Musical terms & defs

pitch

the highness or lowness of a sound; determined by the frequency of the sound waves

melody

a sequence of pitches that form a musical idea or theme

harmony

the simultaneous sounding of 2 or more pitches, creating chords and chord progression

rhythm

the organization of time and music, including the duration of notes and rests

tempo

the speed or pace of music

dynamics

the volume or intensity of music, often indicated by markings such as pp, p, mf, f, etc

timbre

the quality or tone color of a sound, which distinguishes different instruments or voices

texture

the relationship between different musical parts or voices in a composition

form

the overall structure or organization of a musical composition, including sections and their relationship to each other

key

tonal center of a piece of music, determined by the specific combinations of pitches and intervals

chord

2 or more pitches played simultaneously or in succession

scale

a series of pitches ordered by their interval relationships, often used as the foundation for melodies and harmonies

cadence

a melodic or harmonic progression that signals the end of a phrase, section, or piece

notation

the system of writing or representing music using musical symbols, such as notes, rests, clefs, and time signatures

conductor

the person who leads and directs an ensemble, such as an orchestra or choir

ensemble

a group of musicians who perform together

solo

a musical performance by a single performer

counterpart

the combination of independent melodic lines that create harmonies when heard together

articulation

the way in which notes are played or sung, including techniques such as leg, staccato, or accentuated