String Music Terms | Musical Terms | String Instrument Music Terms Search Glossary of String Music Terms Welcome to our Glossary of String Music Terms where you can get the basic knowledge of terms used in the string music profession. These string music terms are the names of instruments: Violin: The violin or “fiddle” is a string instrument which is played with a bow. It is the smallest member of the string family of orchestra instruments. The violin has 4 strings. The names of the strings are E, A, D and G. The violin is very similar to the viola, but the violin has plays higher pitches. The violin comes in fractional sizes 1/64 to 3/4 and of course the 4/4 size violin. Shop for Violins under $1000. Shop for Violins over $1000. Viola: The viola is a little bit bigger then the violin. The viola string instrument is measured by inches no fractions like the violin. The viola is available in 14″ – 17.5″ but if you need a smaller viola, it is possible to put viola strings on a violin.

The viola has four strings which are A, D, G and C. Shop for Violas under $1000. Shop for Violas over $1000. Cello: The cello is much larger then the violin or viola. It is played sitting down but is still a bowed string instrument. The strings on the cello are A, D, G and C but sound one octave lower then the Viola. Cellos are available is 1/10 – 4/4 sizes. Shop for Cellos under $4000. Shop for cellos over $4000. Bass: The Bass is the largest instrument in the string family. It is played standing or sitting on a tall stool. The bass is also commonly called the string bass, double bass, stand up bass or acoustic bass. The strings on the bass are G, D, A and E. Basses are available in 1/8 – 4/4 sizes. Shop for Basses. These String Music Terms are parts and accessories for string instruments: Bow: A violin bow, viola bow, cello bow or bass bow is made of wood and have horse hairs which pull the strings to make a sound.

There is rosin that is applied to the horse hairs to make them sticky enough to grab the string. Shop for Bows. Rosin: Rosin is made of tree sap which has been cooked into a solid so that it may be rubbed on the hairs of a bow. Shop for Rosin. End Pin: The Cello End Pin or Bass End Pin is a metal rod that comes out of the bottom of a cello or bass to support the instrument. It rests on the floor allowing the cello or bass to be suspended and easier to play. When the Cello or Bass is put away the end pin conveniently slides into the body of the instrument for storage. Violins and Violas do not have end pins. Fittings: The fittings of a string instrument include the Pegs, Bridge, Tail Piece, Chin Rest (on violins and violas), or End Pin (on cellos and basses). A string instrument that comes “set up” with have all of these parts included. Chin Rest: A Violin Chin Rest or Viol Chin Rest is an accessory that usually comes as part of the fittings of the violin or violin.

The chin rest helps the violinist hold the violin in place on the shoulder by using just the head and not the hands. The name chin rest is actually a misnomer because the JAW is the body part that goes in the chin rest not the CHIN. WE should call it the JAW REST. 😉 Shoulder Rest: A violin or viola shoulder rest is used to help support the violin or viola on the musicians shoulder. The added support helps in holding the violin or viola without the hands. Cellists do not need shoulder rests. There are many different shoulder rest options available. Shop for Shoulder rests . Rock Stop: A Cello Rock Stop or Bass Rock Stop is a type of end pin anchor that goes on the floor to keep the end pin from slipping. Violinists and Violists do not need Rock stops. There are many different rock stop options available. Shop for Rock Stops. These String Music Terms are techniques that string players use: Vibrato: Vibrato is an expression that string players (like vocalists) can add to music. The pitch is fluctuated rapidly but subtly. Vibrato can be used to add warmth and character to all types of music.

Accent: An accent in sheet music looks like this: > or this: v and means to emphasized a note with a little force. An accented note will have a “consonant” sound at the beginning of it “k” or “t” Pizz: Pizz. is an abreviation for Pizzicato (not pizza;-) and means to pluck the string. A + sign means LEFT HAND Pizzicato. Arco: Arco means with the bow and often appears in music after pizz. (pizzicato or plucked) passages of music These String Music Terms can be found in sheet music and are related to tempo (or speed): A tempo: A tempo (or in tempo) means to return to the original tempo or speed from the beginning. It usually shows up in music after a change in temp has occurred. Accelerando – Accelerando can be abbreviated Accel. and means to Accelerate or speed up gradually. Presto – Very Fast Allegro: An Allegro Tempo is Fast and Happy. Allegro is not as fast as Presto.

Sometimes a movement of a piece of music will be called “Allegro” Andante: Andante literally means “walking tempo” and would be considered a moderately slow tempo. Allegretto: Allegretto is moderately fast. An Allegretto tempo would be slower than allegro, but faster than andante. Vivace: A Vivace Tempo is lively and brisk. Vivace would be slightly faster than allegro. Adagio: A slow, leisurely tempo, often considered to be slower than andante, but not quite as slow as largo. Sometimes a movement of a piece of music will be called “Adagio” Moderato Moderato means to play at a moderate tempo or speed. This term sometimes modifies others such as Allegro moderato, which means moderately fast. Largo: A broad, slow tempo that is dignified and stately in style. Largo is the slowest of tempo markings. These String Music Terms are Dynamics (how loud and soft the music is supposed to be played) Pianissimo: Pianissimo is written pp and means very soft. Piano: Piano is written p and means soft.

