Musical Terms

andante - rather slow, a walking pace.

apoyando - rest stroke.( classic guitar )

arpeggio - to play notes of a chord consecutively.

a tempo - in time.

da capo - return to the beginning.

da capo al fine - return to the beginning and play to the word "fine".

dal segno - repeat from the sign.

eight note - one half of a beat in 4/4 time.

fermata - a pause.

fine - the end.

forte - loud.

fortissimo - very loud.

glissando - in a gliding manner, slurred, to slide.

grazioso - gracefully.

hammer - to produce a new note by forcefully striking the string with the left hand.

harmonic - a chime like tone.

half note - receives 2 beats in 4/4 time.

largo - slow and broad.

legato - smoothly.

lento - slow.

moderato - a medium pace.

piano - soft.

prestissimo - as fast as possible.

presto - quickly.

pull-off - to produce a new note by forcefully removing a finger from the string.

quarter note - receives one beat in 4/4 time.

ritardando - gradually slow down.

rubato - without timing.

segue - merge into following passage.

simile - the same.

tacet - be silent.

tenuto - sustained.

tirando - free stroke ( classic guitar )

tremolo - rapid repetition of a note.

vibrato - to vary the pitch of a note with rapid movement of the left hand.

whole note - four beats in 4/4 time.