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