Forte: Forte is written f means “loud” Fortissimo: Fortissimo is written ff and means very loud Fortississimo: Fortississimo is written fff and means “very, very loud” Crescendo: A Crescendo in sheet music looks can be abbreviated “cresc.” This string music terms mean to get louder little by little. Diminuendo: A Diminuendo in sheet music can be abbreviated “dim.” It can also be called a decrescendo (abbreviated decresc. or decr.) This string music terms mean to get softer little by little. This is the opposite of a Crescendo. These String Music Terms have to do with the “road map” or where you go in the music: Repeat Signs: A double bar with two dots is a repeat marking, and indicates the music in between the repeat signs should be repeated. If there is only one repeat sign with the dots facing to the left, go back to the beginning and play the entire section of music again. Da Capo: A Da Capo is written “D.C.” and means “back to the head” or to repeat all the way to the beginning of the song.

Coda: Coda means the “tail” or ending of a piece of music. Codas are often written as a “tag” ending to the piece. Dal Segno: A Dal Segno is written “D.S.” and means “back to the sign” or to repeat to the sign which look like this: D.C. al Coda: This means to go “back to the head” or to repeat all the way to the beginning of the song but then to jump to the “Coda” when you reach the coda sign which looks like this: D.C. al Fine: This means to go “back to the head” or to repeat all the way to the beginning of the song but then end at the “Fine” marking. Fine: Fine is pronounced “feenae” and means END These String Music Terms have to do with the way the music is played: Legato: Legato indicates the notes should be smoothly connected, played either in one or several bows. Slurs are often used to indicate legato. Marcato: An Italian term which means marked or accentuated. Martelé: Martelé means hammered.

Each note is percussive, and commences with a sharp accent or “pinch” at the beginning of the note, followed by a quick release. Martelé may be notated in more than one way: with dots, hammer heads or accents. Muted A direction for the musician to play with a mute. For string players, mutes are small clamps of wood, metal, rubber, leather or plastic, which fit onto the bridge and result in a softer, muted sound with a veiled quality. Shop for Mutes Slur A slur is a curved line grouping notes together, and means the notes included in the slur should be played in the same bow Sonata The word sonata comes from the Italian word sonore, meaning “to be played” (as opposed to cantata, a vocal work which means “to be sung”). A sonata is an instrumental form of music, and describes a multi-movement work for an instrument, often with accompaniment. The term has had varied meanings during different music eras, and during the Baroque period, the trio sonata was one of the most popular forms of sonata (often for two violins and continuo).

During the Classical period, sonata came to mean a multi-movement work for a solo instrument with piano accompaniment, or piano alone. Spiccato Spiccato is an off-the-string, controlled bouncing bow stroke which produces a crisp sound and very short notes. It is the slowest of the bouncing strokes. Dots above or under the notes may be used to indicate spiccato. Staccato Staccato indicates the bow should remain on the string to play shortened and detached notes, distinctly separate from successive notes. Staccato is sometimes used with slurs (slurred staccato) for a series of short, stopped notes played in the same up or down bow (many violinists perform slurred staccato as a series of slurred martelé strokes). String Quartet A string quartet is a composition for four stringed instruments: two violins, a viola and a cello. String quartet music generally is composed in a multi-movement form. The term string quartet is also used to describe a performance group comprised of four stringed instruments. Symphony A symphony is an extended composition for orchestra and is often comprised of three to five movements.

Tie When a slur is placed between two notes with the same pitch, this is called a “tie” and the two notes are played in one bow for the duration of both notes. Tremolo Tremolo means rapidly repeating a single note or chord (see bowing chart for more details). Trill A trill ornaments a note, and is a rapid alternation between two pitches, usually a major or minor second above the note. The letters tr and a wavy symbol are used as trill markings. Accidentals are often used to indicate whether the trill is a major or minor trill. Up bow The sign for up-bow is and indicates an upward stroke of the bow from the point (or tip) to the frog (or nut). Whole Bow Initials are sometimes used in music to indicate what part of the bow should be used: WB = Whole Bow; LH = Lower Half; UH = Upper Half; MB = Middle of the Bow. These String Music Terms are Types of Music: Waltz: A type of dance in a 3/4 time signature. Chamber music: Chamber music is used to describe instrumental music performed by a small ensemble such as a quartet, trio or chamber orchestra.

Concerto: An instrumental composition for solo a instrument with three movements. The sequence +of the movements in a concerto generally is usually fast-slow-fast. Theme & Variations: A composition with a theme and variations of that theme. Opera: A musical form of drama, originating in Italy, set to music. In an opera, most or all of the text is sung, using musical forms such as arias, songs, recitatives, duets, and choruses, with instrumental accompaniment. A few of the various subcategories of opera include heroic or grand opera, comedy opera and comic opera. Symphony A symphony is an extended composition for orchestra and is often comprised of three to five movements. Music for the Plucking : NPR Music for the Plucking Embed Embed Miles Hoffman's Perfect Thanksgiving Plucking Primer Music for the Plucking Embed Embed Heard on Morning Edition Miles Hoffman Miles Hoffman demonstrates proper "plucking" on his viola in NPR's Studio 2A. Avie Schneider, NPR Online hide caption toggle caption Avie Schneider, NPR Online The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621. The first known instance of a composer ordering up plucking violins came just three years later.

