Saccadé (French) sharply accented
Sacred music music designed to be played in church inspired by or as part of services including religious texts
Saddle Typically made of bone ivory or plastic, the saddle transfers the vibrating energy of the string to the top of the guitar. The bridge saddle is not glued to the bridge, but rather held in place by the tension of the strings. The height of the saddle is determined by the guitar's angle of the neck, therefore it is not measured upon itself but rather measured for an optimal string height at the twelfth fret. Traditionally the bass strings are higher than the trebles, but crossover players are setting their heights more equal. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Saddle Height The height of the string at the twelfth fret measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string as adjusted at the bridge saddle. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Saeta an unaccompanied Spanish folk song
Saite (German) the string of a musical instrument
Saltando (Italian) spiccato
Saltato (Italian) spiccato
Samba a dance and type of music from Brazil of African slave origin. in double time and highly syncopated
Samisen a Japanese 3-stringed instrument played with a plectrum
Sammlung (German) collection
Sampler a device used in electronic music enables the production of sounds digitally
Sampling technique of recording using a sampler for subsequent processing, editing and playback
Sämtlich (German) complete, collected
Sanduri (Greek) zither
Sanft (German) soft, gentle
Sanftmütig (German) gently
Sans (French) without
Santoor a hammered dulcimer struck with light wooden mallets, indigenous to Kashmir, but nowadays played throughout Northern India. The number of strings may vary between 24 and more than a 100, although typical instrument have about 80
Sanxian Chinese long-necked lute with 3 strings and a small snake-covered head
Sape a traditional lute of of Central Borneo. with a body carved from a single bole of wood originally strung with two strings and fitted with three frets
Sapeh a traditional lute of of Central Borneo. with a body carved from a single bole of wood originally strung with two strings and fitted with three frets
Saraband a dignified, steady dance usually in triple time
Sarabande a dignified, steady dance usually in triple time
Satinwood Ceylon 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
Sattar a long-necked bowed instrument, with one metal playing string and 10 sympathetic strings from Western China
Satz (German) movement, theme or subject, phrase, composition or piece, texture, style
Saudades (Portuguese) sadness associated with a longing for times past
Sautillé (French) spiccato
Saz family of long thin-necked metallic-sounding fretted lutes played throughout Turkey
Sbaltzato (Italian) play with a sense of impetuosity
Sbalzo (Italian) play with a sense of impetuosity
Scales See Table of Major & Melodic minor Scales See Musical Scales
Scampanata (Italian) unsophisticated music
Scat song nonsense words generally used only in the improvised chorus as part of a song that otherwise has ordinary words
Scemando (Italian) diminishing the volume of tone
Scenario the outline of a work often prepared before either music and libretto has been written
Schalkhaft (German) roguish
Scharf (German) emphatically, definitely, precisely, sharply
Schärfe (German) sharpness, definiteness, precision
Schaurig (German) ghastly, gruesome
Schauerlich (German) ghastly, gruesome
Schelmisch (German) roguish
Scherz (German) fun, joke
Scherzando (Italian) jokingly, playfully
Scherzante (Italian) jokingly, playfully
Scherzare (Italian) to joke
Scherzetto (Italian) a little scherzo
