2 This is a list of musical terms, along with explanations and
3 translations. It is not complete, so additions are welcome.
4 Languages are marked thusly:
8 @item UK - British English
15 @item Enharmonic Comma
24 F: doigté, D: Fingersatz
26 F: indication de pédale
39 F: accent, D: Akzent NL: accent I: accento.
44 F: altération accidentelle, D: Vorzeichen, Versetzungszeichen, Akzidenz NL: toevallig teken, I: accidento.
54 F: alto, D: Alt, NL: alt.
58 @item ancient form??? (diatonic minor scale)
59 F: forme du mode mineur ancien.
64 F: appogiature, ports de voix, notes d'agrèment, D: langer Vorschlag, NL: lange voorslag, I: appogiature.
68 @item arbitrary number of bars' rest
69 F: bâton de pause, NL: meermaats rust.
74 F: arpège, arpègement, D: Arpeggio, Brechungen, NL: gebroken akoord, I: arpeggio.
78 @item artificial measure
79 F: mesure artificielle.
88 @item ascending interval
90 F: intervalle ascendant, NL: stijgend interval.
93 @item augmented (interval)
95 F: augmenté (intervalle), D: übermäßig (Intervall), NL: overmatig interval.
100 1. A manuscript in the composer's own hand. 2. Music prepared for
101 photoreproduction by freehand drawing, with only the aid of a
102 straightedge ruler and T-square, which attempts to emulate
103 engraving. This required more skill than engraving.
113 @item backfall; forefall
115 F: accent, chute, port de voix, D: Vorschlag, NL: korte voorslag, I: appogiature.
123 F: barre (de mesure), D: Taktstrich, NL: maatstreep, I: stanghetta.
131 F: mesure, D: Takt, NL: maat, maatstreep.
139 F: bariton, D: Bariton, NL: bariton.
145 D: F-Schlüssel, NL: F sleutel.
147 A clef shaped as a curl with two dots. The position between the dots is the line of the F below central C.
154 F: clé de fa, D: Bass-Schlüssel, NL: bas sleutel, I: chiave di basso.
156 A clef setting with central C on the first top ledger line.
163 F: basse, D: Bass, NL: bas.
171 F: barre, D: Balken, NL: waardestreep/balk, I: barra.
179 F: temps, D: Takt(-schlag), NL: tel.
187 F: accolade, D: Klammer, NL: accolade, haak, I: accolada.
189 Symbol at the start of a system that connects staffs.
196 D: Blechbläser, NL: koper (blazers).
204 F: clé d'ut, D: Altschlüssel, NL: alt sleutel, I: chiave di tenore.
206 Clef setting that has central C on the middle staff line.
215 A clef symbol that looks like a horizontally mirrored 3. It indicates the position of the central C. Used in different positions.
238 F: cadence, D: Kadenz, NL: cadens.
246 F: fioriture, D: Kadenz, NL: cadens, I: cadenza.
256 1/1200 of an octave (1/100 of an equally tempered semitone)
261 @item chain of trills
263 F: chaîne de trilles, NL: triller.
287 F: accord, D: Akkord, NL: akkoord.
293 @item chromatic scale
295 F: gamme chromatique, D: Chromatische Tonleiter, NL: chromatische toonladder.
301 @item chromatic semitone
303 F: demi-ton chromatique, NL: chromatische halve toon.
309 @item chromatic transposition
311 F: transposition chromatique.
319 F: genre chromatique.
325 @item church mode; ecclesiastical mode
327 F: mode ecclésiastique, D: Kirchentonart, NL: kerk toonladder.
335 F: clé, D: Notenschlüssel, NL: sleutel, I: la chiave (pl. le chiavi).
343 F: comma, D: Komma, NL: komma.
345 Difference in pitch of a note when the note is derived from a different tuning system.
350 @item compound interval
352 F: intervalle composé, D: Komplementärintervall.
358 @item compound measure
360 F: mesure composée, NL: samengestelde maat.
366 @item conjunct movement
368 F: mouvement conjoint.
374 @item consonant interval; consonance
376 F: consonance, D: Konsonanz, NL: consonant.
384 F: contralto, D: Alt(-stimme), alt-.
396 A music copyist did fast freehand scores and parts on preprinted staff
397 lines for performance. Some of their conventions (e.g.: the placement of
398 noteheads on stems) varied slightly from those of engravers. Some of
399 their practices (not that) were superior and could well be adopted by
400 music typesetters. This also required more skill than engraving.
