Artform / Symbols

The music symbols dictionary

627 symbols and terms a real score will throw at you, each explained in a sentence or two. Tap-to-ask inside the free score reader, or browse the whole language here.

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The stave · 25 terms

Ledger line Stave Bar line Double bar line Stem Beam Brace Bracket System Score

Note values · 18 terms

Semibreve Minim Crotchet Quaver Semiquaver Dotted note Tie Triplet Breve Demisemiquaver

Rests · 10 terms

Semibreve rest Minim rest Crotchet rest Quaver rest Breve rest Semiquaver rest Demisemiquaver rest Dotted rest Multi-bar rest Whole bar rest

Time signatures · 17 terms

Four-four Three-four Six-eight Cut common Pickup bar Two-four Two-two Three-eight Nine-eight Twelve-eight

Clefs · 9 terms

Treble clef Bass clef Grand staff Middle C Alto clef Tenor clef Octave clef Percussion clef Transposing instrument

Accidentals · 10 terms

Sharp Flat Natural Double sharp Key signature Double flat Courtesy accidental Order of sharps Order of flats Accidental duration

Dynamics · 18 terms

pianississimo pianissimo piano mezzo piano mezzo forte forte fortissimo fortississimo sforzando forte piano

Articulation · 23 terms

Slur legato staccato tenuto marcato Leggiero Pesante Legatissimo Staccatissimo Portato

Ornaments · 9 terms

Trill Mordent Turn Grace note Upper mordent Acciaccatura Appoggiatura Arpeggiate Tremolo

Tempo · 69 terms

Grave Largo Larghetto Adagio Andante Andantino Moderato Allegro Allegretto Vivace

Rhythm · 23 terms

Beat Pulse Metre Simple time Compound time Syncopation Swing Hemiola Duplet Tuplet

Expression · 113 terms

dolce espressivo cantabile sostenuto tranquillo grazioso maestoso con moto Doux Léger

Qualifiers · 45 terms

sempre poco a poco poco subito molto ma non troppo simile En dehors Peu à peu Sans

Repeats · 17 terms

Repeat barline First and second time bars Da capo Dal segno Coda Fine Segno D.C. al Fine D.S.Attacca

Pedal and range · 7 terms

8va Sustain pedal Ottava Loco Pedal mark Damper Hand crossing

Technique · 40 terms

Con pedale Senza pedale Tre corde Una corda Mano destra Mano sinistra Arpeggiando Tremolando Glissando Pizzicato

Intervals · 26 terms

Interval Semitone Tone Unison Major third Minor third Perfect fourth Tritone Perfect fifth Major sixth

Scales and keys · 38 terms

Major scale Natural minor Harmonic minor Melodic minor Chromatic scale Pentatonic Whole tone scale Blues scale Tonic Dominant

Harmony · 58 terms

Chord Triad Root Third Fifth Major triad Minor triad Diminished triad Augmented triad Inversion

Form · 34 terms

Phrase Motif Theme Sequence Variation Binary form Ternary form Rondo Sonata form Exposition

Texture · 18 terms

Monophony Homophony Polyphony Counterpoint Imitation Canon Fugue Obbligato Heterophony Antiphony