Scherzevole (Italian) jokingly, playfully
Scherzevolmente (Italian) jokingly, playfully
Scherzino (Italian) a little scherzo
Scherzo (Italian)
Scherzo and trio a replacement for the 'minuet and trio' in the sonata cycle
Scherzosamente Italian) playfully
Scherzoso (Italian) playful
Schietto (Italian) sincere, plain
Schlacht (German) battle
Schlag (German) stroke, blow
Schlagen (German) to strike
Schlangenrohr (German) serpent
Schleifer an ornament used to fill in the interval between two notes
Schleppen (German) drag
Schleppend (German) dragging
Schlummerlied (German) slumber song
Schluss (German) end, conclusion
Schlussel (German) clef
Schmachtend (German) languishing
Schmeichelnd (German) coaxingly
Schmelzend (German) dying away
Schmerz (German) pain, sorrow
Schmerzhaft (German) painful, sorrowful
Schmerzlich (German) painful, sorrowful
Schmerzvoll (German) painful, sorrowful
Schneidend (German) defining
Schnell (German) quick
Schneller (German) quicker
Schnelligkeit (German) speed
Schottisch (German) Scottish
Schottische (German) Scottish
Schrittmässig (German) andante
Schrittweise (German) andante
Schüchtern (German) shy
Schütteln (German) to shake
Schwach (German) weak or soft
Schwächen (German) to weaken or to soften
Schwächer weaken or soften
Schwankend (German) swaying
Schwebung (German) the beating between two notes slightly out of tune with one another, difference tone
Schweigen (German) silence, rest
Schweigezeichen (German) silence, rest
Schweigt (German) silence, rest
Schwellen (German) crescendo
Schwer (German) heavy, difficult
Schwermütig (German) heavy-hearted
Schwermutsvoll (German) heavy-hearted
Schwinden (German) diminuendo
Schwung (German) swing
Schwungvoll (German) full of vigour
Scintillante (Italian) sparkling
Scioltamente (Italian) freely, loosely
Sciolto (Italian) freely, loosely
Scivolando (Italian) glissando
Scoop to slide up to pitch from slightly below it
Scordato (Italian) to tune a stringed instrument in a non-standard manner
Scordatura (Italian) to tune a stringed instrument in a non-standard manner
Score a representation on the page of a whole musical work
Scoring orchestration
Scorrendo (Italian) glissando, in a flowing manner
Scorrevole (Italian) glissando, in a flowing manner
Scotch snap a rhythmic figure consisting of a short note on the beat followed by a long note which is then held until the next beat
Scozzese (Italian) Scottish
Scroll carving normally found on the violin and related stringed instruments, at the end of the neck just above the pegbox
Scucito (Italian) disconnected
Sdegnante (Italian) disdaining
Sdegnosamente (Italian) disdainfully
Sdegno (Italian) disdain
Sdegnoso (Italian) disdainful
Sdrucciolando (Italian) glissando
Se (Italian) if, in case, as
Se (Chinese) a Chinese zither
Sean nos (Gaelic) unaccompanied song
Sec (French) dry, crisp; similar to staccato; to play in a plain unornamented way
Sèche (French) dry, crisp; similar to staccato; to play in a plain unornamented way
Sécheresse (French) dryness
Secco (Italian) staccato
Secco recitative accompanied by continuo instrument(s) rather than by an entire orchestra
Sechs (German) six
Sechzehntel (German) a sixteenth note see Note Values
Sechzehntelnote (German) a sixteenth note
Sechzehntelpause (German) a sixteenth rest
Second the smallest non-unison interval
Seconda (Italian) second
Secondary dominant the dominant of the dominant
Seconda volta (Italian) second ending
Seconde (Italian) second
Secondi (Italian) second
Secondo (Italian) second
Secular music compositions that have no connection with religion
Secundal chords chords built of seconds
Seele (German) feeling
Segno (Italian) sign see in Repeats, D.S.,D.C....
