The Savvy Dictionary
Glossary of musical terms
Every term gets two treatments: the proper, textbook definition — and the Savvy Take, which is how it actually works when you're sitting at the piano.
A
- A tempoA directive to return to the original tempo after a deviation (such as a ritardando or accelerando).
- A440The modern pitch standard: the A above middle C vibrates at 440 Hz. Also called concert pitch.
- AccelerandoA gradual increase in tempo; becoming faster.
- AccentEmphasis placed on a particular note or chord, distinguishing it from those surrounding it. This can be achieved through dynamic stress (playing louder) or duration (holding it longer).
- AccidentalA sign used in musical notation to indicate a chromatic alteration of a note. The standard signs are the sharp (#), flat (b), natural, double sharp, and double flat.
- ActionThe mechanical assembly that turns a key press into a hammer strike — thousands of parts of wood, felt, and metal working per note.
- AdagioA slow tempo, generally slower than andante but faster than largo. The term implies a sense of ease or leisure.
- Agogic AccentAn accent effected not by loudness (dynamic accent) but by duration. It involves slightly lingering on a note to emphasize it.
- Alberti BassA common pattern of accompaniment in the left hand, consisting of broken chords played in the order: low-high-middle-high.
- Alla breveA tempo mark indicating a quick duple meter, often represented by the “cut time” symbol (a C with a vertical line through it). It implies the half note, rather than the quarter note, gets the beat.
- AllargandoFrom the Italian allargare (“to widen”). A directive to become slower and often broader/louder, typically at the climax of a phrase.
- AllegrettoA moderately fast tempo — lighter and a little slower than allegro.
- AllegroA fast, lively tempo — literally “cheerful” in Italian — generally around 120–156 beats per minute.
- AndanteA moderate tempo, literally meaning “walking” (from Italian andare). It falls between adagio and allegro.
- ArpeggioFrom the Italian word arpeggiare (“to play on a harp”). This is when you play the notes of a chord one after another, rather than all at once.
- ArticulationThe way notes are attacked, connected, and released — the family of markings that includes legato, staccato, tenuto, and accents.
B
- BalladeIn the 19th century (Romantic era), a large-scale instrumental piece, usually for piano, that suggests a narrative or dramatic character. Chopin and Brahms wrote famous examples.
- BarcarolleA piece in compound meter (usually 6/8 or 12/8) intended to imitate the songs of Venetian gondoliers. It features a rhythmic, rocking accompaniment.
- BassThe lowest part in a musical composition. It provides the harmonic foundation upon which the melody and inner voices are built.
- Bass ClefThe F clef, used for the lower staff of piano music. Its two dots straddle the fourth line, marking it as F below middle C.
- BeatThe basic temporal unit of a composition. The regular pulse that organizes the rhythm.
- Binary FormA musical form consisting of two complementary sections, usually labeled A and B. Each section is often repeated (AABB).
- Blue NoteA microtonal lowering of the 3rd, 7th, or 5th scale degrees, characteristic of jazz and blues. On the piano, this is often approximated by playing the minor interval against the major harmony.
- Boogie-WoogieA blues piano style driven by a repeating left-hand pattern (ostinato) — rolling octaves or broken chords — under an improvised right hand.
- BridgeA transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition, or the contrasting B section in a standard AABA song form.
- Broken ChordA chord in which the notes are played successively rather than simultaneously (see also Arpeggio).
C
- CadenceA melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution, marking the end of a phrase, section, or piece.
- CadenzaAn improvised or written-out ornamental passage played by a soloist, usually near the end of a movement, allowing for a display of virtuosity.
- CanonA contrapuntal composition in which one melodic voice is strictly imitated by one or more other voices after a specified time delay (e.g., “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).
- CantabileItalian for “singable” or “songlike.” A direction to play in a smooth, singing style, emphasizing the melody.
- ChordThree or more pitches sounded simultaneously.
- ChromaticMoving by half-steps (semitones), or notes that lie outside the diatonic scale of the key.
- Circle of FifthsAn arrangement of the twelve keys in a circle of perfect fifths, showing how key signatures accumulate sharps and flats and how keys relate to each other.
- CodaItalian for “tail.” A concluding section of a movement or piece that stands outside the formal structure, often added to bring the work to a satisfying close.
