music vocab

• What is the Italian word for "broad and slow" in music terminology?

  largo
• What does "larghetto" mean in music?

  Still broad, not so slow
• What is the beats per minute range for "largo"?

  40-60
• What is the beats per minute range for "moderato"?

  76-108
• How does "andante" relate to tempo?

  It indicates a walking pace
• What does "allegro" mean in terms of tempo?

  Quick and lively
• What is the beats per minute range for "vivace"?

  108-120
• What does "presto" indicate in music?

  Really fast
• What is the beats per minute range for "forte"?

  120-168
• What does "accelerando" mean?

  Speeding up
• What does "rallentando" indicate in music?

  Slowing down
• What does "rubato" allow in music performance?

  Flexibility with the pace of music
• What does "a tempo" signify?

  Back to the original pace
• What is "diminution" in music?

  Shortening note lengths in a melody
• What does "agitato" mean in music terminology?

  Agitated
• What does "alla marcia" indicate?

  In a march style
• What does "giocoso" mean?

  Playful, humorous
• What does "grandioso" signify in music?

  Grandly
• What does "amoroso" mean?

  Loving
• What does "calmato" indicate?

  Calm
• What does "pesante" mean in music?

  Heavy
• What does "risoluto" signify?

  Strong, confident, bold
• What does "dolce" mean?

  Sweetly
• What does "energico" indicate in music?

  Energetic
• What does "sospirando" mean?

  Sighing
• What does "trionfale" signify?

  Triumphant
• What does "pianissimo" stand for in music dynamics?

  Very quiet
• What does "crescendo" indicate?

  Getting louder
• What does "diminuendo" mean?

  Getting quieter
• What is a glissando?

  A slide from one note to another
• How can a glissando be effectively played?

  On string instruments like the violin
• How is a glissando shown in sheet music?

  By writing *gliss.* underneath the stave
• What does a bend (or bent note) do?

  Changes the pitch of the note slightly
• Where are bends often used?

  In jazz music
• Which instruments can play bent notes?

  Guitars, trombones, and harmonicas
• What are the dynamic markings in music and their meanings?

  • PP: pianissimo (very quiet)
  • P: piano (quiet)
  • mp: mezzopiano (fairly quiet)
  • mf: mezzoforte (fairly loud)
  • f: forte (loud)
  • ff: fortissimo (very loud)
  • crescendo: getting louder
  • diminuendo: getting quieter
• What are the different tempo markings and their meanings?

  • Largo: broad and slow (40-60 BPM)
  • Larghetto: still broad, not so slow (60-66 BPM)
  • Moderato: moderate speed (76-108 BPM)
  • Allegro: quick and lively (108-120 BPM)
  • Vivace: very lively, quicker than allegro (120-168 BPM)
  • Presto: really fast (168-180 BPM)
• What are the expressive terms in music and their meanings?

  • Agitato: agitated
  • Alla marcia: in a march style
  • Giocoso: playful, humorous
  • Grandioso: grandly
  • Amoroso: loving
  • Calmato: calm
  • Pesante: heavy
  • Risoluto: strong, confident, bold
  • Dolce: sweetly
  • Energico: energetic
  • Sospirando: sighing
  • Trionfale: triumphant
• What are the techniques composers can use to add interest to music?

  • Glissando: slide between notes
  • Bend: change pitch slightly
  • Staccato: sudden accent
  • Accent: emphasize a note
• What are the effects of using glissandi in music?

  • Creates a smooth transition between notes
  • Adds expressiveness to the performance
  • Can be used on various instruments, especially strings