Segue (Italian) now follows, go on with what follows
Seguente (Italian) following
Seguendo (Italian) following
Seguidilla old Spanish dance in simple triple time
Sehnsucht (German) longing
Sehr (German) very, much
Sei (Italian) six
Seite (German) side
Seizième de soupir (French) a sixty-fourth rest
Selák Furiant
Semibiscroma (Italian) a sixty-fourth rest see Note Values
Semibreve a whole note see Note Values
Semibreve rest a whole rest see Note Values
Semicroma (Italian) a sixteenth note see Note Values
Semidemisemiquaver sixty-fourth note
Semifusa (Latin) sixteenth note
Semiminima (Italian) quarter note see Note Values
Semiquaver a sixteenth note see Note Values
Semiquaver rest a sixteenth rest
Semitone half the interval of a tone
Semplice (Italian) simple
Semplicità (Italian) simplicity
Semplicemente (Italian) simply
Semplicissimo (Italian) extremely simple
Sempre (Italian) always
Sensibile (Italian) sensitive
Sensibilità (Italian) sensitiveness
Sentence a complete, independent musical idea, usually consisting of two or four phrases, ending with a cadence
Sentimento (Italian) with feeling
Sentir a Moroccan three-stringed long-necked lute with a body made from a single piece of wood, and covered with camel skin
Sentito (Italian) felt
Senza (Italian) without
Senza sordina (Italian) unmated
Senza sordini (Italian) unmated
Senza sordino (Italian) unmated
Separé (French) uncoupled
Sept (French) seven
Septet (English) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Septett (German) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Septette (French) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Septetto (Italian) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Septième (French) seventh
Septulet a group of seven notes played in the time of four or in the time of six
Septuor (French) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Sequencer device or program that records and plays back user-determined sets of music performance commands, usually in the form of MIDI data
Serenade a light and/or intimate piece of no specific form to be played in an open-air evening setting, music properly played in the evening under a lady's window
Serenata a dramatic cantata
Sereno (Italian) serene
Serenità (Italian) serenity
Seria (Italian) serious
Serialism A compositional method where various musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics and tone colour may be put in a fixed order
Serialized rhythm a musical passage or work in which the rhythmic aspects are controlled by some predetermined series of durations
Seriamente (Italian) seriously
Series a succession of musical elements to be used as fundamental material in a composition
Sérieuse (French) serious
Sérieux (French) serious
Serio (Italian) serious
Seriosa (Italian) serious
Seriosamente (Italian) seriously
Serioso (Italian) serious
Serranas a flamenco style
Serrando (Italian) getting faster
Serré (French) getting faster
Serrant (French) getting faster
Serrato (Italian) getting faster
S'escandalari a colorful peasant dance from Ibiza, Spain that celebrates planting and harvesting
Set a collection of pieces played sequentially during a performance
Sette (Italian) seven
Settimino (Italian) a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform
Seufzend (German) sighing
Seul (French) alone
Seule (French) alone
Seules (French) alone
Seuls (French) alone
Seventh a major seventh is a semitone smaller than an octave; a minor seventh is a whole tone smaller than an octave
Seventh chord a chord consisting of a root note, the third above the root, the fifth above the root and the seventh above the root
Severita (Italian) severity, strictness
Severo (Italian) severe
Severamente (Italian) severely
Sevillanas very popular colorful and festive Spanish folk dance from Seville
Sextet (English) a group of six instrumentalists, a piece of music written for such a group to play
Sextett (German) a group of six instrumentalists, a piece of music written for such a group to play
Sextette (French) a group of six instrumentalists, a piece of music written for such a group to play
Sestetto (Italian) a group of six instrumentalists, a piece of music written for such a group to play
Sextuor (French) a group of six instrumentalists, a piece of music written for such a group to play
Sextuple meter a compound meter with six beats to every bar
Sextuple time a compound meter with six beats to every bar
Sextuplet a group of six notes of equal value that have the equivalent time value normally of five or seven
sf. abbreviation for sforzando
Sfogato (Italian) light and easy style
Sfoggiando (Italian) flauntingly, ostentatiously
Sforzando (Italian) strongly accented
Sforzato (Italian) strongly accented
Sgambato (Italian) in a weary style
Shamisen a long necked Japanese 3-string fretless lute, plucked with a heavy ivory plectrum, that first became popular in the pleasure districts during the Edo Period (1600-1868) made from one of a variety of woods such as red sandalwood and the head covered with cat or dog skin. The pegs are traditionally made of ivory while the strings are of twisted silk
Shanty a sea-song which has a chorus, which is sung by all, and verses that are usually sung by only one voice
Shanz Mongolian three stringed banjo played with a plectrum
Shape the direction of a melody; the abstract quality of the motion and figure of a composition, achieved through dynamics, pitch direction and tempo
Sharp a term applied to a note slightly above its expected pitch, a sign to show that a note should be raised one semitone in pitch See sharp sign in Note Symbols
Sharp Key Signatures See Table of Key Signatures
Sharp Sign A sign to show that a note should be raised one semitone in pitch. See sharp sign in Note Symbols
She-Oak 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
Shift the movement of the left hand from one position to another on the fingerboard when playing a stringed instrument
Shudraga Mongolian three stringed banjo played with a plectrum
Shuffle a slow-tempo jazz rhythm
Sich (German) oneself, himself, herself, itself, themselves
Sieben (German) seven
Sieg (German) victory
Sight reading to perform a piece of music never seen before
Signature signs placed on the clef to mark the number and position of the sharps or flats in the key in which the piece is being written, , i.e. key signature, and to indicate the number of beats in a bar, i.e. time signature
Sign see in Repeats, D.S.,D.C....
