a Ring finger of the right hand See p,i,m,a in Left & Right Hand Fingerings
A A grading system to differentiate the quality in wood. A is given for lack of stiffness, inconsistent ring spacing with visible cosmetic flaws. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
À (French) by, for, in, to, with, in the manner of
A (Italian) by, for, in, to, with, in the manner of
A String The fifth string of the guitar. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Ab (German) off
A balata (Italian) in the style of a ballad
Abandonatamente (Italian) vehemently, violently
Abandonné (French) negligent, free-and-easy
Abbandono (Italian) negligent, free-and-easy, impassioned
Abanico (Spanish) a stylized roll played by the timbalero usually to signify a change in the music; a word used to describe the timbales figure (roll and accent) played to introduce or close sections and to setup various ensemble passages
A battuta (Italian) with the beat, in strict time
Abbassare (Italian) to lower, to tune a string down
Abbellimenti (Italian) embellishments, ornaments
Abbellimento (Italian) embellishment, ornament
Abbellire (Italian) to ornament
Abdämpfen (German) to dampen, to mute
Abend (German) evening
Abendlied (German) evening song
Abendmusik (German) originating in the seventeenth-century, evening music usually of a religious or contemplative nature
Aber (German) but
Abgestossen (German) to play notes detached, to play staccato
Ab initio (Latin) from the beginning
Abkurzung (German) abridgement, abbreviation
Ablösen (German) to play notes detached, to play staccato
Abnehmend (German) diminuendo, to soften gradually
Aboriginal music the music of the indigenous people's of Australia
Abruzzese a song or dance from the Abruzzi district of eastern Rome
Absetzen (German) to play notes detached, to play staccato
Absolute music term used for music dependent on its structure alone for comprehension, the antithesis of program music
Absolute pitch perfect pitch, a strong conscious or unconscious memory of musical pitch
Abstossen (German) to play notes detached, to play staccato
Abwechseln (German) to change one's instrument; changing parts in polyphony
Abzuwechseln (German) to change one's instrument; changing parts in polyphony
A cappella (Italian) music that is vocal or choral but without instrumental accompaniment
A capriccio (Italian) capriciously; as the player wishes
Accarezzevole (Italian) caressing
Accarezzevolmente (Italian) caressingly
Accel. (Italian) accelerating, getting steadily faster
Accelerando (Italian) accelerating, getting steadily faster
Accelerato (Italian) accelerated
Accent a stress or emphasis placed upon a note or a passage indicating an elevated importance See Accents in Elements of a Musical Score See Accents in Note Symbols See Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar
Accent Fallend a note ornament see Accent Fallend in Note Ornamentation
Accent Steigend a note ornament see Accent Steigend in Note Ornamentation
Accent und Mordant a note ornament see Accent und Mordant in Note Ornamentation
Accent und Trillo a note ornament see Accent und Trillo in Note Ornamentation
Accentato (Italian) accented
Accento (Italian) accent
Accentué (French) accented
Accentuare (Italian) to mark with an accent; accessory notes, for example: the upper note in a trill, or the notes above and below the written note in a turn
Acciaccato (Italian) a spread chord, played from top to bottom; brusquely, forcibly
Acciaccatura (Italian) Grace note; crushed note, written with a diagonal line through the note hook or flag
Accidental sign for raising, lowering the pitch of a note or of canceling a previously applied sign, the sharp and flat signs in a key signature are not strictly accidentals although this term is commonly used to describe them
Accidental chord chord containing one or more notes foreign to its proper harmony
Accompagnato (Italian) accompanied, accompanying; where the accompanist must follow the singer allowing the singer to vary the tempo as he or she wishes
Accompaniment support provided by harmonically or melodically to the main theme in a piece of music, which although designed to be subordinate may, on occasions, dominate, for example, when the melody line is not playing
Accompany to perform with another but in a subordinate role
Accord (French) chord, tuning
Accordare (Italian) to tune
Accordata (Italian) tuned
