ABRSM Music Theory Grades 1-8: Terms, Signs and Instruments

A tempo

At the original speed (It)

Accelerando

Gradually getting faster (It)

Adagio

Slowly (It)

Allegretto

Fairly quickly (It)

Allegro

Quickly (It)

Andante

At a walking pace, at a medium speed (It)

Cantabile

In a singing style (It)

Crescendo

Gradually getting louder (It)

Cresc.

Gradually getting louder (It abbreviation)

Da capo

Repeat from the beginning (It)

D.C.

Repeat from the beginning (It abbreviation)

Decrescendo

Gradually getting quieter (It)

Descresc.

Gradually getting quieter (It abbreviation)

Diminuendo

Gradually getting quieter (It)

Dim.

Gradually getting quieter (It abbreviation)

Dolce

Sweet (It)

f (dynamics)

Loud (It abbreviation)

Forte

Loud (It)

ff (dynamics)

Very loud (It abbreviation)

Fortissimo

Very loud (It)

Fine

The end (It)

Al fine

To the end (It)

Legato

Smoothly (It)

mf (dynamics)

Moderately loud (It abbreviation)

Mezzo forte

Moderately loud (It)

Moderato

Moderately, at a moderate speed (It)

mp (dynamics)

Moderately quiet (It abbreviation)

Mezzo piano

Moderately quiet (It)

p (dynamics)

Quiet (It abbreviation)

Piano (dynamics)

Quiet (It)

pp (dynamics)

Very quiet (It abbreviation)

Pianissimo

Very quiet (It)

Rallentando

Gradually getting slower (It)

Rall.

Gradually getting slower (It abbreviation)

Ritardando

Gradually getting slower (It)

Ritard.

Gradually getting slower (It abbreviation)

Rit.

Gradually getting slower OR Held back (It abbreviation)

Staccato

Short and detached (It)

Stacc.

Short and detached (It abbreviation)

Crescendo picture

Crescendo: gradually getting louder

Diminuendo: gradually getting quieter

Slur: play legato, smooth

Tie: the notes should be played as one, with a duration equal to the sum of the individual notes’ durations

Staccato: short and detached

Accent: play with a stronger attack/louder dynamic

Fermata/pause: hold the note or rest longer than its normal written value

Play 120 crotchets per minute

(with no other such signs in the piece)

Go back to the beginning and repeat everything up to this bar

(with music between the signs)

Repeat everything between the signs

Common time: 4/4, 4 crotchet beats per bar

Alla marcia

In the style of a march (It)

Allargando

Broadening, getting slower and often louder (It)

Con moto

With movement (It)

Con

With (It)

Col

With (It)

Dal segno

Repeat from the sign (It) Add picture

D.S.

Repeat from the sign (It abbreviation)

E

And (It)

Ed

And (It)

Espressivo

Expressive (It)

Espress.

Expressive (It abbreviation)

fp (dynamics)

Loud, then immediately soft (It abbreviation)

Fortepiano

Loud, then immediately soft (It)

Grave

Very slow and solemn (It)

Grazioso

Gracefully (It)

Largo

Slow and stately (It)

Lento

Slowly (It)

Ma

But (It)

Meno

Less (It)

Meno mosso

Less movement, slower (It)

Molto

Very (It)

Non troppo

Not too much (It)

Più

More (It)

Più mosso

More movement, faster (It)

Poco

Little (It)

Poco a poco

Little by little (It)

Presto

Fast (faster than allegro) (It)

Ritenuto

Held back (It)

Riten.

Held back (It abbreviation)

Senza

Without (It)

Vivace

Lively (It)

Vivo

Lively (It)

Strong accent: play with a even stronger attack/even louder dynamic

Semi-staccato: Slightly detached

Staccatissimo: Extremely short and detached

Tenuto: Play the note for its full length, with a slight pressure

Play the notes an octave higher than written

Play the notes an octave lower than written

Alla breve: 2/2, 2 minim beats per bar

Rest for 7 bars

Volta brackets: On the first pass, play the bars under the bracket labelled 1., then go back to the start of the repeated passage. On the second pass, skip to the bars under the bracket labelled 2. and continue from there.

Agitato

Agitated (It)

Andantino

Slightly faster than andante OR slightly slower than andante (It)

Animato

Animated, lively (It)

Ben

Well (It)

Con forza

With force (It)

Energico

Energetic (It)

Giocoso

Playful, merry (It)

Leggiero

Light (It)

Maestoso

Majestic (It)