Signs symbols placed on or near a staff indicating performance specifications for pitch, dynamics, time duration, accidentals, phrasing, manner of attack, timing, tempo, repeats, fingering, ornamentation…..
Silenzio (Italian) silence
Similar motion when parts move in the same direction but not necessarily by the same interval
Simile (Italian) similar
Simili (Italian) similar
Simple interval an interval of an octave or less
Simplement (French) simply, in a simple manner
Sin' al fine prefix to another instruction, implying that whatever is required should be carried out to the end of the work
Sinding West African harp with five strings made out of hemp. The resonating body is a calabash stretched with goat skin. A tin rattle may be attached to the instrument. Plucking the string sets the rattle in motion, adding a percussive element to the hollow sound
Sinfonia concertante a concerto with several soloists
Sinfonica (Italian) symphonic
Sinfonico (Italian) symphonic
Sinfonietta (Italian) a small-scale symphony
Singbar (German) in a singing style
Singend (German) singing
Singhiozzando (Italian) sobbingly
Singsing pop music from the Solomon Islands
Sinistra (Italian) left hand
Sin' (Italian) until
Sino (Italian) until
Sitar a long necked instrument with a varying number of strings), three to four playing strings, three to four drone strings, with the remainder, sympathetic strings, lying under the frets. The playing and drone strings are plucked with a wire finger plectrum. The frets are metal rods which have been bent into crescents while the main resonator is usually made of a gourd and there is sometimes an additional resonator attached to the neck
Siter a floor-standing plucked zither
Sitka Spruce Wood often used for a guitar soundboard that has a high strength-to-weight ratio. It is an ideal soundboard, especially for aggressive playing styles and/or large instrument sizes. Spruce ages well, is harder and possibly more durable than cedar, gives a crisp, more focused sound, and provides excellent treble response. Spruce tops require a longer break-in time than cedar. Light blonde in color. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Six (French) six
Sixian moon-shaped Chinese mandolin with a short-necked and three or four strings
Sixième (French) sixth
Sixteenth note a note one sixteenth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Sixteenth rest a rest one sixteenth the time value of a whole note rest
Sixth example, the interval from C to A
Sixty-fourth note a note one sixty-fourth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Sixty-fourth rest a rest one sixty-fourth the time value of a whole note
Skip any interval larger than a whole tone
Skizze (German) sketch
Skizzen (German) sketches
Slancio (Italian) impetuosity
Slargando (Italian) broader
Slargandosi (Italian) broader
Slargandosi e diminuendo a poco a poco (Italian) broader and softer little by little
Slegato (Italian) non-legato
Slentando (Italian) getting slower
Slide guitar bottleneck guitar
Slur notes move smoothly one to the other with no perceptible break. See slur in Note Symbols
Smania (Italian) craze, frenzy
Smaniato (Italian) craze, frenzy
Smear in jazz, a type of glissando or portamento in which the pitch of a note is shifted about a half step, often with a rather harsh tone
Sminuendo (Italian) diminishing
Sminuito (Italian) diminished
Smith's patent box device fitted over the strings of an English guitar so that they are struck by hammers rather than pluck with the fingers of the hand
Smorfioso (Italian) mincing, affected
Smorz. poco a poco (Italian) little by little gradually dying away
Smorzando (Italian) gradually dying away to a whisper
Snake Wood 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
Snares wire-bound gut strings