Accordate (Italian) tuned
Accordati (Italian) tuned
Accordato (Italian) tuned
Accordatura (Italian) tuning
Accordé (French) tuned
Accorder (French) to tune
Accordo (Italian) chord
Accrescendo (Italian) getting louder
Accusé (French) emphasized
Acht (German) eight, care
Achtel (German) a note one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Achtelnote (German) a note one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Achtelpause (German) a rest one eighth the time value of a whole rest
Achtstimmung (German) in eight parts
Acid rock a genre of American rock, often associated with psychedelic drugs, that emerged in the late 1960's
Acoustic a term used to distinguish a non-electric instrument from its electric version
Acrylic Lacquer Originally used on cars, it is a guitar finish similar to nitrocellulose lacquer, but dries quicker and harder, but with age, does not producing the vintage look. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Action Notation a musical notation which gives mechanical directions to a musical performer but without giving any indication of the resulting sound
Adagietto (Italian) slow
Adagio (Italian) slow
Adagissimo (Italian) slow
Additive meter patterns of beats that subdivide into smaller, irregular groups, for example, 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 10; a meter common in certain types of Eastern European music
Additive time signature patterns of beats that subdivide into smaller, irregular groups, for example, 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 10; a meter common in certain types of Eastern European music
Addolcendo (Italian) becoming sweet or soft
Addolorato (Italian) in a mournful manner
Adel (German) nobility
À demi-jeu (French) with half the power or strength
À demi-voix (French) with half the power of the voice
À deux (French) for two performers or two instruments
À deux cordes (French) playing on two strings
Adirato (Italian) angered, irate
Ad lib. (Latin) at pleasure, as you wish it
Ad libitum (Latin) at pleasure, as you wish it
A due (Italian) for two performers or two instruments
A due corde (Italian) playing on two strings
Adungu a seven to ten stringed harp of the Alur people from Uganda
Advent Christian religious observance which takes place in the four weeks immediately preceding Christmas
Aehnlich (German) anxious
Aeolian Harp a box across which lie strings of various thicknesses, stretched and tuned in unison, which when placed in a window and the strings are excited by the wind, emits chords of harmonics
Aeusserst (German) extremely
Affabile (Italian) in a gentle pleasant manner; in an affable manner
Affabilissant (French) diminuendo, a steady softening
Affannato (Italian) in a distressful or anxious manner
Affannosamente (Italian) distressingly or anxiously
Affannoso (Italian) distressed or anxious
Affection a persistent emotional state of mind, such as wonder, fear, joy, rage
Affections, doctrine of a theory that arose during the Baroque period that associated certain musical methods and figures to arouse or portray particular emotions, for example, faster notes and major sonorities with happiness, minor keys and slower movement with sadness, loudness and harsh discordant harmonies with anger
Affekt (German) fervor
Affektvoll (German) full of fervor
Affetto (Italian) affection
Affettuosa (Italian) tenderly
Affettuosamente (Italian) affectionately
Affettuoso (Italian) with tenderness
Affezione (Italian) affection
Afflitto (Italian) afflicted, sad, melancholy
Afflizione (Italian) affliction
Affrettare (Italian) to hurry
Affrettando (Italian) hurrying, in a quickening tempo
Affrettato (Italian) hurried
Affrettoso (Italian) hurried
Affrettuoso (Italian) hurried
Affrettatamente (Italian) in a hurrying manner
African Blackwood A very responsive, excellent tone wood. It is very fine grained, and stable when dry. Because of its rarity, African Blackwood is expensive. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
African Mahogany A Mahogany a little heavier and finer textured than Honduran Mahogany. Mahogany is fine for guitars due to its relative low cost, ease of working, and stability. Colors range from light pink to medium brown to reddish brown. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
African Padauk An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Afro a rhythmic style combining adaptations of sacred Batá drum rhythms popularized in Cuba in the 1940s, and often used to interpret lullabies
