GLOSSARY

Music is organised sound but still, not every audible sound is considered music.
In order to transform sound in music, one needs to give it identity, an organisation.

1. THE PROPERTIES OF SOUND

PITCH —> frequency, determines a change in intonation.

TONE —> sound with definite pitch

Tone synonyms: musical note; key

SCALE —> organised set of progressive tones

FLAT —> bemolle

SHARP —> diesis

KEY —> every scale has its own (“tonalità”)

KEY SIGNATURE —> where flats and sharps are found, “armatura di chiave”

STAFF —> rigo musicale

CLEF —> chiave

TREBLE CLEF —> chiave di violino

BASS CLEF —> chiave di basso

TIMBRE —> tone colour

Timbre synonym: tone colour

INTENSITY —> dynamics

Measured by dynamics markings, put under the note to indicate the level of soft or
loud the composer wants the instruments to achieve.
Expressed with Italian words (mf, f, ff, mp, p etc.)

In order to transform sound in music, one needs to give it identity, an organisation.

Organisation is based upon two factors: METER and RHYTHM.

RHYTHM —> result of a combination of beats

BEAT —> unit used to create patterns that, in repetition, determine the organisation
of the rhythtmical basis of a piece.

MEASURE —> contains the beat(s), “battuta”

Synonym for measure: bar

TIME SIGNATURE —> indicates how many beats must be counted in a measure
and how long each one of those lasts.

METER —> sequence of repetition of the same pattern of beats

DOWNBEAT —> first beat, strongest

UPBEAT —> last beat, weakest

SYNCOPATION —> series of accents misleading the metric organisation

TEMPO MARKING —> definition of the level of fast or slow

2. INSTRUMENTS’ FAMILIES

WOODWINDS —> made of wood, played by blowing the breath. Some are also
made of silver, gold or brass like the flutes or the saxophones.
Commonest woodwinds: piccolo flute, flutes, oboes + English horn, Clarinets (B
flat or A), bass clarinet in B flat, bassoons, contrabassoons or double bassoon,
saxophones

BRASS INSTRUMENTS —> made of brass, played with a mouthpiece. Placed

behind the woodwinds and next to the percussion sets.
Commonest brass instruments: French horns (F), piccolo trumpet, trumpets (C or
B flat), cornets (B flat or E flat), trombones, bass tuba (E flat or B flat).

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS —> organised in sets, one player plays only one
given group. Placed on the left or on the right of the stage. 

Percussion groups: 

1. DEFINITE PITCH PERCUSSIONS: timpani, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel,
glass harp, crotales, chimes, handbells etc.

2. NON-DEFINITE PITCH PERCUSSIONS: drums, toms, bongos, rototom,
castanets, gong, whip, cymbals, triangle etc.

PIANOS —> put together with percussion instruments with a keyboard. Sound
production = strings’ family; hammers hitting the strings = percussion instrument.
STRING INSTRUMENTS —> strings are normally plucked or played with a bow.

Commonest string instruments: violins, violas, violoncellos, contrabasses, harp.

VOICES —> cannot be classified as instruments, can be included in a full

orchestral score.
Commonest voices: sopranos, altos, tenors, basses.

3. NOTE’S SYMBOLS AND LENGHT

1.FLAG
2. STEM or LEG
3. HEAD (filled in or not filled in)

HEADLESS NOTE —> without an oval head, written with another symbol

DOT —> “punto”

TIE —> “legatura”

SEMIBREVIS / WHOLE NOTE

MINIM / HALF NOTE

CROTCHET / QUARTER NOTE




QUAVER / EIGHTH NOTE



DEMI-QUAVER / SIXTEENTH NOTE

SEMI-DEMI-QUAVER /THIRTYSECOND NOTE

BEAM —> horizontal line