Snello (Italian) nimble
Snellamente (Italian) nimbly
So (German) as, so
Soave (Italian) lightly played
Soavemente (Italian) suavely
Soavità (Italian) lightly played
Sob an ornament used in lute playing, where the left hand pressure on the string follows the plucking of the string, to create a sob-like effect on the sound of the note
Sobald (German) so soon as, should
Soca a musical style from Trinidad and Tobago, The bands usually feature a drummer, bass player, guitar and horns
Sociology of music an area of study that examines the effects, now and in the past, that music has upon society and similarly the effect that society has upon music
Soeben (German) just, barely, a moment ago
Sofort (German) immediately
Soggetto (Italian) subject
Sogleich (German) immediately
Sola (Italian) solo
Soldatenzug (German) soldier's procession
Soldatenmarsch (German) soldier's march
Soleares a flamenco singing style in triple time
Solemnis (Latin) solemn
Solennis (Latin) solemn
Soleariya a flamenco soleá with three verses
Solenne (Italian) solemn
Solennemente (Italian) solemnly
Solennel (French) solemn
Solennelle (French) solemn
Solennellement (French) solemnly
Solennità (Italian) solemnity
Soli (Italian) alone
Solito (Italian) usual
Sollecitando (Italian) hastening forward
Sollecito (Italian) eager
Solo a part for one player with or without accompanying instruments
Soloist the player who performs the solo part
Solo part a part for one player with or without accompanying instruments
Soltanto (Italian) solely
Sombre (French) dark, melancholy
Sommesso (Italian) subdued
Somma (Italian) utmost
Sommo (Italian) utmost
Son (French) sound
Sons (French) sounds
Sonabile (Italian) resonant, full toned
Sonare (Italian) to sound, to play, to resonate
Sonata an extended piece in several movements for a number of instrumental soloists, most commonly one, with instrumental accompaniment
Sonata cycle the multi-movement structure found in sonatas
Sonata da chiesa (Italian) usually a trio-sonata with four movements, slow-quick-slow-quick
Sonata-rondo a musical work that combines sonata and rondo forms
Sonate (German) sonata
Sonevole (Italian) sonorous, resonant
Song cycle a group of songs performed in an order establishing a musical continuity related to some underlying theme
Song without words a piece for solo piano
Son montuno with richer rhythm
Sonnerie (French) sounding
Sono (Italian) sound
Sonore (French) sonorous
Sonoramente (Italian) sonorously
Sonorità (Italian) sonority
Sonorité (French) sonority
Sonoro (Italian) sonorous
Sons etouffes (French) damped sound
Sopra (Italian) on, above
Soprano Clef See clef in Staff, Barline, & Clef
Sordamente (Italian) softly, gently
Sordina (Italian) mute
Sordino (Italian) mute
Sor, Fernando (1778-1839) See Classical Guitarists and Composers
Sorgfalt (German) care
Sortie (French) exit, departure
Sostenendo (Italian) sustaining
Sostenente (Italian) sustained
Sostenido (Spanish) sharp sign
Sostenuto (Italian) sustained
Sotto voce (Italian) in lowered tones, softly
Soudainement (French) suddenly
Sound board a wooden board in a stringed instrument that enhances its resonance
Sound box hollow box shaped resonator, one face of which is the soundboard, that enhances its volume and tone of a stringed instrument
Sound check a thorough test of the sound system before a performance
Sound Hole A hole in the soundboard of a stringed instrument that enhances its volume and tone. A vibrating guitar top creates sound. The air displacement, through the Sound Hole, is what amplifies the sound. Making the hole too small reduces the displacement and lowers volume. A too large of a hole reduces velocity and in turn also loses volume. The ideal size of Sound Hole can vary with the size of the sound chamber. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Soundboard Resonator consisting of a thin board whose vibrations reinforce the sound of the instrument. The guitar top. See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Sound reinforcement Amplifying an instrument just enough so that it can be heard, without the audience being aware that it is being amplified