Afrobeat the fusion of West African and black American music
Afroxê a rhythm from Bahia, Brazil used in street parades
Afterbeat an accent placed on any beat in a measure other than the first
Afzelia Burl An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Afzelia Xy-Lay An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Agevole (Italian) lightly and easily, unlabored
Agevolezza (Italian) ease
Aggiustamente (Italian) rhythmically exact
Aggiustatamente (Italian) rhythmically exact
Aggradevole (Italian) agreeable
Agiatamente (Italian) free or comfortable tempo
Agilement (French) lively
Agilmente (Italian) in an agile and nimble fashion
Agilità (Italian) in an agile and nimble fashion
Agilité (French) in an agile and nimble fashion
Agitamento (Italian) agitation
Agitanado (Spanish) the gypsy feeling of a Spanish dance
Agiatatamente (Italian) agitatedly
Agitato (Italian) agitated, agitatedly, excited, fast, hurried, restless
Agitazione (Italian) agitation
Agité (French) agitated, agitatedly
Agitiert (German) agitatedly
Agitirt (German) agitated
Agogic the slight variations of rhythmic strength, tempo, accent and volume derived from the nature of a particular musical phrase in contrast to the regular pulse set by the time signature, for example, by accentuating a note by holding it for longer, rather than by playing it more forcefully
Agrément (French) ornament, grace note
Agréments (French) ornaments, grace notes
Agreste (French) rural
Aguado, Dionisio (1784-1849) See Classical Guitarists and Composers
Aguinaldo Christmas songs from Spain and Spanish America
Agustin Barrios Mangore (1885-1944) See Classical Guitarists and Composers
Ähnlich (German) similar, like
Ai (Italian) at the, to the
Aigu (French) shrill, high pitch
Aiguë (French) shrill, high pitch
Air tune, tuneful song, art song accompanied by the lute or viola da gamba
Air de cour (French) monodic song or chanson often with a simple lute accompaniment
Aise (French) ease
Aita a stringed instrument from the Baka forest people of southeast Cameroon
Ait atta a Moroccan harvest dance performed by men and women
Ait bodar a Moroccan warrior dance performed only by men. They link arms as if welded to each other and chant their song during a continuous backwards and forward movement
Ait bugemaz a Moroccan dance
Ajaeng Korean seven-string zither
Ajouter (French) to add
Ajsino oro Albanian dance for men and women, in separate circles
Akkord (German) chord
Akkordieren (German) to tune
Al (Italian) at the, to the, in the
À l' (French) to the, at the, on the, with the, in the manner of
À la (French) to the, at the, on the, with the, in the manner of
Alabanzas religious praise songs in Spain and Spanish America
Á la corde (French) playing legato
Alalás (Spanish) traditional Galician folk-song
Alba troubadour or trouvère song about a lover's morning departure from his beloved after an illicit tryst
Alberti Bass a simple accompaniment consisting of broken chords, usually 'tonic, dominant, mediant, dominant' in succession
Alborada (Spanish) morning music, particular of a rough pastoral form
Alboreá (Spanish) gypsy wedding song; a flamenco style
Albumblatt (German) a page or leaf from a book, or a short, easy piece
Alcatraza Flirtatious and erotic dance from Peru. It's a couple's dance. Traditionally, the woman has a piece of tissue between her legs while the man dances with a lit candle trying to light the tissue. If the man can light the woman's fire, that means that she is his
Alcun' (Italian) some
Alcuna (Italian) some
Alcuno (Italian) some
Aleatoric (Latin) a compositional technique where the choice of pitch, rhythmic value and order of events is left to chance
Aleatory (Latin) a compositional technique where the choice of pitch, rhythmic value and order of events is left to chance
Alegrías a joyful flamenco dance, with twelve beats, from the province of Cádiz
Al fine (Italian) to the end
All' (Italian) to the, at the, on the, with the, in the manner of, in the style of
Alla (Italian) to the, at the, on the, with the, in the manner of, in the style of
Alla breve cut time; used for quick duple time in which the half note is given one beat instead of two
Alla caccia (Italian) in the style of a hunting piece
Allant (French) going on, continuing to get
Allarg. (Italian) getting slower and slower, with a fuller tone
