 Tuning system in which each semitone is precisely 100 cents.
754 @item essential alteration
756 F: altération essentielle.
762 @item expression mark
764 F: signe d'expressoin, D: Vortragszeichen, NL: voordrachtsteken, I: segno d'espressione.
770 @item extension of interval
772 F: extension d'intervalle.
788 F: pauses, D: Fermate, NL: fermate, I: fermata.
790 Prolonged sound or silence of indefinite duration
797 F: quinte, D: Quinte, NL: kwint.
803 @item flag; hook; tail; pennant
805 F: crochet, D: Fähnchen, NL: vlaggetje, I: coda uncinata.
807 Ornament at the end of the stem of a note. The number of flags determines the lengths of notes shorter than a quarter note.
814 F: bémol, D: Be, NL: mol, I: bemolle.
816 Lower pitch by a semitone
831 F: quarte, D: Quarte, NL: kwart.
847 F: glissement, D: Glissando, NL: glissando, I: glissando.
849 Letting the pitch slide fluently from one note to the other
856 F: petites notes, D: Verzierungen, Manieren, NL: versieringen, I: appogiature.
866 A combination of two staffs with a brace. Usually used for piano music.
873 F: blanche, UK: minim, D: Halbe Note, NL: halve noot.
881 F: demi-pause, UK: minim rest, D: Halbe Pause, NL: halve rust.
887 @item harmonic cadence
889 F: cadence harmonique, NL: harmonische cadens.
891 Sequence of chords that terminate a musical phrase or section.
896 @item harmonic form (diatonic minor scale)
904 @item harmonic interval
906 F: intervalle harmonique, D: Harmonisches Intervall.
912 @item incomplete measure
914 F: mesure incomplète.
922 F: intervalle, D: Intervall, NL: interval.
924 Difference in pitch between two notes
929 @item inversion of interval
931 F: renversement d'intervalle, NL: interval inversie.
937 @item irregular contro-time
939 F: contre-temps irrégulier.
945 @item irregular group
947 F: groupe irrégulier.
953 @item irregular measure
955 F: mesure irrégulière.
961 @item irregular syncopation
963 F: syncope irrégulière, NL: onregelmatige syncope.
969 @item just intonation
973 Tuning system in which the notes are obtained by adding and subtracting natural fifths and thirds.
980 F: armure, armature [de la clé], signes des accidentals, D: Vorzeichen, NL: toonsoort (voortekens), I: segni di chiave.
996 F: figure de silence.
1010 @item ledger line; leger line
1012 F: ligne supplémentaire, D: Hilfslinien, Kopfstriche (?), NL: hulplijntje, I: lineette.
1014 A ledger line is an extension of the staff.
1021 F: liaison rythmique, NL: legato boog.
1029 F: étang de lis, UK: lily pond, D: Lilienteich, NL: lelievijver, I: stagno del giglio.
1031 A pond with lilies floating in it, also the name of a music typesetter.
1038 F: ligne, D: Linie, NL: lijn.
1044 @item long appoggiatura
1046 F: appogiature longue.
1054 F: chiffre inférieur.
1060 @item major (interval)
1062 F: majeur (intervalle), D: groß (Intervall), NL: groot (interval).
1070 F: mode majeur, D: Dur.
1076 @item meantone temperament
1078 F: tempérament mésotonique.
1080 Tuning based on a fifth that is 16 cents smaller than the natural fifth.
1087 F: médiante, NL: mediant.
1089 The third degree of a scale
1094 @item melodic cadence
1096 F: cadence mélodique, NL: cadens.
1098 A free-form section at the end of a solo-concerto, where the soloist can demonstrate his/her virtuosity.
1103 @item melodic form (diatonic minor scale)