To musician and NPR cultural commentator Miles Hoffman, that's no coincidence. "A little too close, I think," Hoffman tells Morning Edition's Bob Edwards. "You think this is an accident? No, this is not. The Pilgrims had something to do with it." This Thanksgiving, Hoffman stops by NPR's Studio 2A to demonstrate "plucking" on his viola and to offer musical samples of the technique. "This is for people who prepare their turkeys from scratch, who actually pluck their turkeys," Hoffman quips. "See, this is plucking music." Musical Excerpts Heard in this Story 1. "Plink, Plank, Plunk," Leroy Anderson, composer. Leonard Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, RCA Victor. 2. "2nd Movement of String Quartet in F Major" by Maurice Ravel, Juilliard String Quartet, Sony Classics. 3. (Harp solo) "Whirlwind," from Five Preludes for Harp by Carlos Salzedo. Harpist: Mariko Anraku, EMI Classics. 4. "Caprice No. 24" by Niccolo Paganini, Performer: Midori, CBS Records. 5.

"Adams County Breakdown," Johnson Mountain Boys, from Blue Ribbon Banjo, EasyDisc Records. Pizzicato Below is the lowdown on the musical plucking technique known as pizzicato, from The NPR Classical Music Companion by Miles Hoffman: Article continues after sponsorship Pizzicato is the Italian word for "plucked." To play pizzicato on a stringed instrument (such as the violin, viola, cello, or double bass) means to make the notes sound by plucking the strings with the fingers rather than by using the bow. The word may be used as an adjective, as in "Those notes should be pizzicato"; as an adverb, as in "Those notes should be played pizzicato"; or as a noun, as in the name for the technique itself. The term is not associated with instruments that are always plucked, such as the harp and the guitar. To play pizzicato, the player generally uses the index finger (and sometimes the middle finger or thumb) of the right hand, the hand that holds the bow.

For extended pizzicato passages it's sometimes convenient to put down the bow, but usually the player keeps it in his hand while plucking. Pizzicato passages may be fast or slow, loud or soft. In addition, the player can produce different kinds of sounds by varying the specific manner in which he plucks the strings. Plucking with the fingernail, for example, will give a sound that is much harder, or "nastier," than plucking with the fleshy part of the fingertip, and plucking at different points along the string will cause the string to resonate in different ways. A stiff finger versus a flexible finger will also change the sound, and even the direction or manner of follow-through will have an effect. In the nineteenth century, as part of his ongoing commitment to violinistic R and D — razzle and dazzle — the Italian virtuoso violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) developed the technique of left-hand pizzicato. This technique requires simultaneous fingering and plucking of notes with the left hand, and usually involves throwing in bowed notes in rapid alternation with those that are plucked.

The twentieth-century composer Bela Bartok (1881-1945) was the first composer to call for a "snap" pizzicato, so named because the string is plucked so violently that it snaps back against the fingerboard. A snap pizzicato is sometimes called a "Bartok" pizzicato. Composers since the Baroque period (ca. 1600-1750) have used pizzicato to provide color and contrast in their works. And they've used it often, whether for gentle accompaniments to arias or instrumental melodies (sometimes in imitation of a guitar or harp), resonant countermelodies or rhythmic punctuations, percussive effects, or flashy displays. In his Fourth Symphony, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) included one movement where the strings play only pizzicato for the entire movement, and the effect is extraordinary. A word on notation: Pizzicato is one Italian musical term that is never translated. When a composer wants a note or notes plucked, the universal indication is the abbreviation pizz.

And how does the performer know when to resume playing with the bow? Again, the Italian indication is universal: arco, meaning "bow." From The NPR Classical Music Companion by Miles Hoffman, copyright 1997 by Miles Hoffman and National Public Radio. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Glossary of Musical Terms Glossary of Musical Terms One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment. Accelerando - A symbol used in musical notation indicating to gradually quicken tempo. Accessible - Music that is easy to listen to and understand. Adagio - A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease. Allegro - A direction to play lively and fast. Atonal - Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key. Baroque - Time in music history ranging from the middle of the 16th to the middle of the 17th centuries. Characterized by emotional, flowery music; written in strict form. Beat - The unit of musical rhythm. Cadence - A sequence of chords that brings an end to a phrase, either in the middle or the end of a composition.

Cadenza - Initially an improvised cadence by a soloist; later becoming an elaborate and written out passage in an aria or concerto, featuring the skills of an instrumentalist or vocalist. Cadenza - Originally an improvised cadence by a soloist. Later it became a written out passage to display performance skills of an instrumentalist or performer. Canon - A musical form where the melody or tune is imitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds, backwards, or inverted. Cantabile - A style of singing which is characterized by the easy and flowing tone of the composition. Cantata - Music written for chorus and orchestra. Most often religious in nature. Capriccio - A quick, improvisational, spirited piece of music. Carol - A song or hymn celebrating Christmas. Castrato - Male singers who were castrated to preserve their alto and soprano vocal range. Cavatina - A short and simple melody performed by a soloist that is part of a larger piece. Chamber music - Written for 2 to 10 solo parts featuring one instrument to a part. Each part bears the same importance.

Chant - Singing in unison, texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech. Choir - Group of singers in a chorus. Chorale - A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison. Chord - 3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony. Chord progression - A string of chords played in succession. Chorus - A group singing in unison. Chromatic scale - Includes all twelve notes of an octave. Classical - The period of music history which dates from the mid 1700s to mid 1800s. The music was spare and emotionally reserved, especially when compared to Romantic and Boroque music. Classicism - The period of music history which dates from the mid 1800s and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance. Clavier - The keyboard of a stringed instrument. Clef - In sheet music, a symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that particular staff. Coda - Closing section of a movement. Concert master - The first violin in an orchestra. Concerto - A composition written for a solo instrument.