Allargando (Italian) getting slower and slower, with a fuller tone
Alla turca (Italian) in the Turkish style
Alla zingarese (Italian) in a gypsy style
Alle (German) all
Alle (Italian) to the
Allegramente (Italian) brightly, gaily
Allègrement (French) brightly, gaily
Allegretto (Italian) lively but less so than allegro
Allegrissimo (Italian) very fast tempo marking between presto and vivacissimo
Allegro (Italian) quick, lively, bright, not as fast as presto
Allegro assai (Italian) very quick
Allegro giusto (Italian) quick with precision
Allegro Maestoso (Italian) quick with precision and dignified
Allegro moderato (Italian) moderately quick
Allegro non troppo (Italian) fast, but not too fast
Allein (German) alone, single
Alleluia a highly melismatic responsoral chant from the mass; the third element in the Proper of the Roman Catholic Mass
Allemand (French) a dance of German origin with 4 moderate beats to the bar, although sometimes written as two longer beats in a bar, often the first movement in a suite of dances; in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century, a quick dance written in triple time, the precursor of the waltz
Allemande (French) a dance of German origin with 4 moderate beats to the bar, although sometimes written as two longer beats in a bar, often the first movement in a suite of dances; in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century, a quick dance written in triple time, the precursor of the waltz
Allentamento (Italian) slowing
Allentando (Italian) slowing down
Allmählich (German) gradually, little by little
Allmählig (German) gradually, little by little
Allmälig (German) gradually, little by little
Allonger (French) to lengthen the notes, to slow the tempo
Allora (Italian) then
Allure (French) manner
Almain (French) a dance of German origin with 4 moderate beats to the bar, although sometimes written as two longer beats in a bar, often the first movement in a suite of dances; in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century, a quick dance written in triple time, the precursor of the waltz
Almayne (French) a dance of German origin with 4 moderate beats to the bar, although sometimes written as two longer beats in a bar, often the first movement in a suite of dances; in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century, a quick dance written in triple time, the precursor of the waltz
Almand (French) a dance of German origin with 4 moderate beats to the bar, although sometimes written as two longer beats in a bar, often the first movement in a suite of dances; in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century, a quick dance written in triple time, the precursor of the waltz
Als (German) as, like, when, than
Al segno (Italian) go back to the sign or go on to the sign
Also (German) thus
Alt (Italian) high
Alta (Italian) high
Al Tedesca in the German style
Alteration the raising or lowering of a note by means of an accidental- a double sharp, sharp, double flat, flat or natural sign
Altered chord a chord in which a note has been changed from its normal position, usually chromatically
Alternative fingering substitute fingering, often used to provide tonal contrast; also used to make the playing of passage work easier
Alternativo (Italian) alternating one movement with another
Altissimo (Italian) very high
Alto Clef See clef in Staff, Barline, & Clef
Altra (Italian) another
Altra volta (Italian) encore, play it again
Altre (Italian) another
Altri (Italian) others
Altro (Italian) another
Alzata (Italian) raised, lifted off, unmated
Alzate (Italian) raised, lifted off, unmated
Alzati (Italian) raised, lifted off, unmated
Alzato (Italian) raised, lifted off, unmated
Am (German) at the, on the, to the, by the, near the
Amabile (Italian) lovable, sweet
Amabilità (Italian) lovableness
Amarevole (Italian) bitterly
Amarezza (Italian) bitterness
Amazigh music performed by the Berbers of Northwestern Africa
Amazon Rosewood A straight grained wood, compares tonally to Brazilian Rosewood though a little heavier and brittle. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Ambiance sounds in the background arising from the environment
Ambience sounds in the background arising from the environment
Ambient noise sounds in the background arising from the environment