1113 F: mètre, D: Takt, Metrum, NL: maatsoort.
1115 A recurring pattern of stress
1122 F: métronome, D: Metronom, NL: metronoom.
1124 Device which sounds a steady beat
1129 @item metronomic indication
1131 F: indication métronomique, D: Metronomangabe.
1133 Exact tempo indication (in beats per minute). Also denoted by M.M. (Mälzel's Metronom)
1140 F: mezzo-soprano, D: Mezzosopran.
1148 F: do central, D: eingestrichenes c, NL: centrale C.
1150 First C below the 440 Hz A.
1155 @item minor (interval)
1157 F: mineur (intervalle), D: klein (Intervall).
1165 F: mode mineur, D: Moll.
1181 F: mode, D: Geschlecht.
1189 F: modulation, D: Modulation, NL: modulatie.
1197 F: mordant, pincè, D: Pralltriller, Mordent, NL: mordent, I: mordente.
1205 F: incise, D: Motiv, NL: motief.
1211 @item musical ladder
1213 F: échelle musicale.
1219 @item mixolydian mode
1221 D: Mixolydische Tonart, NL: Mixolydische toonladder.
1223 Mode obtained by lowering the seventh in major. A mixolydian scale can be obtained by playing G to G with no sharps or flats.
1230 F: bécarre, D: Auflösungszeichen, NL: herstellingsteken, I: bequadro.
1232 Do not play the following note flat or sharp.
1247 D: Notenkopf, NL: noot balletje.
1255 F: note, D: Note, NL: noot, I: nota.
1263 F: échelle d'octave.
1279 F: octave, D: Oktave, I: ottava.
1287 F: octave, D: Oktave, NL: octaaf.
1293 @item ornament; embellishment; accessory
1295 F: agrèment, ornement, D: Verzierungen, I: fiorette, fioriture,
1303 Ossia (otherwise) marks an alternative. It is an added staff or piano
1304 score, usually only a few measures long, which presents another version
1305 of the music, for small hands, for example.
1318 F: pause, D: Luftpause.
1332 @item perfect (interval)
1334 F: juste (intervalle), D: rein (Intervall), NL: rein (interval).
1340 @item perfect major chord
1342 F: accord parfait majeur.
1348 @item perfect minor chord
1350 F: accord parfait mineur.
1358 F: membre de phrase.
1366 F: phrase, D: Phrase, NL: frase, zin.
1380 @item pitch pipe; tuning fork
1382 F: diapason, D: Stimmgabel, NL: stemfluitje; stemvork.
1390 F: hauteur, D: Tonhöhe, NL: toonhoogte.
1396 @item Pythagorean comma
1398 F: comma pythagoricien, D: Pythagoräisches Komma, NL: komma van Pythagoras.
1400 A sequence of fifths starting on C eventually circles back to C (B sharp), but this B sharp is 24 cents higher than C. This gap is the Pythagorean comma.