The soloist plays the melody while the orchestra plays the accompaniment. Conductor - One who directs a group of performers. The conductor indicates the tempo, phrasing, dynamics, and style by gestures and facial expressions. Consonance - Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord. Contralto - Two or three melodic lines played at the same time. Courante - A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance. Da Capo - In sheet music, an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord. Deceptive cadence - A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not. Development - Where the musical themes and melodies are developed, written in sonata form. Dissonance - Harsh, discordant, and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord. Drone - Dull, monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody. Duet - A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists. Dynamics - Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition.

Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume. Elegy - An instrumental lament with praise for the dead. Encore - A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance, shown by continuous applause. Energico - A symbol in sheet music a direction to play energetically. Enharmonic Interval - Two notes that differ in name only. The notes occupy the same position. For example: C sharp and D flat. Ensemble - The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus. Espressivo - A direction to play expressively. Etude - A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest. Exposition - The first section of a movement written in sonata form, introducing the melodies and themes. Expressionism - Atonal and violent style used as a means of evoking heightened emotions and states of mind. Falsetto - A style of male singing where by partial use of the vocal chords, the voice is able to reach the pitch of a female. Fermata - To hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer. Fifth - The interval between two notes.

Three whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes. Finale - Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition. Flat - A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone. Form - The structure of a piece of music. Forte - A symbol indicating to play loud. Fourth - The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes. Fugue - A composition written for three to six voices. Beginning with the exposition, each voice enters at different times, creating counterpoint with one another. Galliard - Music written for a lively French dance for two performers written in triple time. Gavotte - A 17th century dance written in Quadruple time, always beginning on the third beat of the measure. Glee - Vocal composition written for three or more solo parts, usually without instrumental accompaniment. Glissando - Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly. Grave - Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious. Grazioso - Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.

Gregorian Chant - Singing or chanting in unison without strict rhythm. Collected during the Reign of Pope Gregory VIII for psalms and other other parts of the church service. Harmony - Pleasing combination of two or three tones played together in the background while a melody is being played. Harmony also refers to the study of chord progressions. Homophony - Music written to be sung or played in unison. Hymn - A song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God. Impromptu - A short piano piece, often improvisational and intimate in character. Instrumentation - Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments. Interlude - Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera. Intermezzo - Short movement or interlude connecting the main parts of the composition. Interpretation - The expression the performer brings when playing his instrument. Interval - The distance in pitch between two notes. Intonation - The manner in which tones are produced with regard to pitch. Introduction - The opening section of a piece of music or movement. Key - System of notes or tones based on and named after the key note.

Key signature - The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key of music the piece is to be played. Klangfarbenmelodie - The technique of altering the tone color of a single note or musical line by changing from one instrument to another in the middle of a note or line. Leading note - The seventh note of the scale where there is a strong desire to resolve on the tonic. Legato - Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly. Leitmotif - A musical theme given to a particular idea or main character of an opera. Libretto - A book of text containing the words of an opera. Ligature - Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase. Madrigal - A contrapuntal song written for at least three voices, usually without accompaniment. Maestro - Refers to any great composer, conductor, or teacher of music. Major - One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character. March - A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.

Measure - The unit of measure where the beats on the lines of the staff are divided up into two, three, four beats to a measure. Medley - Often used in overtures, a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety. Mezzo - The voice between soprano and alto. Also, in sheet music, a direction for the tempo to be played at medium speed. Minor - One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark, melancholic mood. Minuet - Slow and stately dance music written in triple time. Modes - Either of the two octave arrangements in modern music. The modes are either major or minor. Modulation - To shift to another key. Monotone - Repetition of a single tone. Motif - Primary theme or subject that is developed. Movement - A separate section of a larger composition. Musette - A Boroque dance with a drone-bass. Musicology - The study of forms, history, science, and methods of music. Natural - A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished. Neoclassical - Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.

Nocturne - A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations. Nonet - A composition written for nine instruments. Notation - First developed in the 8th century, methods of writing music. Obbligato - An extended solo, often accompanying the vocal part of an aria. Octave - Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends. Octet - A composition written for eight instruments. Opera - A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken. Operetta - A short light musical drama. Opus - Convenient method of numbering a composers works where a number follows the word opus. For example, Opus 28, No. 4. Oratorio - An extended cantata on a sacred subject. Orchestra - A large group of instrumentalists playing together. Orchestration - Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also, the study of music. Ornaments - Tones used to embellish the principal melodic tone. Ostinato - A composition whose style is simple and idyllic; suggestive of rural scenes. Pentatonic Scale - A musical scale having five notes.

For example: the five black keys of a keyboard make up a pentatonic scale. Phrase - A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence. Piano - An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a p. Pitch - The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds. Pizzicato - String instruments that are picked instead of bowed. Polyphony - Combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint. Polytonality - Combination of two or more keys being played at the same time. Portamento - A mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect. Prelude - A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work, also an orchestral introduction to opera, however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture. Presto - A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast. Progression - The movement of chords in succession. Quadrille - A 19th century square dance written for 4 couples. Quartet - A set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts. Quintet - A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.

Recapitulation - A solo concert with or without accompaniment. Recitative - A form of writing for vocals that is close to the manner of speech and is rhythmically free. Reed - The piece of cane in wind instruments. The players cause vibrations by blowing through it in order to produce sound. Refrain - A repeating phrase that is played at the end of each verse in the song. Register - A portion of the range of the instrument or voice. Relative major and minor - The major and minor keys that share the same notes in that key. For example: A minor shares the same note as C major. Relative pitch - Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it. Renaissance - A period in history dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. This period signified the rebirth of music, art, and literature. Reprise - To repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played. Requiem - A dirge, hymn, or musical service for the repose of the dead.