Amboyna Burl A alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Ambrosian chant purely diatonic series of sacred melodies or chants collected and introduced into the Catholic Church by St. Ambrose (c. 339-397)
Âme (French) the sound post of a stringed instrument, the soul
Amen (Hebrew) so be it
Amen Cadence A chord progression where the subdominant chord is followed by the tonic chord- In the tonality of C major, an plagal cadence would be the subdominant f major chord (F A C) moving to the tonic C major chord (C E G). see Musical Cadences
American Cherry Tonally American Cherry is compared to other medium-density woods like Walnut and Maple, though some compare it with Mahogany. It has an open quality with nice separation and clear trebles and good presence in the mid-range. It varies from orange to reddish tan in color with a light, open figure that adds depth under finish. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Ametric without a time signature or meter as in Gregorian chant
Anima (Italian) the sound post of a stringed instrument, the soul
Amore (Italian) love, tenderness, affection
Amorevole (Italian) loving
Amorevolmente (Italian) lovingly
Amorosamente (Italian) lovingly
Amoroso (Italian) loving
Amour (French) love
Amplitude the amount of a signal
An (German) on, by, to, at phrase
Anacruses up-beats or pickup notes, unstressed syllables at the beginning of a phrase
Anacrusis up-beat or pickup note, unstressed syllable at the beginning of a
Anacrustic a phrase that starts and ends in the middle of a bar
Añada a Spanish lullaby
Analysis the study of the form and structure of music
Anapest musical foot comprising two short notes or syllables, followed by one long
Ancient minor scale the natural minor scale
Ancora (Italian) still, yet
Ancora meno mosso (Italian) still more slowly
Andacht (German) devotion
Andächtig (German) devotional
Andalouse (French) various dances of Spanish origin
Andaluz (Spanish) various dances of Spanish origin
Andaluza (Spanish) various dances of Spanish origin
Andamento (Italian) going, of a running character
Andante (Italian) moving along, flowing, at a walking pace
Andante grazioso (Italian) graceful moving along, at a walking pace
Andante sostenuto (Italian) sustained and moving along
Andantino (Italian) andante
Andare (Italian) go on
Andauernd (German) lasting, continuing
Ander (German) other
Andere (German) other
An dro Breton circle dance
Anfang (German) beginning
Anfangs (German) at the beginning
Angemessen (German) suitable to
Angenehm (German) agreeable
Anglais (French) English; an English country dance, sometimes part of the suite, in quick duple time, always starting on a strong beat
Anglaise (French) English; an English country dance, sometimes part of the suite, in quick duple time, always starting on a strong beat
Angore (Italian) pain, anxious wish
Angoscia (Italian) anguish
Angosciosamente (Italian) with anguished feeling
Angoscioso (Italian) with anguished feeling
Angriefen (German) to seize, to attack
Angst (German) anguish, anxiety
Ängstlich (German) anxious, uneasy
Anhalten (German) to hold on
Anhang (German) a supplement, coda
A niente to nothing, for example, to pppp
Animando (Italian) animating
Animandosi (Italian) become animated
Animato (Italian) animated
Animé (French) animated
Animo (Italian) spirit
Animosamente (Italian) spirited
Animoso (Italian) spirit
Anlaufen (German) to swell or grow in volume
Anmut (German) grace
Anmuth (German) grace
Anmutig (German) graceful
Annular Rings (Growth Rings) can be seen in a horizontal cross section cut through the trunk of a tree. Visible rings result from the change in growth speed through the seasons of the year, thus one ring usually marks the passage of one year in the life of the tree.
Anon. unknown, particular unknown composer
Anonymous unknown, particular unknown composer
Anreissen (German) very strong pizzicato
Anschlag (German) touch, attack, appoggiatura before a principal note
Anschmiegend (German) compliant, yielding
Anschwellend (German) crescendo, gradually getting louder
Ansia (Italian) anxiety
Anstatt (German) instead of
Anstimmen (German) to tune
Answer a musical phrase that responds to another
Antecedent the subject of a fugue or canon; the first phrase of a musical period; the first of a pair of musical statements, termed antecedent and consequent, that complement each another in rhythmic symmetry and harmonic balance
Anthem national patriotic song
Antica (Italian) ancient, antique