405 F: crescendo, D: Crescendo, I: crescendo.
407 written with an extended opening angular bracket, indicates increasing volume
414 D: Stichnoten, NL: stichnoten.
416 In an orchestral part, notes for a different instrument that hint when to start playing. Usually printed in smaller type.
429 @item dash over/below
440 D: Decrescendo, I: decrescendo.
442 written with an extended closing angular bracket, indicates decreasing volume
447 @item degree [of the scale]
449 F: degré [de la gamme], D: Stufe [der Tonleiter], NL: trap [van de toonladder].
455 @item descending interval
457 F: intervalle descendant, NL: dalend interval.
463 @item diatonic major scale
465 F: gamme diatonique majeure, D: Diatonische Durtonleiter, NL: diatonische majeur toonladder.
471 @item diatonic minor scale
473 F: gamme diatonique mineure, D: Diatonische Molltonleiter.
479 @item diatonic semitone
481 F: demi-ton diatonique, NL: diatonische halve toon.
489 F: genre diatonique, D: diatonisch.
497 F: diatonique, NL: diatonisch.
499 A diatonic scale is a scale consisting of whole and half tones.
504 @item diminished (interval)
506 F: diminué (intervalle), D: vermindert (Intervall), NL: verminderd (interval).
512 @item disjunct movement
514 F: mouvement disjoint.
520 @item dissonant interval; dissonance
522 F: dissonance, D: Dissonanz, NL: dissonant interval; dissonant.
528 @item dominant ninth chord
530 F: accord de neuvième dominante, NL: dominant noon akkoord.
536 @item dominant seventh chord
538 F: accord de septième dominante, D: Dominantseptakkord, NL: dominant septiem akkoord.
546 F: dominante, D: Dominante, NL: dominant.
548 A tone that creates tension;the fifth degree of the scale.
555 D: Dorische Tonart, NL: dorische toonladder.
557 Mode obtained by raising the sixth in minor mode. A Dorian scale can be played from D to D with no sharps or flats.
562 @item dot (augmentation dot)
564 F: point, D: Punkt (Verlängerungspunkt), NL: punt, I: punto.
566 An augmentation dot after note adds multiplies the duration by one and a half.
571 @item dot and curved line combined
573 F: point et liaison combinés.
581 D: Staccato, NL: staccato, I: staccato.
583 Play each note short.
590 F: point, D: Punkt, NL: punt.
598 F: note pointée, D: punktierte Note.
604 @item double appoggiatura
606 F: appogiature double.
612 @item double bar line
614 F: double barre, D: Doppel(takt)strich, NL: dubbele streep, I: doppia barra.
616 Indicates the end of a section within a movement.
621 @item double dotted note
623 F: note doublement pointée, D: doppel-punktierte Note.
631 F: double bémol, D: Doppel-Be, NL: dubbelmol, I: doppio bemolle.
639 F: double dièse, D: Doppelkreuz, NL: dubbelkruis, I: doppio diesis.
641 Raise pitch by two semitones
648 F: trille double, D: Doppeltriller.
657 F: double triolet, D: Doppeltriole, NL: dubbele triool.
663 @item double whole note
665 UK: breve, D: Brevis, NL: brevis, I: breve.
667 Note during twice as long as a whole note. Mainly used in pre-1650 music.
674 F: temps binaire, NL: tweedelige maatsoort.
682 F: duolet, D: Duole, NL: duool.
690 F: durée, D: Dauer, Länge, NL: duur, lengte.
706 F: croche, UK: quaver, D: Achtelnote, NL: achtste noot.
714 F: demi-soupir, UK: quaver rest, D: Achtelpause, NL: achtste rust.
722 D: Notenstechen, NL: steken.
724 Engraving means incising or etching a metal plate for
725 printing. Photoengraving means drawing music with ink in a manner
726 similar to drafting or engineering drawing, using similar tools.
728 The traditional process of music printing is done through: cutting in a
729 plate of metal. Now also the term for the art of music typography.