- CompingAccompanying a soloist or singer with rhythmic chords — short for “accompanying” (and, conveniently, “complementing”).
- ConcertoA large-scale work for a solo instrument with orchestra, typically in three movements.
- CounterpointThe art of combining two or more independent melodic lines that sound good together — the technique behind canons and fugues. The adjective is “contrapuntal.”
- CrescendoA gradual increase in loudness, marked cresc. or with a “hairpin” that opens to the right.
D
- Da capoFrom the Italian for “from the head” (beginning). A directive to repeat the music from the start, usually abbreviated as D.C.
- Dal segno“From the sign.” A directive to repeat the music starting from the sign (looks like an S with a slash and dots), abbreviated as D.S.
- Damper PedalThe right pedal: it lifts all the dampers off the strings, letting played notes ring and every other string vibrate sympathetically. Also called the sustain pedal.
- DecrescendoA directive to grow quieter. It is functionally synonymous with diminuendo.
- DiatonicNotes that belong strictly to the key signature, without chromatic alterations. For example, in C Major, the white keys are diatonic.
- DiminishedAn interval or chord that is smaller than perfect or minor. A fully diminished 7th chord is a stack of minor thirds.
- DiminuendoA gradual decrease in loudness, marked dim. Interchangeable with decrescendo.
- DissonanceA combination of tones that sounds unstable and creates a need for resolution (consonance).
- DolceItalian for “sweet.” A directive to play gently and tenderly.
- DominantThe fifth degree of the scale (V). The chord built on this note creates the strongest tension leading back to the Tonic (I).
- DynamicsAspects of musical expression resulting from variation in the volume of sound (e.g., forte, piano, crescendo).
E
- EnharmonicNotes that are written differently but sound the same pitch in the equal-tempered system (e.g., C-sharp and D-flat).
- Espressivo“Expressive.” A direction to play with feeling, often implying a degree of rubato and dynamic shaping.
- EtudeFrench for “study.” A composition designed to improve a specific technical difficulty (like scales or octaves), though concert etudes (Chopin, Liszt) are performed as artistic works.
F
- FermataA symbol (a dot under a semicircle) indicating that a note or rest should be prolonged beyond its normal duration.
- FineItalian for “end.” Marks where a piece finishes after a repeat instruction like D.C. al Fine or D.S. al Fine.
- FlatThe symbol (b) indicating that a pitch should be lowered by one semitone.
- ForteItalian for “strong” or “loud.” Abbreviated as f.
- Fortissimo“Very strong” or “very loud.” Abbreviated as ff.
- FugueA complex contrapuntal composition where a short melody (the subject) is introduced by one voice and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.
G
- GlissandoA continuous slide from one pitch to another. On the piano, this is usually done by dragging a fingernail (or thumb) across the white keys.
- Grace NoteA small ornamental note printed in reduced size, played quickly before (or on) the beat ahead of the main note.
- Grand StaffThe pair of staves — treble on top, bass below — joined by a brace, on which piano music is written.
- GraveSlow, solemn, and heavy. Usually slower than adagio.
- Grazioso“Graceful.” A directive to play in an elegant, light, and charming style.
H
- Half StepThe smallest interval in the standard Western scale (e.g., C to C#). Also called a semitone.
- Hammer VoicingAdjusting a piano's tone by reshaping and needling the hammer felt — softening a harsh piano or brightening a dull one.
- HarmonyThe simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of chords. It refers to the “vertical” aspect of music, as opposed to the “horizontal” aspect of melody.
- HemiolaA rhythmic device where two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two beats (or vice versa), giving the effect of a shift between triple and duple meter.
- HomophonyA texture in which a primary melody is supported by accompaniment (chords), as opposed to polyphony (multiple independent melodies).
I
- ImpromptuA musical composition, usually for piano, designed to sound like an improvisation, though it is fully written out. Schubert and Chopin wrote famous examples.
- ImprovisationThe creation of music in the course of performance. It can be free or based on a provided framework (like a chord chart).
- InharmonicityThe acoustic quirk of real piano strings: their overtones ring slightly sharper than perfect mathematical multiples, because strings have stiffness.