Antiche (Italian) ancient, antique
Antichi (Italian) ancient, antique
Anticipated Barre Anticipated or Expected Barre See Anticipated or Expected Barre in Barre
Anticipation a note played before a chord with which it is a concord, where it is discordant with the preceding chord
Antico (Italian) ancient, antique
Antiphonal a musical form where one section of performers answers another
Antithesis in a fugue, the answer
Anwachsend (German) swelling in tone
Apaisé (French) more peacefully
À peine (French) hardly, barely
Aperto (Italian) clear, distinct, broad style
A piacere (Italian) as you want, as you wish, ad lib
A poco (Italian) by degrees, gradually
A poco a poco (Italian) little by little
Apotheosis a person or an ideal that has been glorified or deified
Appassionata (Italian) impassioned
Appassionato (Italian) impassioned
Appassionatamente (Italian) passionately
Appassionamento (Italian) passion
Appena (Italian) hardly, barely
Appenato (Italian) as if distressed
Apple An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Appoggiando (Italian) portamento, legato, playing smoothly, stressed, drawn out, leaning on
Appoggiato (Italian) portamento, legato, playing smoothly, stressed, drawn out, leaning on
Appoggiatura (Italian) a note preparatory to another or to a chord acting as an unprepared suspension See appoggiatura in Note Symbols
Appuyé (French) emphasized
Appuyée (French) emphasized
Aprés (French) after
Aquarelle (French) delicately textured
Arabesk popular Turkish music of Arabic rather than Turkish origin
Aragonaise (French) a dance associated with Aragon in Spain
Aragonesa (Spanish) a dance associated with Aragon in Spain
Archet (French) bow, string as in a single stringed instrument; used to mark a section to
Arco (Italian) be played with the bow rather than plucked with the finger
Arch a term applied to describe a melodic line that first rises before falling to a cadence
Architectural acoustics a term used to describe how the flow of sound is influenced by a building's structure; the study and design of acoustically balanced halls
Archlute a large lute popular both in Italy and England during the Renaissance with an elongated neck, fitted with two peg boxes, one to accommodate unstopped strings necessary to produce bass notes, the other to take the remainder of the 13 or 14 single or double courses of strings
Arco (Italian) play a stringed instrument with a bow as opposed to plucked or pizzicato; the bow of a stringed instrument
Ardemment (French) ardently
Ardente (Italian) ardent, with fire, vehemently
Arditamente (Italian) boldly
Ardito (Italian) bold
Ardore (Italian) with warmth
Areato (Italian) played with the bow
Argomento (Italian) argument
Aria music written for a solo voice with accompaniment, forming part of a larger work
Arietta (Italian) a short simple aria
Ariñ ariñ ancient circle dance from Bilbao, in Spain’s Basque Country
Armonia (Italian) harmony
Armonica (Italian) harmony
Armonici (Italian) Play using Harmonics
Armonici loco (Italian) read the notes as written using Harmonics
Armoniosamente (Italian) harmoniously
Armonioso (Italian) harmonious
Arpa (Italian) harp
Arpège (French) (Italian) a spread chord played from the top down or from the bottom up
Arpeggi (Italian) (Italian) a spread chords played from the top down or from the bottom up
Arpeggio (Italian) (Italian) a spread chord played from the top down or from the bottom up
Arpeggiando arpeggiate successive chords
Arpeggiate (Italian) (Italian) a spread chord played from the top down or from the bottom up
Arpeggiato (Italian) to arpeggiate successive chords
Arpeggiare arpeggiate successive chords
Arpeggio (Italian) played in a "harp-like manner". A spread chord played from the bottom up or from the top down (with a downward pointing arrow). See arpeggio in Note Symbols
arr. abbreviated form of arranged
Arraché (French) strong pizzicato, strongly plucked
Arrange to set a work originally written for one instrument (or set of instruments) for another instrument or set of instruments
Arrangement a work that has been arranged
Arrolo a Spanish lullaby
Arrorro a Spanish lullaby
Articolato (Italian) well articulated
Articolazione (Italian) articulation
Articulé (French) well articulated
Artikuliert (German) well articulated
Artig (German) well behaved, agreeable
Articulate slight separations made between notes
Articulation staccato, legato, tenuto,…..
