Musical Glossary
The terms that appear on this list are taken directly from the Glossaries of Books 1 & 2 of the Standard Of Excellence Band Method Series. All band students in the Northglenn Band are required to know this information, and are tested on this information during the 1st semester of each school year. This list is the minimum musical vocabluary that any band student should have after two successful years of study on any musical instrument.
| Term | Symbol | Type | Definition |
| Natural | Accidental | A natural cancels a sharp or a flat. | |
| Tempo | Tempo is the speed of music. | ||
| Interval | An interval is the distance between two notes. Basic types of intervals are: Unison, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, Octave, 9th, etc. Intervals are then classified by counting the number of half steps between the notes, and labeled as either Major, Minor, Augmented, Diminished, or Perfect. Examples of intervals are: Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Augmented 6th, Diminished 5th |
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| Largo | Tempo | Largo means SLOW | |
| Common Time | Time Signature | Common Time is the same as 4/4 time. | |
| Fermata | Marking | Hold the note or rest longer than its usual value. | |
| Scale | A scale is a collection of pitches arranged from lowest to highest, or highest to lowest. | ||
| Piano | Dynamics | Piano means soft. | |
| Moderato | Tempo | Moderato means MODERATE SPEED | |
| Accent | Articulation | Attack the note louder. | |
| Accidentals | Marking | Sharp, Flat & Natural are ACCIDENTALS. There are also double flats and double sharps. | |
| Tie | Marking | A tie is a curved line that connects two notes of the SAME pitch. | |
| Tonic | The tonic is the name of the FIRST note of a scale, or a chord built on the FIRST note of the scale. | ||
| Tutti | Tutti means EVERYONE PLAYS | ||
| Unison | Unison means EVERYONE PLAYS THE SAME NOTES AND RHYTHMS. | ||
| Phrase | A phrase is a musical thought, or sentence. | ||
| Sharp | Accidental | A sharp raises the pitch 1/2 step. | |
| Soli | Soli means WHOLE SECTION PLAYS | ||
| Solo | Solo means ONE PERSON PLAYS | ||
| Divisi | Part of the section plays upper notes, while others play lower notes on the same line of music. | ||
| Andante | Tempo | Andante means MODERATELY SLOW | |
| Arpeggio | Notes of a chord played one at a time. | ||
| Double Bar | Marking | A double bar marks the end of the music. | |
| Flat | Accidental | A flat lowers the pitch 1/2 step. | |
| Dominant | - the FIFTH note of a scale, or a chord built on the FIFTH note of a scale. | ||
| Crescendo | Dynamics | - gradually play LOUDER. | |
| Chord | - two or more pitches sounding at the same time | ||
| Harmony | - two or more pitches played or sung at the same time | ||
| Forte | Dynamics | Forte means LOUD | |
| Dynamics | - loudness or softness in music. | ||
| Decrescendo | Dynamics | - gradually play SOFTER | |
| Da Capo (D.C.) Al Fine | Repeat Marking | - Go back to the beginning and play until the Fine | |
| Chromatic Scale | - a scale of all twelve half steps. | ||
| Key Signature | Marking | - sharps or flats stated right after the clef. | |
| Ledger Lines | Marking | - short lines used to extend the staff | |
| Bar Line | Marking | - divides the music into measures | |
| Ritardando | Tempo | - gradually slow the tempo | |
| Slur | Marking | - curved line that connects two or more notes of DIFFERENT pitches | |
| Time Signature | Marking | - top number tells the number of countis in each measure, bottom number tells the type of note that receives one beat. | |
| Pick-up Notes | - note or notes that come before the first full measure of music. | ||
| Mezzo Piano | Dynamic | medium soft | |
| Mezzo Forte | Dynamic | medium loud | |
| Allegro | Tempo | quick and lively | |
| Articulation | Marking | - type of attack used to play a note or group of notes The four basic articulations are:
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