Resonance - When several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches, all strings vibrate when only one of the strings is struck. Rhythm - The element of music pertaining to time, played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats. Ricercar - Elaborate polyphonic composition of the Boroque and Renaissance periods. Rigaudon - A quick 20th century dance written in double time. Rococo - A musical style characterized as excessive, ornamental, and trivial. Romantic - A period in history during the 18th and early 19th centuries where the focus shifted from the neoclassical style to an emotional, expressive, and imaginative style. Rondo - A musical form where the principal theme is repeated several times. The rondo was often used for the final movements of classical sonata form works. Root - The principal note of a triad. Round - A canon where the melody is sung in two or more voices. After the first voice begins, the next voice starts singing after a couple of measures are played in the preceding voice. All parts repeat continuously. Rubato - An important characteristic of the Romantic period.

It is a style where the strict tempo is temporarily abandoned for a more emotional tone. Scale - Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending. Scherzo - Pertaining to the sonata form, a fast movement in triple time. Scordatura - The retuning of a stringed instrument in order to play notes below the ordinary range of the instrument or to produce an usual tone color. Septet - A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts. Sequence - A successive transposition and repetition of a phrase at different pitches. Serenade - A lighthearted piece, written in several movements, usually as background music for a social function. Sextet - A set of six musicians who perform a composition written for six parts. Sharp - A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone. Slide - A glissando or portamento. Also refers to the moving part of a trombone. Slur - Short detached notes, as opposed to legato. Staff - Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.

Stretto - Pertaining to the fugue, the overlapping of the same theme or motif by two or more voices a few beats apart. String Quartet - A group of 4 instruments, two violins, a viola, and cello. Suite - A loose collection of instrumental compositions. Symphony - Three to four movement orchestral piece, generally in sonata form. System - A combination of two or more staves on which all the notes are vertically aligned and performed simultaneously in differing registers and instruments. Tablature - A system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions. Temperament - Refers to the tuning of an instrument. Tempo - The range of an instrumental or a vocal part. Theme - A melodic or, sometimes a harmonic idea presented in a musical form. Timbre - Tone color, quality of sound that distinguishes one verse or instrument to another. It is determined by the harmonies of sound. Time Signature - A numeric symbol in sheet music determining the number of beats to a measure. Tonal - Pertains to tone or tones. Tonality - The tonal characteristics determined by the relationship of the notes to the tone.

Tone - The intonation, pitch, and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning, feeling, or attitude of the music. Tone less - The first tone of a scale also known as a keynote. Treble - The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing. Tremolo - Quick repetition of the same note or the rapid alternation between two notes. Triad - Three note chords consisting of a root, third, and fifth. Trill - Rapid alternation between notes that are a half tone or whole tone apart. Trio - A composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three persons. Time signature with three beats to the measure. Triplet - Three notes played in the same amount of time as one or two beats. Tritone - A chord comprised of three whole tones resulting in an augmented fourth or diminished fifth. Tune - A rhythmic succession of musical tones, a melody for instruments and voices. Tuning - The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note. Tutti - Passage for the entire ensemble or orchestra without a soloist. Twelve-tone music - Music composed such that each note is used the same number of times.

Unison - Two or more voices or instruments playing the same note simultaneously. Verismo - A form of Italian opera beginning at the end of the 19th century. The setting is contemporary to the composers own time, and the characters are modeled after every day life. Vibrato - Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes. Virtuoso - A person with notable technical skill in the performance of music. Vivace - Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk, lively, and spirited manner. Voice - One of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice. Waltz - A dance written in triple time, where the accent falls on the first beat of each measure. Whole note - A whole note is equal to 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, etc. Whole-tone scale - Violin Online - Violin Basics - Music Glossary Grandioso Play with majestic grandeur. Grave Play in a slow and solemn manner. Harmonics Harmonics are overtones of the string and produce soft flutelike sounds when the string is lightly touched at specific fractional divisions (nodal points).

Natural harmonics are produced on open strings, and artificial or stopped harmonics are produced on stopped strings. Harmony Harmony is created when pitches are combined simultaneously. Homophonic A form of musical texture with a melody and chordal accompaniment. Hornpipe A lively British dance, popular during the 16th–18th centuries. The country dance version of the hornpipe was similar to the jig, but with a different meter (often in 3/2). Composers frequently used the lively country dance rhythm of the hornpipe dance for movements in dance suites and incidental theater music. Other meters used in the hornpipe dance were 2/4 and 4/4. Impressionism Impressionism began as an artistic movement, and was used to describe a style of art which was designed to convey an impression rather than a literal depiction of the scene. This term was applied to music, particularly to compositions written by French composers in the early 20th century such as Debussy and Ravel when they wrote music that sought to convey subtle impressions, moods and emotions through compositional techniques such as new chord combinations, sonorities and harmonies, colorful instrumentation, and exotic scales.

Incidental music Music supplementing a spoken drama such as music composed for a play. Incidental music could be introducing a play (such as an overture), between acts (an interlude), or as a supplement to spoken parts or dramatic elements. Jeté Jeté means "thrown" in French. In this bow stroke, the bow is thrown on the string, and then bounces for several notes in the same bow direction. The height and speed of the bounce are regulated through factors such as the amount of pressure used by the index finger, and where the bow is initially thrown or placed. Dots above or under the notes may be used to indicate jeté. Largamente Play with a large, broad and sustained tone. Larghetto Slightly faster than largo, larghetto is a similarly broad, large and stately tempo and style. Largo A broad, slow tempo that is dignified and stately in style. Largo is the slowest of tempo markings. Legato Legato indicates the notes should be smoothly connected, played either in one or several bows. Slurs are often used to indicate legato. Lento Lento means slow in Italian (lent in French).