Artificial harmonics high notes produced on a stringed instrument where the strings is stopped lightly halfway along its sounding length
Art song designed to stand alone and written for the concert hall, rather than a traditional or folk song
Ascending a term applied in music to describe a rising melodic line, that is one rising in pitch
Asian Striped Ebony A alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Asian Striped Padauk An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Aspiratamente (Italian) aspiring
Aspra (Italian) rough, harsh
Aspro (Italian) rough, harsh
Assai (Italian) very, extremely
Assai piu (Italian) much more
Assez (French) enough, fairly
Assieme (Italian) together
A suo benplacimento (Italian) as you please, at will, ad lib
A suo beneplacito (Italian) as you please, at will, ad lib
Asymmetrical meter usually, time signatures with 5 or 7 as the top number
Asymmetrical time signature usually, time signatures with 5 or 7 as the top number
A tempause (German) a small pause on a weak beat used to strengthen the following strong beat
A tempo (Italian) the original speed; a direction to return to the original speed after a deliberate change of tempo
Atonal music that avoids a key centre but is not constructed on serial principles
Atonality music that avoids a key centre but is not constructed on serial principles
Ator-ator Christmas songs in the Spanish Basque Country
Attacca (Italian) at once, attack, immediately; used at the end of a section, the term means go on immediately to the next section without a pause
Attacco short motif used in imitation or as a fugal subject
Attack the beginning or manner of beginning a piece, a passage, or a musical note
Attaque (French) attack
Au (French) to the, at the
Aubade early morning music, music for dawn
Auch (German) also, but
Audace (French) audacity
Audace (Italian) audacious
Au dessous (French) beneath, less than
Audible range the range of frequencies that the human ear can hear
Audition the try-out that a musician must go through before he or she is accepted into an ensemble; also the try-outs for a solo role or performance
Auf (German) on
Aufführen (German) to perform
Aufführung (German) performance
Aufführungsrecht (German) performing right
Aufgeregt (German) excited
Aufgeweckt (German) lively
Aufhalten (German) to retard
Auflage (German) edition
Auflösen (German) to resolve a discord, to reset the tuning of a string that has been tuned sharp, to loosen, to release
Auflösung (German) natural sign
Auflösungszeichen (German) natural sign
Aufschlag (German) up-beat
Aufschnitt (German) an omitted portion, a cut
Aufschwung (German) uplifted
Aufstrich (German) up-stroke
Auftakt (German) up-beat
Aufzug (German) act of an opera of play
Augmentation the lengthening of note values when recapitulating a fugal theme adding to it's dignity and weight; to increase a perfect or major interval by one half-step; to add to the standard forces in an orchestra, choir or band
Augmented the lengthening of note values when recapitulating a fugal theme adding to it's dignity and weight; to increase a perfect or major interval by one half-step; to add to the standard forces in an orchestra, choir or band
Augmented chord a chord that has an augmented interval between its highest and lowest notes
Augmented sixth chord a chord which contains an augmented sixth above the bass, in addition to various other tones
Aurresku Basque folk dance
Aus (German) out of, from
Ausdruck (German) expression
Ausdrucksvoll (German) expressively
Ausfüllgeiger (German) a ripieno violinist who fills out the tone of the string line
Ausgabe (German) edition
Ausgehalten (German) sustained, held on
Aushalten (German) to sustain, to hold on
Ausschlagen (German) to beat time
Ausser (German) in addition to, out of, outer
Äusserst (German) extremely
Aussi (French) also, as, therefore
Auszug (German) extract, arrangement
Authenticity a term originally used to describe an approach to the performance and understanding of music that relied on evidence from the past, especially that contemporaneous to the work's creation or to its earliest performance, about how it might have originally sounded and particularly in the matter of style
Authentic Cadence A chord progression where the dominant chord is followed by the tonic chord- In the tonality of C major, an authentic cadence would be the dominant G major chord (G B D) moving to the tonic C major chord (C E G). In a perfect authentic cadence, the dominant chord in root position is followed by the tonic in root position, and according to some, the cadence is not perfect unless the uppermost voice is the tonic in the final chord. see Musical Cadences
Authentic mode a melody is written in an authentic mode when all, or almost all the notes lie above the final
Autoharp a type of zither played with fingers or a plectrum, with keys to produce chords
Autre (French) other
Autres (French) others
Auxiliary Note a variety of passing note that returns back to the note immediately before it
Avant (French) before
Avante (Italian) forward
Avant-garde (French) an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
Avanti (Italian) preceding
Avaz Iranian modal system, made up of twelve modes, divided into seven principal modes and five secondary modes
Avec (French) with
Ave Maria a prayer, in Latin, to The Virgin Mary; used in Roman Catholic liturgy; set to music by a number of composers
Awalim female Egyptian performers who danced, sung, played musical instruments and recited poetry
Ayre tune, tuneful song, art song accompanied by the lute or viola da gamba
Azione (Italian) action, drama
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