736 F: enharmonique, D: enharmonisch, NL: enharmonisch.
738 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
743 @item equal temperament
745 F: tempérament égal, NL: getempereerde stemming.
747 Tuning system in which each semitone is precisely 100 cents.
752 @item essential alteration
754 F: altération essentielle.
760 @item expression mark
762 F: signe d'expressoin, D: Vortragszeichen, NL: voordrachtsteken, I: segno d'espressione.
768 @item extension of interval
770 F: extension d'intervalle.
786 F: pauses, D: Fermate, NL: fermate, I: fermata.
788 Prolonged sound or silence of indefinite duration
795 F: quinte, D: Quinte, NL: kwint.
801 @item flag; hook; tail; pennant
803 F: crochet, D: Fähnchen, NL: vlaggetje, I: coda uncinata.
805 Ornament at the end of the stem of a note. The number of flags determines the lengths of notes shorter than a quarter note.
812 F: bémol, D: Be, NL: mol, I: bemolle.
814 Lower pitch by a semitone
829 F: quarte, D: Quarte, NL: kwart.
845 F: glissement, D: Glissando, NL: glissando, I: glissando.
847 Letting the pitch slide fluently from one note to the other
854 F: petites notes, D: Verzierungen, Manieren, NL: versieringen, I: appogiature.
864 A combination of two staffs with a brace. Usually used for piano music.
871 F: blanche, UK: minim, D: Halbe Note, NL: halve noot.
879 F: demi-pause, UK: minim rest, D: Halbe Pause, NL: halve rust.
885 @item harmonic cadence
887 F: cadence harmonique, NL: harmonische cadens.
889 Sequence of chords that terminate a musical phrase or section.
894 @item harmonic form (diatonic minor scale)
902 @item harmonic interval
904 F: intervalle harmonique, D: Harmonisches Intervall.
910 @item incomplete measure
912 F: mesure incomplète.
920 F: intervalle, D: Intervall, NL: interval.
922 Difference in pitch between two notes
927 @item inversion of interval
929 F: renversement d'intervalle, NL: interval inversie.
935 @item irregular contro-time
937 F: contre-temps irrégulier.
943 @item irregular group
945 F: groupe irrégulier.
951 @item irregular measure
953 F: mesure irrégulière.
959 @item irregular syncopation
961 F: syncope irrégulière, NL: onregelmatige syncope.
967 @item just intonation
971 Tuning system in which the notes are obtained by adding and subtracting natural fifths and thirds.
978 F: armure, armature [de la clé], signes des accidentals, D: Vorzeichen, NL: toonsoort (voortekens), I: segni di chiave.
994 F: figure de silence.
1008 @item ledger line; leger line
1010 F: ligne supplémentaire, D: Hilfslinien, Kopfstriche (?), NL: hulplijntje, I: lineette.
1012 A ledger line is an extension of the staff.
1019 F: liaison rythmique, NL: legato boog.
1027 F: étang de lis, UK: lily pond, D: Lilienteich, NL: lelievijver, I: stagno del giglio.
1029 A pond with lilies floating in it, also the name of a music typesetter.
1036 F: ligne, D: Linie, NL: lijn.
1042 @item long appoggiatura
1044 F: appogiature longue.
1052 F: chiffre inférieur.
1058 @item major (interval)
1060 F: majeur (intervalle), D: groß (Intervall), NL: groot (interval).
1068 F: mode majeur, D: Dur.
1074 @item meantone temperament
1076 F: tempérament mésotonique.
1078 Tuning based on a fifth that is 16 cents smaller than the natural fifth.
1085 F: médiante, NL: mediant.
1087 The third degree of a scale
1092 @item melodic cadence
1094 F: cadence mélodique, NL: cadens.
1096 A free-form section at the end of a solo-concerto, where the soloist can demonstrate his/her virtuosity.
1101 @item melodic form (diatonic minor scale)
