Bernotas Bands Music Vocabulary

Front 1

Accidental

Back 1

A note marked with a sharp, flat, or natural sign.

Front 2

Piu Mosso

Back 2

More movement, quicken.

Front 3

Subdivide

Back 3

To divide a rhythm into smaller parts.

Front 4

Dynamics

Back 4

These symbols show how loud or quiet the music should be played.

Front 5

Syncopation

Back 5

When the accent of the music is shifted from the strong beat to the weaker beat.

Front 6

Enharmonic

Back 6

Two written pitches that look different but sound the same.

Front 7

Staccato

Back 7

Italian for "detached." Indicates that notes should be played with short, disconnected articulation.

Front 8

Legato

Back 8

Italian for "tied together." Indicates that notes should be played with smooth, connected articulation.

Front 9

Marcato

Back 9

Italian for "marked." Indicates that notes should be played louder, with detached articulation.

Front 10

Ritardando

(often abbreviated as "rit." or "ritard.")

Back 10

Indicates that the music should slow down gradually.

Front 11

Poco a poco

Back 11

Italian for "little by little." Indicates something should be done gradually.

Front 12

Crescendo
(often abbreviated as "cresc.")

Back 12

Italian, meaning "gradually becoming louder."

Front 13

Decrescendo

(often abbreviated as "decres.")

Back 13

Italian, meaning "gradually becoming quieter."

Front 14

Del Segno
(often abbreviated as "D.S.")

Back 14

Italian for "from the sign." Indicates the musician should return to play from where the "sign" (pictured here) is earlier in the music.

Front 15

Da Capo

(often abbreviated as "D.C")

Back 15

Italian for "from the head." Indicates the musician should return to play from the beginning of the piece.

Front 16

Fermata

Back 16

Indicates a note or rest should be held longer than normal. Exactly how much longer is up to the performer or conductor to decide.

Front 17

Cesura

(Sometimes referred to in jazz and pop music as "railroad tracks")

Back 17

A brief, silent pause during which the sense of time stops.

Front 18

Tutti

Back 18

Italian word meaning "all" or "together." Indicates the whole ensemble is playing rather than a soloist.

Front 19

A tempo

Back 19

Italian for "to the tempo." Indicates a return back to the original tempo after it has been altered in some way.

Front 20

Allegretto

Back 20

A moderately fast tempo marking (112-120 beats per minute). Not as fast as Allegro.

Front 21

Lento

Back 21

Tempo marking indicating a slow tempo of 45-50 beats per minute.

Front 22

Andante

Back 22

Tempo marking indicating a walking pace of 84-90 beats per minute.

Front 23

Molto

Back 23

Italian word for "very."

Front 24

Accelerando

Back 24

Indicates a gradual increase in speed.

Front 25

Subito

Back 25

Italian for "suddenly."

Front 26

Divisi

Back 26

Italian for "divided." Indicates where performers reading a single part begin reading two or more separate parts.

Front 27

Articulation

Back 27

Indicates how a note should be attacked, held and released.

Front 28

Accent

Back 28

Indicates a single note that should be played louder.