Concert Band Final Exams Study Guide Vocab Words

1st and 2nd endings

Play through the piece to the repeat sign at the end of the first ending, then go back to the beginning and take the second ending.

8th note

Half beat in common time.

A tempo

Return to the original tempo.

Accelerando

Gradually faster.

Accidentals

Sharps, flats, or naturals NOT found in the key signature.

Adagio

Very slow.

Allegretto

Lively, but not too fast.

Allegro

Fast.

Andante

Medium slow, (walking tempo).

Andantino

Slightly faster than andante (slow).

Articulation

The style the notes are played.

Caesura (cut off)

To interrupt or stop suddenly.

Cantabile

In a singing style.

Chromatic scale

A scale ascending or descending in half steps.

Coda

A section added to a composition to form a conclusion or ending. The coda sign (target thingy) is used to indicate where the coda begins.

Common time

Another name for 4/4 time signature.

Con espressione

With expression.

Con moto

With motion.

Con spirito

With spirit.

Crescendo

Gradually louder.

Cut time

2/2 time.

Dal Segno (D.S.)

(Da Sign) Repeat from the sign and end at FINE.

Decrescendo

Gradually softer.

Dolce

Sweetly, softly.

Duet

Two people play.

Dynamics

How loud or soft the music is played.

Enharmonic tones

Notes that sound the same but are spelled differently.

Fermata

Means to hold for an extended period of time.

Forte (F)

Loud.

Fortepiano (FP)

Loud followed by immediately soft.

Fortissimo (FF)

Very loud.

Grave

Slow and solemn.

Half step

The smallest interval between two tones in western music.

Harmony

More than one pitch heard at the same time.

Interval

The distance between two pitches.

Key signature

One or more flats/sharps that appear at the beginning of the piece.

Legato

Smooth and connected.

Lento

Very slow.

Maestoso

Majestic, stately, grand.

Marcato

Marked, accented.

Measure repeat sign (%)

Play the preceding measure again.

Mezzo forte (MF)

Medium loud.

Mezzo piano (MP)

Medium soft.

Moderato

Moderately.

Molto

Much, very.

Multi-measure rest

When multiple measures of rest are represented by a bar with the number of measures on top.

Pianissimo (PP)

Very soft.

Piano (P)

Soft.

Presto

Very fast.

Quarter note/rest

One beat in common time.