1111 F: mètre, D: Takt, Metrum, NL: maatsoort.
1113 A recurring pattern of stress
1120 F: métronome, D: Metronom, NL: metronoom.
1122 Device which sounds a steady beat
1127 @item metronomic indication
1129 F: indication métronomique, D: Metronomangabe.
1131 Exact tempo indication (in beats per minute). Also denoted by M.M. (Mälzel's Metronom)
1138 F: mezzo-soprano, D: Mezzosopran.
1146 F: do central, D: eingestrichenes c, NL: centrale C.
1148 First C below the 440 Hz A.
1153 @item minor (interval)
1155 F: mineur (intervalle), D: klein (Intervall).
1163 F: mode mineur, D: Moll.
1179 F: mode, D: Geschlecht.
1187 F: modulation, D: Modulation, NL: modulatie.
1195 F: mordant, pincè, D: Pralltriller, Mordent, NL: mordent, I: mordente.
1203 F: incise, D: Motiv, NL: motief.
1209 @item musical ladder
1211 F: échelle musicale.
1217 @item mixolydian mode
1219 D: Mixolydische Tonart, NL: Mixolydische toonladder.
1221 Mode obtained by lowering the seventh in major. A mixolydian scale can be obtained by playing G to G with no sharps or flats.
1228 F: bécarre, D: Auflösungszeichen, NL: herstellingsteken, I: bequadro.
1230 Do not play the following note flat or sharp.
1245 D: Notenkopf, NL: noot balletje.
1253 F: note, D: Note, NL: noot, I: nota.
1261 F: échelle d'octave.
1277 F: octave, D: Oktave, I: ottava.
1285 F: octave, D: Oktave, NL: octaaf.
1291 @item ornament; embellishment; accessory
1293 F: agrèment, ornement, D: Verzierungen, I: fiorette, fioriture,
1301 Ossia (otherwise) marks an alternative. It is an added staff or piano
1302 score, usually only a few measures long, which presents another version
1303 of the music, for small hands, for example.
1316 F: pause, D: Luftpause.
1330 @item perfect (interval)
1332 F: juste (intervalle), D: rein (Intervall), NL: rein (interval).
1338 @item perfect major chord
1340 F: accord parfait majeur.
1346 @item perfect minor chord
1348 F: accord parfait mineur.
1356 F: membre de phrase.
1364 F: phrase, D: Phrase, NL: frase, zin.
1378 @item pitch pipe; tuning fork
1380 F: diapason, D: Stimmgabel, NL: stemfluitje; stemvork.
1388 F: hauteur, D: Tonhöhe, NL: toonhoogte.
1394 @item Pythagorean comma
1396 F: comma pythagoricien, D: Pythagoräisches Komma, NL: komma van Pythagoras.
1398 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.