- IntervalThe distance in pitch between two notes (e.g., Major 3rd, Perfect 5th).
- InversionRearranging the notes of a chord so that a note other than the root is in the bass (e.g., C-E-G becomes E-G-C).
K
L
- LargoItalian for “broad.” A very slow tempo, slower than adagio, implying great dignity and breadth.
- Lead SheetA one-staff chart giving melody, chord symbols, and lyrics — the standard format of fake books and the working musician's shorthand.
- Leading ToneThe seventh degree of the major scale, which is a half-step below the tonic. It has a strong tendency to “lead” or resolve upward to the tonic.
- Ledger LinesShort horizontal lines added above or below the staff to extend its range.
- LegatoItalian for “tied.” A directive to play without breaks between notes, smoothly connecting them.
- LeitmotifA recurring musical theme associated with a specific person, idea, or situation (famously used by Wagner and in film scores like Star Wars).
- LentoSlow. A tempo marking often implying a speed between adagio and largo.
M
- MajorReferring to a scale or chord containing a major third. In Western music, usually associated with brightness, stability, or happiness.
- Marcato“Marked” — an accent indicating a note or chord should be emphasized, shown as an open wedge (^) above the note.
- MeasureA rhythmic grouping of beats, defined by a fixed number of beats indicated by the time signature. Also called a bar.
- MelodyA succession of pitches perceived by the mind as a unity. The “horizontal” aspect of music.
- MeterThe pattern of fixed temporal units. The organization of rhythm into strong and weak beats (e.g., Duple, Triple, Quadruple).
- MetronomeA device that sounds a steady beat at an adjustable speed, measured in beats per minute (BPM).
- Mezzo ForteModerately loud — the dynamic marking mf, one step softer than forte.
- Mezzo PianoModerately soft — the dynamic marking mp, one step louder than piano.
- Middle CThe C nearest the middle of the keyboard — C4, about 261.6 Hz — and the meeting point of the treble and bass clefs on the grand staff.
- MinorReferring to a scale or chord containing a minor third. Often associated with sadness, darkness, or tension.
- ModeratoA moderate tempo, usually placed between andante and allegro — roughly 108–120 beats per minute.
- ModulationThe process of changing from one key to another within a composition.
- MordentAn ornament: a rapid alternation between the main note and the note directly below it (lower mordent) or above it (upper mordent).
- MotifA short musical idea, melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic, or all three. A motif may be of any size, but it is generally regarded as the smallest subdivision of a theme.
- MovementA self-contained section of a larger composition (like a Sonata or Symphony), usually separated by a pause.
N
- NaturalA symbol used to cancel a previous accidental (sharp or flat), restoring a note to its original pitch.
- NeoclassicismA 20th-century trend where composers (like Stravinsky or Prokofiev) sought to return to the aesthetic precepts associated with “classicism”—order, balance, clarity, and emotional restraint.
- NocturneFrench for “night piece.” A composition suggesting the atmosphere of night, characterized by a cantabile melody over an arpeggiated accompaniment. Field and Chopin are the primary masters.
- NotationThe visual representation of music using written symbols (notes, rests, clefs) to indicate pitch, duration, and expression.
O
- OctaveThe interval of an eighth. Two notes with the same letter name, where the higher note has exactly twice the frequency of the lower.
- OpusLatin for “work.” Used with a number (e.g., Op. 28) to indicate the chronological order of a composer’s publication.
- OrnamentationDecorative notes added to a melody to emphasize notes or add flair (e.g., trills, turns, mordents).
- OstinatoA short musical pattern (melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic) that is repeated persistently throughout a composition or section.
- Ottava (8va)The notation 8va (ottava alta) above the staff means play an octave higher than written; 8vb (ottava bassa) below means an octave lower.
- OvertonesThe series of higher frequencies (the harmonic series) that ring above a note's fundamental pitch and give the sound its color.
P
- PedalA device on the piano operated by the feet. The right pedal (Damper/Sustain) lifts all dampers, allowing strings to vibrate freely. The left (Una Corda) softens the tone. The middle (Sostenuto) sustains only selected notes.
- PentatonicA scale consisting of five tones (e.g., the black keys on the piano form a pentatonic scale).
- Perfect PitchThe ability to identify or produce a specific pitch with no reference note — also called absolute pitch.