Soundtrack a strip along the side of a film that contains optical coding for sound
Soupir French) a quarter-rest
Soupirant (French) sighing
Souple (French) flexible, supple
Sourd (French) muffled
Sourde (French) muffled
Sourdine (French) mute
Sous (French) under
Sousedska a slow Bohemian peasant dance in simple triple time
Soutenu (French) sustained
Space interval between the lines on the staff where each line and each space indicate a different pitch
Spalted Tamarind 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
Spandendo (Italian) expanding, getting more powerful
Sparta (Italian) score
Spartita (Italian) score
Spartito (Italian) score
Sparto (Italian) score
Spass (German) joke
Spasshaft (German) jocular
Später (German) later
Spediendo (Italian) speeding, hurrying
Sperdendosi (Italian) fading away
Spianata (Italian) level, smoothed, even
Spianato (Italian) level, smoothed, even
Spiccato (Italian) separated, detached; a form of staccato bowing in which the bow is bounced on the string while the bow-stroke is restricted to the tip to produce rapid notes
Spiegando (Italian) becoming louder
Spiel (German) play
Spielen (German) to play
Spielend (German) playing, playful
Spill in jazz, a descending glissando that falls from the end of a note
Spinnlied (German) spinning song
Spinto (Italian) pushed, urged on
Spiritual a folksong with religious overtones associated with the American negro, hence its alternative name, negro spiritual
Spirante (Italian) dying away
Spirito (Italian) spirit, vigor
Spiritoso (Italian) spirited
Spiritosamente (Italian) spriritedly
Spitzig (German) pointed, cutting
Split note chords a chord in which one or more chord members are 'split' by adding a note a minor second away
Spöttisch (German) mocking
Sprezzatura a free style of musical performance that ignored strict tempo and rhythm
Springar Swedish and Norwegian dance for two people
Springdans Swedish and Norwegian dance in simple triple time
Springend (German) springing, bouncing
Springer an ornament consisting of the main note followed by the note above it followed by the note above that, then returning to the original main note
Square dance a form of American dance, from folk genres and played on a fiddle, piano, guitar or banjo, usually performed by four couples facing each other, arranged in a square
Squillante (Italian) clear, ringing, sounding
Squillanti (Italian) clear, ringing, sounding
Stabile (Italian) steady, firm
Staccatissimo (Italian) an extreme form of staccato, often taken to indicate that one should shorten the note thus marked to one quarter of its written length, the remaining three-quarters replaced with silence See staccatissimo in Note Symbols
Staccato (Italian) a dot above the note indicating that the note thus marked should be shortened to half its written length, the second half replaced with silence See staccato in Note Symbols
Staff a framework of five lines on which musical notation is written. see Staff, Barline, & Clef See Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar See Elements of Tablature for Classical Guitar
Stäker (German) stronger or louder
Stanchezza (Italian) wearily, in a weary manner
Ständchen (German) serenade
Standhaft (German) firm
Standhaftigkeit (German) firmness
Stark (German) strong or loud
Statt (German) instead of
Steea (Italian) same
Steel Wool Fine fibers of steel matted or woven together to form an abrasive for cleaning, smoothing, or polishing.