Lento and lent are both slow tempos in between largo and andante. Louré Louré strokes are a short series of gently pulsed legato notes executed in one bow stroke (it is also known as portato). Madrigal A madrigal is an Italian song form, often with Italian text. It is a short work in one movement, sung by a small group of vocalists. Madrigal texts were often set to music using word painting (where the melody would follow the line of the text, e.g. waterfall would have music in the contour of falling water). Maestoso Majestic and dignified. Marcato An Italian term which means marked or accentuated. Martelé Martelé is a French term meaning hammered. Each note is percussive, and commences with a sharp accent or "pinch" at the beginning of the note, followed by a quick release. Martelé may be notated in more than one way: with dots, hammer heads or accents. Mass The Mass is the principal act of worship of the Catholic Church. As a vocal form, the Mass has been used in almost all periods of music history. It has two basic parts—the Proper and the Ordinary.

Sections of the Mass that vary from day to day in each musical service are called the Proper. The Ordinary of the Mass consists of sections that are constant for every Mass. The fixed order of the Ordinary of the Mass is 1) Kyrie, 2) Gloria, 3) Credo, 4) Sanctus, and 5) Agnus Dei. The text of the Mass is given either as a Low Mass or High Mass. A Low Mass involves spoken text, while a High Mass is sung. Meno Meno means less. It often is used with other terms such as meno mosso (less rapid or less motion). Meter The grouping of beats in stressed and unstressed patterns. Mezzo forte Moderately loud. Mezzo forte is indicated by the marking: mf Mezzo piano Moderately soft. Mezzo piano is indicated by the marking: mp Mode Modes are often used to structure the melody or tonality of a piece, and are comprised of notes arranged in a specific scale or pattern of intervals. Moderato Moderato means to play at a moderate tempo or speed. This term sometimes modifies others such as Allegro moderato, which means moderately fast.

Modo ordinario Modo means "manner" or "style" and ordinario means ordinary. Modo ordinario means play in the ordinary way (often used after an unusual way of playing such as col legno). Monophony Monophony is a musical texture for a single melodic line without any accompaniment or other melodic lines. Mosso Mosso means moved. When used alone as a tempo term, the meaning of mosso is similar to con moto: with motion. Mosso is sometimes used with other qualifying terms such as piu mosso, meaning a little faster (more motion). Motet Motet generally means a vocal piece with sacred text, musically composed in the style of the period. During the 13th-15th centuries, motets were sacred, unaccompanied choral works, often based on a preexisting melody and text. New melodies were then added to the preexisting melody, usually in counterpoint. Beginning in the 16th century, the preexisting melody frequently was secular. Motive A short melodic or rhythmic idea that recurs throughout a musical composition. Moto Moto means motion. It is often used with other terms such as con moto (with motion).

Multiple stops Multiple stops describe chords played on a stringed instruments. For example, double stops describe playing notes simultaneously on two strings, and triple stops mean playing notes simultaneously on three strings. Muted A direction for the musician to play with a mute. For string players, mutes are small clamps of wood, metal, rubber, leather or plastic, which fit onto the bridge and result in a softer, muted sound with a veiled quality. To mute something is also indicated by the Italian term con sordino or the German term mit dampfer. The terms arco (bow), via sordini (take off mute) and senza sordino (without mute) are used to indicate when the muted section ends and the musician should resume playing with a bow. Notation The writing down of musical notes and symbols to represent pitch, rhythm, and melodies. Office The regular round of prayer and worship in monastic communities. Opera A musical form of drama, originating in Italy, set to music. In an opera, most or all of the text is sung, using musical forms such as arias, songs, recitatives, duets, and choruses, with instrumental accompaniment.

A few of the various subcategories of opera include heroic or grand opera, comedy opera and comic opera. Oral tradition Oral tradition means that music is passed down from one musician to another orally, instead of through notated music. Oratorio An oratorio is a large musical work, generally based on a sacred text or religious topic, with soloists, chorus and orchestra. Although many musical elements of an oratorio are similar to opera, no costumes, sets or acting are used, and oratorios are usually performed as a concert. Ordinario Ordinario or ord. means ordinary, and is used to indicate a return to ordinary playing after playing a special effect such as col legno or sul ponticello. Ostinato Ostinato means "obstinate" in Italian. An ostinato is a short musical pattern, e.g. a melodic, rhythmic or harmonic figure, persistently repeated throughout a composition. A melodic pattern set in the bass is called basso ostinato (and is also known as ground bass). Patronage A system of employment for musicians whereby a composer agreed to exclusive employment under the auspices of a patron. Patrons often were wealthy aristocrats or the church.

Phrase A musical idea or passage of music that is short, continuous and unbroken; similar to a musical sentence. Pianissimo Very soft. Pianissimo is indicated by the marking: pp Pianississimo As soft as possible. Pianississimo is indicated by the marking: ppp Piano Soft. Piano is indicated by the marking: p Pitch Pitch is the relative "highness" or "lowness" of a sound when compared with other notes. It can also indicate an absolute fixed position in a range of musical notes (e.g. the pitch "middle C"). Piu More. Pizzicato Pizzicato (pizz.) is a term that means the string is plucked with the finger instead of being bowed. Plainchant Also known as plainsong, chant or Gregorian Chant. Plainchant is a single melody, sung in unison by a soloist or choir, often using Latin words and a liturgical text. Poco Poco means "little" or slightly. A poco a poco means little by little or gradually. Poco modifies other terms when added to them such as poco diminuendo, meaning to become slightly softer.