- PhraseA unit of musical structure, usually a few measures long, that expresses a relatively complete musical thought — like a clause or sentence in language. Phrases are built from motifs and figures, and combine into periods and larger sections.
- PianissimoVery soft — the dynamic marking pp.
- Piano (dynamic)The dynamic marking p: play softly. The instrument itself is named for this — “pianoforte” means soft-loud, because it could do both.
- PitchThe perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of vibration.
- Pitch RaiseA preliminary rough tuning pass performed when a piano has drifted well below pitch, done before the fine tuning in the same visit.
- PolyphonyMusic with two or more independent melodic parts sounding together (e.g., a Bach Fugue).
- PreludeAn introductory piece of music, often preceding a fugue or suite, or a standalone character piece (Chopin, Debussy).
- PrestissimoAs fast as possible — the fastest standard tempo marking, beyond presto.
- PrestoA very fast tempo — faster than allegro.
Q
R
- RagtimeA composed, syncopated piano style from roughly 1895–1918 — steady march-like left hand, syncopated right — epitomized by Scott Joplin.
- RallentandoA gradual slowing down of the tempo.
- RecitalA concert given by a soloist or a small ensemble.
- RegulationThe adjustment of the piano action's mechanical settings — key dip, let-off, drop, spring tension and more — so every key responds evenly.
- Relative Major/MinorA Major and Minor key that share the same key signature (e.g., C Major and A Minor both have zero sharps/flats).
- Relative PitchThe ability to identify notes and intervals by comparing them to a known reference pitch.
- RestA symbol indicating silence for a specified duration.
- RhythmThe pattern of movement in time; the arrangement of note durations.
- RitardandoA directive to gradually slow down the tempo (abbreviated rit.). Not to be confused with ritenuto, which is an immediate, sudden holding back of the tempo.
- RitenutoAn immediate, sudden holding back of the tempo — as opposed to ritardando, which slows gradually.
- RootThe fundamental note upon which a chord is built (e.g., C is the root of a C Major chord).
- RubatoLiterally “robbed time.” It is the practice of speeding up and slowing down the tempo for expressive effect.
S
- ScaleA series of tones ordered by pitch (usually rising or falling) according to a specific scheme of intervals (e.g., Major, Minor, Chromatic).
- Scale DegreeThe position of a note within its scale, numbered 1 through 7 — tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone.
- ScherzoItalian for “joke.” A lively, vigorous composition, usually in triple meter. often the third movement of a symphony or sonata.
- ScoreThe notation of a musical work, showing all the parts aligned vertically.
- SequenceThe repetition of a melodic or harmonic pattern at a different pitch level.
- Seventh ChordA four-note chord: a triad plus the seventh above the root. Common types include major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, half-diminished, and diminished 7th.
- Sforzando“Forcing.” A sudden, strong accent on a single note or chord. Abbreviated sf or sfz.
- SharpA symbol (#) indicating that a pitch is raised by one semitone.
- Sight-readingThe ability to read and perform music at first sight.
- SlurA curved line placed over or under a group of notes to indicate they should be played legato (connected).
- SolfègeThe system of naming scale degrees with syllables — do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti — in either movable-do (do = tonic) or fixed-do (do = C) form.
- SonataAn instrumental composition for a soloist (or soloist with piano accompaniment), usually in several movements (Fast-Slow-Fast).
- Sostenuto PedalThe middle pedal on a grand piano: it sustains only the notes already held down at the moment it's pressed, leaving all other notes unaffected.
- SoundboardThe large spruce panel under the strings (grand) or behind them (upright) that amplifies string vibration — effectively the piano's speaker.
- Staccato“Detached.” A manner of playing where notes are separated from one another, indicated by a dot above or below the note head.
- Stride PianoA solo jazz style where the left hand leaps between low bass notes and mid-range chords in an oom-pah pattern — perfected in 1920s Harlem by James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Art Tatum.
- SubdominantThe fourth degree of the scale (IV). The chord built on this note acts as a counter-pole to the Dominant.
- SuiteA set of pieces or movements grouped to be performed together — in the Baroque era, usually a chain of stylized dances (allemande, courante, sarabande, gigue).
