O (Italian) or
Oben (German) above
Ober (German) above, higher
Oberek a Polish dance
Obertas a quick, wild, triple time, round dance from Poland
Obertass a quick, wild, triple time, round dance from Poland
Oblique motion a term used in counterpoint to describe when one voice is stationary and a second moves up or down
Occasional piece musical work written for a particular occasion
Octatonic Scale See Musical Scales
Octave displacement a melody with notes played in differing octave registers
Octet (English) a work written for eight players, the group playing such a piece of music
Octette (French) a work written for eight players, the group playing such a piece of music
Octotonic a scale in which the intervals are alternately a half-step and a whole step
Octuor (French) a work written for eight players, the group playing such a piece of music
Octuple croche (French) sixty-fourth note
Od (Italian) or
Ode cantata-like musical setting of lyric poetry
Oder (German) or
Oeuvre (French) work
Off-beat a pulse that accentuates any part of the measure other than the first beat
Öffen (German) open
Öffnen (German) to open
Ogni (Italian) all, every
Ohne (German) without
Oil Finish Most oil finishes available are either a linseed oil or a tung oil. These oil finishes are actually varnishes and have an appealing natural luster. They are easy to use and produce a hard, thin and flexible finish, although not as protective and durable as a lacquer finish. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Oil Varnish Most oil finishes available are either a linseed oil or a tung oil. These oil finishes are actually varnishes and have an appealing natural luster. They are easy to use and produces a hard, thin and flexible finish, although not as protective and durable as a lacquer finish. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Oktett (German) a work written for eight players, the group playing such a piece of music
Ole a Gypsy dance
Olivewood 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
Open String A nonfretted note.
Omutibo Kenyan musical style developed in the 1960s and 70s, based on the sounds of two guitars and a scraped glass soft drink bottle playing the rhythm section
Ondeggioando (Italian) a swaying effect, tremolo, undulating, vibrato
Ondeggiante (Italian) a swaying effect, tremolo, undulating, vibrato
Ondeggiamento (Italian) a swaying effect, tremolo, undulating, vibrato
Ondulè (French) a swaying effect, tremolo, undulating, vibrato
Ongarese (Italian) Hungarian
Op. (Latin) Opus; a number assigned by the composer or publisher to identify the chronology of the composition or publication of a musical work
Open-fifth chord a triad without a third
Open form a work in which the performer decides which order to play the material, where to start and where to stop
Open string A non-fretted note.
Oper (German) opera
Opera (Italian) an abbreviation of opera in musica; a drama sung to the accompaniment of instruments, which may involve one or more singers
Operetta (Italian) a short opera
Opérette (French) a short opera
Opus (Latin) a number assigned by the composer or publisher to identify the chronology of the composition or publication of a musical work
Oral tradition music that is passed from person to person by imitation and example rather than by written notations
Orageuse (French) stormy
Orageux (French) stormy
Orchestra an ensemble of players of musical instruments arranged in sections - the strings, the woodwind and brass and the percussion, plus occasionally a harp or, for some twentieth century repertoire, a piano
Orchestra pit an area in front of, and sometimes slightly beneath the stage in an opera house from where the orchestral musicians play
Orchestration art of arranging a musical work for performance by an orchestra
Ordinaire (French) ordinary, normal
Ordinario (Italian) ordinary, normal
Orecchio assoluto (Italian) perfect pitch
Oregon Myrtle A wood also known as California or Bay Laurel (or Pepperwood). It ranges in color from blond-yellow to taupe and makes very nice guitars and offers a bright sound, similar to Maple. It is a good alternative for Flamenco guitars. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Organology science of musical instruments including their classification and development throughout history and cultures as well as the technical study of how they produce sound
Organ point a low, sustained tone that remains steady in the bass of a composition while other voices move about above it
Ornamentation additional elaboration added to a written melody see note ornaments in Note Ornamentation
Ornaments additional elaboration added to a written melody see note ornaments in Note Ornamentation
Oscillator an electronic sound source
Osservanza (Italian) observation
Ossia (Italian) an alternative to the original passage
Ostinato (Italian) persistent
Ottava (Italian) octave
Ottava alta (Italian) octave higher higher
Ottava basso (Italian) octave lower
Ottava sopra (Italian) octave
Ottava sotto (Italian) octave lower
Ottetto (Italian) a work written for eight players, the group playing such a piece of music
Otto (Italian) eight
Où (French) or, where
Ottu a south Indian drone instrument
Oud (Arabic) a short necked, fretless Middle Eastern and North African lute
Oúti Middle Eastern lute
Outside associated with free jazz and a style of playing in which the performer improvised freely, breaking away from strict adherence to the traditional approach
Ouvert (French) open
Ouverture (French) overture
Ouvrir (French) to open
Ovangkol A wood from West Africa, its affordability, beauty and tonality is making it a favorite with a growing number of makers. Its figure is similar to Indian Rosewood, with dark grey straight lines over a golden-brown or olive-brown background. It comes from the same family as Bubinga and has a similar interlocking grain pattern. Tonally it is said to be between the robustness of Rosewood and the sparkly high-end of Maple. See Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Overdubbing recording technique that facilitates the combination of separately recorded performances
Overtone any note from the harmonic series except the fundamental
Overture a piece that acts as an introduction to an oratorio, opera, play or ballet; a concerted work similar to a suite, having a number of movements
Ovvero (Italian) or
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