1407 F: quartolet, NL: kwartool.
1415 F: noire, UK: crotchet, D: Viertelnote, NL: kwartnoot.
1423 F: soupir, UK: crotchet rest, D: Viertelpause, NL: kwart rust.
1431 F: registre, D: Register, NL: register.
1437 @item regular contro-time
1439 F: contre-temps régulier.
1445 @item regular syncopation
1447 F: syncope régulière.
1453 @item relative scales
1455 F: gammes relatives, tons relatifs.
1463 F: barre de reprise, D: Wiederholung, NL: herhaling.
1479 F: soupir, D: Pause, NL: rust, I: pausa.
1487 F: renvoi, NL: herstellingsteken.
1495 F: rythme, D: Rhythmus, NL: ritme.
1501 @item rhythmic curve
1503 F: courbe rythmique.
1511 F: gamme, D: Tonleiter, NL: toonladder.
1519 F: partition, D: Partitur, NL: partituur.
1527 F: seconde, D: Sekunde, I: secunde.
1535 F: demi-ton, D: Halbton, NL: halve toon.
1543 F: septième, D: Septime, NL: septiem, I: septime.
1551 F: sextolet, D: Sextole, NL: sextool.
1559 F: sixain, NL: sextool.
1567 F: signes indicateurs de nuance.
1575 F: nuance, D: Nuance.
1583 F: dièse, D: Kreuz (um Halbton erhöht), NL: kruis.
1589 @item short appoggiatura
1591 F: appogiature brève.
1597 @item simple appoggiatura
1599 F: appogiature simple.
1605 @item simple interval
1607 F: intervalle simple.
1613 @item simple measure
1621 @item sixteenth note
1623 F: double croche, UK: semiquaver, D: Sechzehntelnote, NL: zestiende noot.
1629 @item sixteenth rest
1631 F: quart de soupir, UK: semiquaver rest, D: Sechzehntelpause, NL: zestiende rust.
1639 F: sixte, D: Sexte, NL: sext.
1645 @item sixty-fourth note
1647 F: quadruple croche, UK: hemidemisemiquaver, D: Vierundsechzigstelnote, NL: vierenzestigste noot.
1653 @item sixty-fourth rest
1655 F: seizième de soupir, UK: hemidemisemiquaver rest, D: Vierundsechzigstelpause.
1663 F: liaison, coulé, D: Bindungszeichen, Bindebogen, NL: binding, bindingsboog, I: legatura.
1671 F: soprano, D: Sopran, NL: sopraan.
1687 F: portée, D: Noten(linien)system, NL: (noten)balk; partij.
1696 F: queue, D: Stiel, Hals, NL: stok, I: asta, gamba.
1704 D: Streicher, NL: strijkers.
1712 F: temps fort, NL: thesis.
1720 F: sous-dominante, D: Subdominante.
1722 The fourth degree of the scale
1731 The sixth scale degree
1738 F: sous-tonique, D: Subtonika.
1740 The seventh degree of the scale
1749 The sixth scale degree
1758 The second scale degree
1763 @item syncopation; upbeat
1765 F: syncope, D: Synkope, NL: syncope.
1771 @item syntonic comma
1773 F: comma syntonique, NL: komma van Didymos, syntonische komma.
1775 Difference between the natural third and the third obtained by Pythagorean tuning, euqal to 22 cents.
1782 F: système, D: System, NL: systeem, I: sitema.
1788 @item tempo indication
1790 F: signes de temps, D: Zeitmaß, Tempobezeichnung, NL: tempo aanduiding, I: segno di tempo.
1796 @item tempo; movement
1798 F: mouvement, D: Tempo.
1814 D: Dezime, NL: deciem, I: decime.
1822 F: tétracorde, D: Vierklang.
1830 F: tierce, D: Terz, NL: terts.
1836 @item thirty-second note
1838 F: triple croche, UK: demisemiquaver, D: Zweiunddreißigstelnote, NL: 32e noot.
1844 @item thirty-second rest
1846 F: huitième de soupir, UK: demisemiquaver rest, D: Zweiunddreißigstelpause, NL: 32e rust.
1854 F: liaison, D: Haltebogen, NL: overbinding, I: legatura.
1856 A curve that shows the prolongation (as opposed to the repetition fo a note)
1861 @item time signature
1863 F: chiffrage (chiffres indicateurs), signe de valeur, D: Taktvorzeichnung, Taktvorzeichen, NL: maatsoort, I: segni di tempo.
1879 F: tonalité, D: Tonalität, NL: tonaliteit.
1887 F: ton, D: Ton, NL: toon.
1895 F: tonique, D: Tonika, NL: tonica.
1903 F: transposition, D: Transposition, NL: transpositie.
1905 Shifting a melody up or down in pitch, while keeping the same relative pitches.
1914 A clef symbol with a loop at the top and a spiral in the center. The center of the spiral indicates the G above central C.
1921 F: clé de sol, D: Violinschlüssel, NL: viool sleutel, I: chiave di violino.
1923 Clef setting where the second lowest line is the G above central C.
1930 F: trèmolo, D: Tremolo, NL: tremolo, I: tremolo.
1938 F: trille, tremblement, battement (cadence), D: Triller, NL: triller, I: trillo.
1946 F: temps ternaire, NL: driedelige maatsoort.
1954 F: triolet, D: Triole.
1962 F: triton, D: Tritonus.
1968 @item turn; gruppetto
1970 F: brisè, groupe, doublè, grupetto, D: Doppelschlag, NL: dubbelslag, I: grupetto.
1983 @item underline over/below
1985 F: portamento, D: Portato.
1993 F: unisson, D: Unisono, I: unisono.
1995 Different instruments playing exactly the same melody.
2008 @item unit of measure
2026 F: chiffre supérieur.
2034 F: voix, D: Stimme, NL: stem.
2040 F: temps faible, NL: arsis.
2048 F: ronde, UK: semibreve, D: Ganze Note, NL: hele noot.
2056 F: pause, UK: semibreve rest, D: Ganze Pause.
2064 D: Holzbläser, NL: houtblazers.