A
a capella: solo or group singing without accompaniment
accelerando: An increase in tempo
accent: Stress on a beat, to make it stand out from others in the measure or phrase
accompaniment: Music that is played along with the main theme or voice
adagio: Slowly
allegro: Lively
alto: Normally the lowest female voice, also sometimes sung by high tenors or young boys
andante: Moderately slow
arpeggio: The notes of a chord played in succession, rather than together
atonal: Having no specific key

B

bar: A section of music with one strong beat and one or more lesser beats
baritone: A low male singing voice, between tenor and bass
bass: The lowest male singing voice, or the lowest range of a type of instrument
beat: The pulse of music, marking its rhythmic pattern
brass: A type of wind instrument, consisting of a metal tube, with tone regulated by the position of the musician's mouth

C

cadence: A musical phrase or group of tones punctuating the end of a phrase or composition of music
chord: Three tones sounded together
chromatic: Having to do with sharps and flats
clef: The symbol at the beginning of a line of written music to signify the range of notes indicated
contralto: The terms contralto and alto refer to a similar musical pitch, but among singers, the term contralto is reserved for female singers; the equivalent male form is counter-tenor.
crescendo: A gradual increase in volume

D

diminuendo: A gradual decrease in volume
dynamics: The markings in written music that indicate the volume to be used

F

flat: A lowering of the tone by a half-step
forte: Loud

G

glissando: A musical effect involving a slide from one note to another

H

harmony: Two or more tones sounding together in a pleasant manner

I

improvisation: Music that does not follow a written score
instrumentation: The writing of music for instruments, or a musical composition
intonation: Exactness of pitch or lack of it

K

key: The home note of a composition; the first note of the predominant scale used
key signature: The sharps or flats at the beginning of a line of music

L

largo: Slow and stately
legato: Smooth
lento: Slow

M

measure: A bar of music

N

notation: Written music
note: A single sound or its representation

O

octave: a series of eight notes occupying the interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other.

P

percussion: A class of instruments that are played by striking a surface with the hand, a stick, or a mallet
phrase: A segment of music comprising a complete musical thought
piano: Softly
pitch: The frequency of vibration of a note; the ability to distinguish between one note and another
presto: Fast

R

register: a particular part of the range of a voice or instrument.
rest: A pause in written music
rhythm: The arrangement of notes by duration and accent
ritardando: A gradual slowing of the music

S

scale: A series of tones arranged in a specific graduated order
score: Written music that shows all parts
sforzando: Forceful, usually accented
sharp: A raising of the tone by a half-step
solo: For one player (musician), or to be played alone.
soprano: A high female singing voice
staccato: The playing of notes in a short, detached manner
staff: A set of five lines used to indicate notes in a written form
string: A class of instrument played by the vibration of a string or series of strings set to particular tensions

T

tempo: The speed of a composition of music
tenor: Normally the highest male singing voice
theme: A short yet complete musical passage
tone: A musical sound, or the quality of the musical sound
tonic: A pitch that is the first degree of a major or minor scale and the tonal center of a piece composed in a particular key
treble: The highest voice or part of a composition
trill: A musical effect involving the alternating sounds of a note and the note above it

U

upbeat: The preparatory sign given prior to the first beat in a bar
unison: One or more voices or instruments sounding together as one

V

vibrato: A musical effect involving vibration, used by instrument or voice
voice: A particular musical line; refers to instrumentation as well as vocal

W

woodwind: A class of instruments that requires blowing into or across a wooden tube, with tone changed by placement of the fingers over air holes

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