Steg (German) bridge
Stelle (German) place
Stellen (German) places
Stem See stem in Elements of a Musical Score See Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar see Elements of Tablature for Classical Guitar
Stendendo (Italian) rallentando
Stentando (Italian) to play in a laborious manner, heavily and slightly slowing
Stentare (Italian) to play in a laborious manner, heavily and slightly slowing
Stentato (Italian) forced, loud, stentorian
Step an interval of a second
Sterbend (German) dying away
Stesse (Italian) same
Stessi (Italian) same
Steso (Italian) slow
Stesso (Italian) same
Stets (German) steadily, always
Stev Norwegian short songs
Stile (Italian) style
Still (German) quiet, calm
Stimmen (German) to tune
Stimmgabel (German) tuning fork
Stimmung (German) tuning, mood
Stinguendo (Italian) fading away
Stiracchiando (Italian) ritardando
Stiracchiato (Italian) ritardando
Stirando (Italian) ritardando
Stirato (Italian) ritardando
Stock arrangement the standard score of the work in contrast to an arrangement that has been produced especially for one particular band or ensemble
Stockend (German) slackening the time gradually
Stomp a lively, rhythmic jazz marked by a heavy beat
Stornello a Tuscan folk-song
Stracciacalando (Italian) prattling
Straccinato (Italian) ritardando
Straff (German) strict
Straffando (Italian) throwing off
Straffato (Italian) thrown off
Straffer (German) stricter
Straight Grained A piece of wood with grain that runs parallel.
Strain a series of contrasting sections found in rags and marches, often in duple meter with sixteen-measure themes or sections
Strascicando (Italian) heavy slurring
Strascinando (Italian) heavy slurring
Strascinato (Italian) heavy slurring
Strathspey a slow Scottish dance, often coupled with the quick reel
Stravagante (Italian) extravagant, fantastic
Straziante (Italian) tearing
Streich (German) stroke
Streng (German) strict
Strepito (Italian) noise
Strepitosamente (Italian) noisily, boisterously
Strepitoso (Italian) noisy
Stretch out in jazz, an extended and often highly inventive improvisation in place of an anticipated shorter set of phrases
Stretching the Strings A physical method of settling classical guitar strings. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Stretta (Italian) a passage at the end of an aria, act or ensemble, in which the tempo is accelerated to effect a climax
Stretto (Italian) accelerated, brought together
Strimpellata (Italian) strumming, scraping
Stringendo (Italian) squeezing together, accelerando
String(s) A strand of gut, wire, silk or nylon that, when bowed, plucked or struck, produces a sound determined by its tension, length and density. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings See Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
String Height The height of a guitar string measured from the top of the twelfth fret to the bottom of the string.
String Life The length of time a set of guitar strings retains balance, tone, clarity, & sustain. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Sting Markings a symbol used to indicate which string to play. See Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar
String music Music especially composed for string instruments
String orchestra a moderately large ensemble form only of first and second violins, cellos and double basses
String quartet a quartet formed of one first violinist, one second violinist, one violist and one cellist
String Settling The occurrence of tension equalization of a guitar string between its playing portions and non-playing portions. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
String Slippage The movement of the guitar string poorly attached to a tuner. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
String Winder A tool used to simplify winding a guitar string to its tuner. See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Stringed instruments any musical instrument that produces sound by means of strings under appropriate tension that are set into vibration by being plucked strummed, struck or bowed
Strings the section of the orchestra formed by members of the violin family but excluding harp, guitar, harpsichord, piano, viols ……
Strisciando (Italian) smooth, slurred, glissando
Strisciato (Italian) smooth, slurred, glissando
Stroll in jazz, a direction indicating that a performer should be silent
Stromentato (Italian) played by instruments
Stromenti (Italian) instruments
Stromento (Italian) instrument
Strong Accent See strong accent in Note Symbols
Strophe (Greek) a metrical or musical unit that is repeated in a musical composition
Strophic (Greek) a metrical or musical unit that is repeated in a musical composition
Strum brushing over the strings of a stringed instrument
Strumenti (Italian) instruments
Strumento (Italian) instrument
Stück (German) piece
Studien (German) study, etude