Polyphony Polyphony is a form of musical texture with several interdependent, overlapping melodic lines. Portamento Portamento is an expressive device, and is a slide from one pitch to another. Prelude A prelude is a piece which often serves as a musical introduction or prelude to a larger musical work (it sometimes is a short, independent instrumental piece in one movement). Presto A fast, rapid and lively tempo, faster than allegro. Program music Instrumental music which represents extra-musical concepts such as emotions, scenes or events through the music, not through words. It is also sometimes called descriptive music. Punta d’arco Punta d’arco is a bowing direction to bow at the point or tip of the bow (punta means point, and arco means bow). Quasi Quasi means "as if," "almost," or "nearly." It is often used to modify terms e.g. allegretto quasi andantino, meaning an allegretto tempo almost at an andantino tempo. Rallentando Rallentando means gradually becoming slower. It also is abbreviated as rall.

Recitative A speechlike, declamatory form of singing used in vocal works such as operas, oratorios, and cantatas. Recitatives are often characterized by rhythmic freedom. Religioso Play in a devotional or religious style. Repeat Signs. A double bar with two dots is a repeat marking, and indicates the music in between the repeat signs should be repeated. If there is only one repeat sign with the dots facing to the left, go back to the beginning and play the entire section of music again (for more repeat sign variations, see Da capo, da segno, D.C. al Fine, D.C. al Coda, and first and second endings). Requiem A Requiem Mass is a Mass for the dead. Ricochet Ricochet is a bow stroke where the bow is dropped on the string and rebounds (bounces) on the string for several notes in the same bow direction. Riff A riff is a short, repeated melodic pattern, and is often used in jazz. Risoluto Resolutely; play in a resolute and decisive manner. Ritardando Gradually become slower and slower (the same meaning as rallentando). Ritardando is often abbreviated as rit.

Rondeau A French musical term used during the Baroque era to describe a musical composition with a main section or theme which alternates with subsidiary sections or themes. This musical form was later expanded during the Classical era to become the musical form Rondo. Rubato Rubato means "robbed." It refers to a temporary robbing of time by either slowing or speeding the tempo or rhythmic value of notes in a passage of music. Sautillé Sautillé is a fast, bouncing or springing stroke in which the bow naturally bounces off of the string, producing a lighter, more rapid, and less percussive sound than spiccato. Scale An ascending or descending arrangement of pitches. Scherzo The term scherzo literally means "joke." In music, it is used to either describe an instrumental piece with a light, humorous character, or the second or third movement of a symphony or quartet (in place of the minuet). Scherzos often have a quick triple meter, a vigorous rhythm and a sharply contrasting harmony. Scordatura Scordatura means abnormal tuning, and indicates one or more strings should be tuned higher or lower than usual (specific tuning directions for the new pitches are generally provided). Semplice Simply.

Semplice means to perform in a simple, unadorned, natural manner. Sforzando Sforzando means forced or accented, and is usually attached to a single note or chord. It generally indicates the note should be played loudly with a sudden, accented emphasis, and is indicated by the marking: sfz Simile In a similar manner. Simile is often used to indicate a passage of music should be performed in the same manner as a preceding section. Slur A slur is a curved line grouping notes together, and means the notes included in the slur should be played in the same bow . Unless otherwise indicated, notes in the slur should be played legato (smoothly). When slurs are used with dots over or under the notes, this indicates a slight separation should be used between the notes (the terms slurred staccato or dotted slurs are often used to describe this technique). When a slur is placed between two notes with the same pitch, this is called a "tie" and the two notes are played in one bow for the duration of both notes.

Sonata The word sonata comes from the Italian word sonore, meaning "to be played" (as opposed to cantata, a vocal work which means "to be sung"). A sonata is an instrumental form of music, and describes a multi-movement work for an instrument, often with accompaniment. The term has had varied meanings during different music eras, and during the Baroque period, the trio sonata was one of the most popular forms of sonata (often for two violins and continuo). During the Classical period, sonata came to mean a multi-movement work for a solo instrument with piano accompaniment, or piano alone. Sonata form Sonata form is often used in the first movement in multi-movement works such as symphonies. It consists of an exposition section, followed by a development section, and concludes with a recapitulation. Spiccato Spiccato is an off-the-string, controlled bouncing bow stroke which produces a crisp sound and very short notes. It is the slowest of the bouncing strokes. Dots above or under the notes may be used to indicate spiccato.

Staccato Staccato indicates the bow should remain on the string to play shortened and detached notes, distinctly separate from successive notes. Staccato is sometimes used with slurs (slurred staccato) for a series of short, stopped notes played in the same up or down bow (many violinists perform slurred staccato as a series of slurred martelé strokes). String Quartet A string quartet is a composition for four stringed instruments: two violins, a viola and a cello. String quartet music generally is composed in a multi-movement form. The term string quartet is also used to describe a performance group comprised of four stringed instruments. Suite A suite may be described as a collection of pieces, put together in an ordered manner. During the Baroque era, pieces in a suite were often dance forms such as: prelude, allemande, courante, saraband, gigue, bourre, gavotte, and minuet. After the Baroque era, suites were generally pieces extracted from a larger work such as The Nutcracker Suite, a compilation of pieces taken from the ballet The Nutcracker.