1405 F: quartolet, NL: kwartool.
1413 F: noire, UK: crotchet, D: Viertelnote, NL: kwartnoot.
1421 F: soupir, UK: crotchet rest, D: Viertelpause, NL: kwart rust.
1429 F: registre, D: Register, NL: register.
1435 @item regular contro-time
1437 F: contre-temps régulier.
1443 @item regular syncopation
1445 F: syncope régulière.
1451 @item relative scales
1453 F: gammes relatives, tons relatifs.
1461 F: barre de reprise, D: Wiederholung, NL: herhaling.
1477 F: soupir, D: Pause, NL: rust, I: pausa.
1485 F: renvoi, NL: herstellingsteken.
1493 F: rythme, D: Rhythmus, NL: ritme.
1499 @item rhythmic curve
1501 F: courbe rythmique.
1509 F: gamme, D: Tonleiter, NL: toonladder.
1517 F: partition, D: Partitur, NL: partituur.
1525 F: seconde, D: Sekunde, I: secunde.
1533 F: demi-ton, D: Halbton, NL: halve toon.
1541 F: septième, D: Septime, NL: septiem, I: septime.
1549 F: sextolet, D: Sextole, NL: sextool.
1557 F: sixain, NL: sextool.
1565 F: signes indicateurs de nuance.
1573 F: nuance, D: Nuance.
1581 F: dièse, D: Kreuz (um Halbton erhöht), NL: kruis.
1587 @item short appoggiatura
1589 F: appogiature brève.
1595 @item simple appoggiatura
1597 F: appogiature simple.
1603 @item simple interval
1605 F: intervalle simple.
1611 @item simple measure
1619 @item sixteenth note
1621 F: double croche, UK: semiquaver, D: Sechzehntelnote, NL: zestiende noot.
1627 @item sixteenth rest
1629 F: quart de soupir, UK: semiquaver rest, D: Sechzehntelpause, NL: zestiende rust.
1637 F: sixte, D: Sexte, NL: sext.
1643 @item sixty-fourth note
1645 F: quadruple croche, UK: hemidemisemiquaver, D: Vierundsechzigstelnote, NL: vierenzestigste noot.
1651 @item sixty-fourth rest
1653 F: seizième de soupir, UK: hemidemisemiquaver rest, D: Vierundsechzigstelpause.
1661 F: liaison, coulé, D: Bindungszeichen, Bindebogen, NL: binding, bindingsboog, I: legatura.
1669 F: soprano, D: Sopran, NL: sopraan.
1685 F: portée, D: Noten(linien)system, NL: (noten)balk; partij.
1694 F: queue, D: Stiel, Hals, NL: stok, I: asta, gamba.
1702 D: Streicher, NL: strijkers.
1710 F: temps fort, NL: thesis.
1718 F: sous-dominante, D: Subdominante.
1720 The fourth degree of the scale
1729 The sixth scale degree
1736 F: sous-tonique, D: Subtonika.
1738 The seventh degree of the scale
1747 The sixth scale degree
1756 The second scale degree
1761 @item syncopation; upbeat
1763 F: syncope, D: Synkope, NL: syncope.
1769 @item syntonic comma
1771 F: comma syntonique, NL: komma van Didymos, syntonische komma.
1773 Difference between the natural third and the third obtained by Pythagorean tuning, euqal to 22 cents.
1780 F: système, D: System, NL: systeem, I: sitema.
1786 @item tempo indication
1788 F: signes de temps, D: Zeitmaß, Tempobezeichnung, NL: tempo aanduiding, I: segno di tempo.
1794 @item tempo; movement
1796 F: mouvement, D: Tempo.
1812 D: Dezime, NL: deciem, I: decime.
1820 F: tétracorde, D: Vierklang.
1828 F: tierce, D: Terz, NL: terts.
1834 @item thirty-second note
1836 F: triple croche, UK: demisemiquaver, D: Zweiunddreißigstelnote, NL: 32e noot.
1842 @item thirty-second rest
1844 F: huitième de soupir, UK: demisemiquaver rest, D: Zweiunddreißigstelpause, NL: 32e rust.
1852 F: liaison, D: Haltebogen, NL: overbinding, I: legatura.
1854 A curve that shows the prolongation (as opposed to the repetition fo a note)
1859 @item time signature
1861 F: chiffrage (chiffres indicateurs), signe de valeur, D: Taktvorzeichnung, Taktvorzeichen, NL: maatsoort, I: segni di tempo.
1877 F: tonalité, D: Tonalität, NL: tonaliteit.
1885 F: ton, D: Ton, NL: toon.
1893 F: tonique, D: Tonika, NL: tonica.
1901 F: transposition, D: Transposition, NL: transpositie.
1903 Shifting a melody up or down in pitch, while keeping the same relative pitches.
1912 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.
1919 F: clé de sol, D: Violinschlüssel, NL: viool sleutel, I: chiave di violino.
1921 Clef setting where the second lowest line is the G above central C.
1928 F: trèmolo, D: Tremolo, NL: tremolo, I: tremolo.
1936 F: trille, tremblement, battement (cadence), D: Triller, NL: triller, I: trillo.
1944 F: temps ternaire, NL: driedelige maatsoort.
1952 F: triolet, D: Triole.
1960 F: triton, D: Tritonus.
1966 @item turn; gruppetto
1968 F: brisè, groupe, doublè, grupetto, D: Doppelschlag, NL: dubbelslag, I: grupetto.
1981 @item underline over/below
1983 F: portamento, D: Portato.
1991 F: unisson, D: Unisono, I: unisono.
1993 Different instruments playing exactly the same melody.
2006 @item unit of measure
2024 F: chiffre supérieur.
2032 F: voix, D: Stimme, NL: stem.
2038 F: temps faible, NL: arsis.
2046 F: ronde, UK: semibreve, D: Ganze Note, NL: hele noot.
2054 F: pause, UK: semibreve rest, D: Ganze Pause.
2062 D: Holzbläser, NL: houtblazers.