Stürmend (German) stormy, passionate
Stürmisch (German) stormy, passionate
Style the way musical elements (melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, form, etc.) are presented; what distinguishes one performance from another
Style brisé an arpeggiated style
Su (Italian) on, near, up, above, upon
Suave (Italian) suave
Suavità (Italian) suavity
Subdivision breaking up a larger metrical pattern into smaller parts
Sub-dominant the fourth degree of the scale
Sub-dominant chord the chord which uses as its root the subdominant note of a key
Sub-dominant triad triad built on the fourth degree of the scale
Subito (Italian) suddenly
Subject a theme
Sub-mediant the sixth degree of the scale
Sub-mediant chord the chord which uses as its root the submediant note of a key
Sub-mediant triad triad built on the sixth degree of the scale
Substitute fingering alternative fingering
Sub-tonic the seventh degree of the scale
Subwoofer Speaker dedicated to reproducing very low frequencies. often placed on the floor
Sufi devotional Muslim music
Sugli (Italian) on the
Sui (Italian) on the
Sugudu Chinese plucked lute
Sui (Italian) on, near, up, above, upon
Suite a set of unrelated and usually short instrumental pieces
Suite de dances (French) a set of dances
Suivez (French) follow
Sul Korean twenty-five string zither used in court music
Sull (Italian) on, near, up, above, upon
Sulla (Italian) on, near, up, above, upon
Sulle (Italian) on, near, up, above, upon
Summend (German) humming
Sungion-mu (Korean) dance music for celebrating a victory
Suo (Italian) its own
Suoni (Italian) sounds
Suono (Italian) sound
Superba (Italian) proud
Superbo (Italian) proud
Superius the upper, or higher, voice or melody in a musical composition of two or more parts
Super-tonic the second degree of the scale
Super-tonic chord the chord which uses as its root the supertonic note of a key
Super-tonic triad triad built on the second degree of the scale
Suppliant (French) supplicating
Supplichevole (Italian) supplicating
Supplichevolmente (Italian) supplicating
Supprimez (French) put stop out of action, suppress
Sur (French) on, over
Sur la touché (French) on the fingerboard
Sur le chevalet (French) on the bridge
Surbahar a bass sitar, tuned anywhere from four steps to an octave lower than a regular sitar
Surtout (French) above all, especially
Suspended time very long static events, with nothing much else happening
Suspension a note that is held over, that is approached by itself, and resolved to the chord note by a tone or semitone after the chord is played
Süss (German) sweet
Sustain To keep in existence; maintain. See Dressing the Frets on a Classical Guitar
Sussurrante (Italian) lightly
Susurrando (Italian) whispering, murmuring
Svegliando (Italian) brisk, alert
Svegliato (Italian) brisk, alert
Svelto (Italian) smart, quick, freely, lightly
Svolgimento (Italian) development
Sweet Spots Over time a soundboard (and to a lesser extent, the back & sides) "learns" an ability to move more freely at often used frequencies. The classical guitar consists of approximately 40 major wooden parts, all glued together to hold their idle state. If the instrument vibrates regularly at set frequencies, these glue joints will open in such a way that the guitar will eventually begin to vibrate more freely with notable improvements in tone, response, dynamic range, and volume (Sweet Spots). See How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Swing American style of jazz music characterized by big band instrumentation
Syllabic a musical setting is syllabic when one and only one note is related to one syllable in the text
Sympathetic strings strings, that cannot be bowed or plucked, that resonate by means of their immediate proximity to other strings, that can be bowed or plucked, which are set very closely above them
sympathetic vibration the vibration of an object independently in response to tone sounded by a musical instrument of which the object is a part, or that of another instrument
Symphonia (Greek) symphony
Symphonie symphony
Symphonie concertante (French) featuring a few solo instruments and orchestra
Symphonique (French) symphonic
Symphonisch (German) symphonic
Symphony an extended piece for full orchestra, usually serious in nature and in several movements
Symphony orchestra an ensemble of instruments which may have in excess of 100 members
Syncopation where a silence or weak beat replaces the expected strong beat
Synthesizer an instrument that uses electronics to generate a large range of sounds, some meant to mimic real instruments and others that are completely new
Syvspring a popular dance from Jutland
System notation of a line of music including all the parts and voices involved, presented in a group of two or more staves which are joined together on the left hand side by a vertical bar and a brace
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