Sul Sul means "on the" or "near the." Sul is used in terms such as sul tasto (bow over or near the fingerboard), sul ponticello (bow near the bridge), or sul G (play on the G string and only the G string until otherwise indicated). In violin music, when only a specific string should be used for particular passages, sul is sometimes used with numerals such as sul IV to indicate only one string should be used (G, the fourth string, is indicated by the numeral IV, A is III, D is II and E is I). Sul ponticello Sul ponticello is a bowing direction to play with the bow near the bridge. The result is a glassy, whispery sound. Sul tasto Sul tasto is a bowing direction to bow over or near the fingerboard. The resulting sound is soft and flutelike (see flautando). Syllabic In vocal music, syllabic, neumatic and melismatic are terms used to indicate whether the syllables of the text are sung to a single note (syllabic), several notes (neumatic), or many notes per syllable (melismatic).

Symphonic Poem A symphonic poem is a programmatic orchestral work, often in one movement. It is also known as a tone poem. In a symphonic poem, extra musical ideas such as emotions, scenes or events, are expressed through the music, not through words. Symphony A symphony is an extended composition for orchestra and is often comprised of three to five movements. Syncopation Rhythmic patterns with unexpected accents. Syncopation is generally achieved by shifting the musical accent from a strong beat to a weak one. This results in an irregular feel to the rhythm. Tempo Tempo means the rate of speed or pace of the music. Tempo also may be used with other qualifying words such as "a tempo," meaning return to the original tempo or speed. Various tempo markings are used to indicate directions for the rate of speed such as andante (moderately slow) and allegro (fast). Metronome markings are another way to specify even more precisely the tempo of music e.g. = 60 means each quarter note should be played at the speed of 60 quarter notes per minute. Tempo di valse Play the music at the rate of speed or pace of a waltz.

Tenuto Tenuto means the note(s) should be played sustained or broadly, and held for its whole value. A line placed under or over the note is usually used to indicate tenuto: _. Theme A theme is the main musical subject of a composition such as a melody, phrase or short motive. Theme & variations A composition with a theme and variations of that theme. Tie When a slur is placed between two notes with the same pitch, this is called a "tie" and the two notes are played in one bow for the duration of both notes. Time Signature A sign or fraction placed at the beginning of a piece to show how many beats are in each measure. For example, a time signature of 3/4 indicates each measure contains three quarter notes. Tremolo Tremolo means rapidly repeating a single note or chord (see bowing chart for more details). Trill A trill ornaments a note, and is a rapid alternation between two pitches, usually a major or minor second above the note. The letters tr and a wavy symbol are used as trill markings. Accidentals are often used to indicate whether the trill is a major or minor trill.

Troppo Troppo means "too much." It is often used to modify other terms such as Adagio ma non troppo, meaning, slow but not too slow. Turn Turns are ornaments mainly used in 17th-19th century music, and generally indicate four notes should be played, encircling the notated note. The following symbol for a turn is placed above the note: . Twelve tone technique The twelve tone technique refers to a system where the composer arranges the twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a fixed order. This ordered sequence of the twelve notes is called a twelve-tone row or series that forms a unique melody. Composers using this method generally would not repeat any note in the tone row until the entire series of twelve notes had been heard. Variations to the tone row include mathematical approaches such as retrograde, inverted and transposed versions of the tone row. The twelve-tone technique was later called serialism, and continues to be used by some composers today. Up bow The sign for up-bow is and indicates an upward stroke of the bow from the point (or tip) to the frog (or nut).

Vibrato Vibrato for stringed instruments is similar to vocal vibrato—it is a slight and rapid fluctuation in pitch, and is used to add warmth and expression to music. There are three types of vibrato: finger, hand, arm or a combination of all three. Many violinists use a combination of finger and hand vibrato. This type of vibrato is produced by a back and forth rolling motion of the finger and hand on the string, resulting in the pitch being lowered and raised. Variations in the width and speed of the vibrato can produce a wide range of expression. Virtuoso Virtuoso means "exceptional performer" in Italian, and is used to describe a highly proficient, technically skilled performer. When the descriptive term virtuosic playing is used, it generally means the performer is playing difficult music in a highly skilled manner. Vivace Lively and brisk. As a tempo marking, vivace is often considered slightly faster than allegro. Waltz A dance in triple meter which was very popular during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Whole Bow Initials are sometimes used in music to indicate what part of the bow should be used: WB = Whole Bow; LH = Lower Half; UH = Upper Half; MB = Middle of the Bow. String Playing Techniques - Music Technology Musician Music Technology Musician Music Technology Musician String Playing Techniques The viola, cello and double bass are made in the same manner as the violin and produce sound in the same way. How the string instruments are played and the techniques that are used determines which musical effects they will produce. Pizzicato The musician plucks the string, usually ith a finger of the right hand. In jazz, the double bass (upright) is played as a plucked instrument rather than using a bow. Double Stop A double stop is created by drawing the bow across two strings which allows a string player to sound two notes at once. By rotating the bow rapidly across three strings, this creates a triple stop and four strings for a quadruple stop which will sound 3 or four notes together. Triple and quadruple stops are more difficult to play. Vibrato Vibrato is produced by the string player rocking the left hand while pressing the string down. This causes small pitch fluctuations which makes the tone warmer and more expressive.

Mute

Question: What is the musical term for a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of an instrument?
Answer: Pizzicato