Randy Shackleton
Placing an accent on a usually un-accented beat Syncopation
Speed of a piece of music Tempo
Very short, detached Staccato
Smooth and connected Legato
Moderated walking tempo Andante
To sing unaccompanied A cappella
Gradually speed up Accelerando
Emphasis on one note or chord Accent
Brass instrument using valves to produce sound Trumpet
Accompanist One who accompanies a solo or group
Slow tempo Adagio
A tone which is 1/2 step higher than written Sharp
The bass size of the violin Cello
Theatrical performance by dancing Ballet
Lines through the music to indicate measure Bar lines
A stringed instrument with a long neck and a drum head Banjo
To indicate a group is to be divided Divisi
A tone which is 1/2 step lower than written Flat
To pronounce Enunciation
Meter indicated at the beginning of a piece of music Time Signature
Final Movement Finale
Bells having steel bars Glockenspiel
Chordal structure of a song Harmony
Stringed keyboard instrument where the strings are plucked Harspichord
An instrumental piece played in the middle of a song Interlude
The distance in pitch between two tones Interval
Singing or playing in tune Intonation
The highest part of a choral composition Treble Clef
The lowest part of a choral composition Bass Clef
Sharps or flats appearing at the beginning of a piece Key signature
Very slow tempo Largo
Short lines above and below the staff Ledger lines
Five horizontal lines music is written on Staff
The text of an opera Libretto
Percussion instruments with metal shakers Tambourine
Italian love song usually sung a capella Madrigal
Songs in a happy sounding mode Major Key
Songs in a sad sounding mode Minor Key
Instrument which chords are produced by strumming strings Auto Harp
Portable music instrument with folding billows Accordion
An African xylopone using wooden plates Marimba
The distance between two bar lines Measure
A Succession of musical tones Melody
Instrument having one or several reed pipes Bagpipe
An apparatus that sounds beats in a regular sequence Metronome
Half Mezzo
A French country dance Minuet
Change of key Modulation
Very Molto
Recitation of a text on an unchanged pitch Monotone
An unaccompanied choral composition based on a Latin text Motet
Short pattern that reoccurs throughout a composition Motif
The different sections of a large piece of music Movement
A device for softening or muffling the tone Mute
A note that is neither sharp or flat Natural
Music for eight voices Octet
A drama in which music is the essential factor Opera
Term used to indicate the chronological position of a song Opus
A musical production with a religious theme Oratorio
A large ensemble of instruments including string instruments Orchestra
A keyboard instrument operated by using both the hands and feet Organ
A phrase that is repeated throughout a composition Ostinato
Brass instrument using a slide to produce sound Trombone
Instruments that are sounded by shaking or striking Percussion
A division of the musical line, like a sentence Phrase
Soft Piano
Two Performers Duet
Three performers Trio
Four performers Quartet
Five performers Quintet
Six performers Sextet
Location of a musical sound in the tonal scale Pitch
A piece played at the conclusion of a service Postlude
A piece played prior to a service Prelude
Very fast Presto
A note receiving one beat Quarter note
A note receiving two beats Half note
A note receiving 4 counts Whole note
A note receiving a half of a count Eighth note
A thin piece of cane which is used to vibrate and produce sound Reed
Identical lines recurring at the end of a verse Refrain
The period of music from Romantic period
Repeat what is between the two signs with double bars and two dots Repeat
Repetition of a composition in a smaller form Reprise
The pulse of music Rhythm
Gradually slowing in tempo Ritardando
Performing a piece where different groups start at different times Round
Flexible tempo Rubato
Afro-Cuban dance style Rumba
Tonal material of music arranged in an order of rising and declining pitches Scale