Let’s Study Music Theory Together! Glossary of Musical Terms - Part 1

Musical terms are an essential part of music theory knowledge for performing an instrument.
The theme for this issue is to study these musical terms!
Understanding musical terms will deepen your comprehension of the music and undoubtedly lead to better performances.
So let’s get started! (*’▽’)

― What are musical terms? ―

They are terms found in sheet music that indicate dynamics, tempo, and expression.
Essentially, Italian is the primary language used for musical terms.
Musical terms can be broadly categorized as follows:

1. Terms Related to Dynamics
2. Terms Related to Tempo
3. Terms Added to Other Terms or Symbols
4. Terms Instructing Playing Techniques
5. Terms Related to Expression

You might feel overwhelmed by the number of terms to memorize, but the terms used in band music are limited. I have selected must-know musical terms for each category this time. Don’t worry, I’ll explain them too.

1. Terms Related to Dynamics

Terms you should know

This category should be the most familiar to you, right?

① [pp、p、mp、mf、f、ff]

Meanings: [very soft, soft, moderately soft, moderately loud, loud, very loud]

You might think, “What does ‘moderately’ mean?” but consider it as a rough guide. It may be easier to think of the volume balance in three levels (soft, medium, loud). In brass band music, volume balance is crucial. Don’t just think about your own volume; consider the overall balance with other instruments. For example, if the instrument playing the melody is overshadowed by the harmony instruments, the balance will be off.

② [crescendo、decrescendo]

Meanings: [gradually louder, gradually softer]

These terms can also be written as symbols, but they might be abbreviated as [cresc., decresc.], so remember this.

2. Terms Related to Tempo

① [Allegro、Moderato、Andante、Lento]

Meanings: [fast, moderate speed, slowly, slow]

These terms indicate the tempo of the piece and are usually written at the beginning of the sheet music or when a movement changes.

② [ritardando、accelerando、a tempo]

Meanings: [gradually slower, gradually faster, return to the original speed]

These terms indicate changes in tempo. Since they mean a different speed from the previous tempo, pay special attention. During ensemble practice, watch the conductor carefully to match the tempo.

Incidentally, the same tempo symbols with ♩＝● or ♪=● (● contains a number) indicate the metronome mark. This shows how many beats per minute the note ♩ or ♪ gets.

Ex.) ♩＝60
This means there are 60 quarter notes per minute. 60 beats per minute is one beat per second. Set the metronome to 60.
While there are general tempo indications, perceptions of tempo can change over time, so it’s best to check with your conductor.

3. Terms Added to Other Terms or Symbols

[assai、piu、poco]

Meanings: [very, more, a little]

These terms are added to other terms or symbols and only make sense when you understand the original terms. For example, [Lento assai] means [very slow] when ‘assai’ is added to ‘Lento’. Personally, I like [poco a poco] which means [little by little]. The reading ‘poco a poco’ sounds cute, doesn’t it?
This blog won’t cover how to pronounce these terms, but since they’re Italian, some can be tricky to pronounce.

That’s all for the first half. The musical terms introduced here are just a handful.
If this blog has piqued your interest in musical terms, please continue studying them on your own.

The second half of the blog will be published soon, so please read that as well! (^^♪

Lastly...
These are recommended products for brass band members available for purchase at Sound House:

NAKANO / CL-18N

These are cute musical note clips. These are used to clip your music to a file or stand to prevent it from blowing away. They are visually appealing and large enough to be handy to have one.
Please consider getting one!