- SuspensionA dissonance created by holding a note from a previous chord over into a new chord where it clashes, before resolving down to a consonance.
- SwingA rhythmic feel in which paired eighth notes are played unevenly — long-short, leaning toward a triplet subdivision — rather than straight.
- Sympathetic ResonanceStrings vibrating on their own because other strings sounded frequencies they share — no hammer required.
- SymphonyA large-scale composition for orchestra, usually in four movements.
- SyncopationThe shifting of the normal accent, usually by stressing the weak beat or the portion of the beat between the pulses.
T
- TemperamentThe system for sizing the intervals within an octave. Modern pianos use equal temperament — twelve identical semitones — while historical temperaments favored some keys over others.
- TempoThe speed at which a composition is performed. It is often indicated by Italian terms (e.g., Allegro) or a metronome marking.
- TenutoItalian for “held.” A directive to hold a note for its full value, often with a slight emphasis. Indicated by a horizontal line over the note.
- TextureThe general pattern of sound created by the arrangement of the musical elements (melody, harmony, rhythm). Examples include Monophonic, Homophonic, and Polyphonic.
- ThemeA musical idea, usually a melody, that forms the basis or starting point for a composition or a section of a composition.
- TieA curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, indicating that they are to be played as a single note with a duration equal to the sum of the individual note values.
- TimbreTone color. The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume (e.g., a flute sounds different from a trumpet).
- Time SignatureIn simple meters, the top number tells how many beats are in each measure and the bottom number which note value gets the beat. In compound meters like 6/8, the top number counts subdivisions — the felt pulse is the dotted quarter, so 6/8 has two beats per measure.
- TonalityThe organization of music around a central tone (the tonic) and the scale built on that tone.
- TonicThe first and most stable degree of the scale. The “home base” of the key.
- TranspositionThe act of playing or writing music in a key other than the original.
- Treble ClefThe symbol (G clef) used to notate higher pitches, typically those above Middle C. Usually played by the right hand.
- TremoloRapid repetition of a single note or rapid alternation between two or more notes.
- TriadA chord consisting of three notes: a root, a third, and a fifth.
- TrillAn ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of a written note with the note immediately above it.
- TripletA group of three notes played in the time usually taken by two of the same value.
- TritoneAn interval of three whole tones (Augmented 4th / Diminished 5th). Historically known as the “Diabolus in musica” (Devil in music) due to its instability.
- TurnAn ornament consisting of four notes: the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again.
- TurnaroundThe final bar or two of a form — commonly a I–vi–ii–V progression — that loops the music back to the top.
- TuttiItalian for “all.” A passage where the entire ensemble or orchestra plays, as opposed to a soloist.
- Twelve-Bar BluesThe twelve-measure chord form — built on the I, IV, and V chords — that underpins blues, rock and roll, boogie-woogie, and half the American songbook.
U
- Una CordaThe “Soft Pedal” (the left pedal). On a grand piano, pressing it shifts the entire action slightly to the right so the hammers strike two of the three strings (on the earliest pianos, literally one string — una corda) with a softer, less-grooved part of the felt.
- UnisonTwo or more voices or instruments sounding the same pitch (or octaves of the same pitch) simultaneously.
- UpbeatThe unaccented beat preceding an accented beat. The last beat of a measure, leading into the downbeat.
V
- VampA short chord progression repeated as long as needed — often while waiting for a soloist, singer, or the next section. Charts mark it “vamp till ready.”
- VariationA technique where material is repeated in an altered form (changes in harmony, melody, rhythm, etc.).
- VirtuosoA performer of extraordinary technical ability.
- VivaceItalian for “lively.” A tempo indication faster than allegro.
- Voice LeadingThe smooth movement of individual chord tones from one chord to the next, keeping common tones and minimizing leaps.
- VoicingThe art of balancing different layers of sound within a single hand. Usually, this means making the melody (top note) louder while keeping the accompaniment (lower notes) quiet.
W
- Walking BassA bass line — usually steady quarter notes — that connects chord tones stepwise and chromatically, moving “walking” from one chord to the next.
- WaltzA dance in triple meter (3/4 time), characterized by a strong accent on the first beat.
- Whole StepAn interval of two semitones (e.g., C to D). Also called a Whole Tone.