Brief dictionary of musical concepts and terms in simple, understandable language, with examples

List of Musical Concepts and Terms

• B
• C
• I
• L
• M
• N
• P
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V

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B

Baroque

Baroque is a musical style that prevailed in Europe from the early 17th to the mid-18th century (approximately 1600–1750). It is characterized by expressiveness, sharp contrasts, rich sound, and melodies enhanced by distinctive performance techniques and interpretative variations. Baroque music features complex voice leading, a stable bass foundation (basso continuo), and a tradition of improvisation during performance. During this period, instrumental genres such as the suite, toccata, concerto, and fugue developed significantly. The style is associated with the works of Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and other prominent European composers.

C

Classical music

Classical music is a term used in several meanings:
1) Music from the Classical period (approximately 1750–1820), associated with composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. It is characterized by clarity of form, structural discipline, and established genres such as the symphony, sonata, concerto, and string quartet.
2) Western art music created from the 17th century to the present. It is distinguished by complex form, professional composition, written notation, genre structure, and performance by trained musicians. It includes both instrumental and vocal works and is primarily intended for concert performance.
3) Music regarded as artistically refined and enduring in value across generations. This includes works by great composers of various eras, regardless of style — for example, Bach (fugues, chorales), Tchaikovsky (ballets, symphonies), Chopin (piano miniatures), Verdi (operas), Rachmaninoff (concertos, romances), and others.
4) In everyday speech, “classical” is often used to refer to any “serious,” “traditional,” or simply older music that contrasts with contemporary popular music. While not technically accurate, this usage is common.

Classicism (First Viennese School)

Classicism is a musical style that dominated in Europe approximately between 1750 and 1820. It is associated with the works of the Viennese School composers, such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Hallmarks of this style include clear form, transparent structure, expressive melody with accompaniment, restrained emotional expression, and established genres such as the symphony, sonata, and concerto.

I

Infrasound (Low frequency sound)

Infrasound refers to sound with a frequency below the threshold of human hearing — that is, below 20 Hz. It does not differ in nature from ordinary sound but is so low in frequency that it cannot be perceived by the human ear. At high sound pressure levels or through vibration, infrasound can be felt by the body as a sensation of pressure or trembling. In musical contexts, it may occur in acoustic phenomena such as powerful organ pipes or atmospheric noise.
For more information and examples, see the article: What is infrasound.

Instrumental music

Instrumental music is music performed using musical instruments without singing. In rare cases, non-verbal vocal sounds may be present, such as vocalization, scat singing, vocal effects, and noises. This type of music appears in many genres, including classical, jazz, and background music.

L

Loudness

Loudness is the strength of a sound as perceived by a listener — whether it seems quiet or loud. It depends on the amount of energy produced by the sound source and the amplitude of air vibrations.
In music, loudness plays an important role: it helps convey mood and dynamics, and makes the music feel alive and expressive. In the European musical tradition, loudness is indicated by Italian terms such as piano (soft), forte (loud), and others.
Learn more in the article: Loudness and how we perceive sound.

M

Melody

Melody is the main musical line that we can easily recognize or sing.
It consists of sounds of different pitches and durations, arranged in a specific sequence. What matters is not only which tones are used, but also how they follow one another — moving up or down, smoothly or with noticeable leaps. These movements shape the character of the melody.
Melody often conveys the main mood of a piece and makes the music expressive and memorable.

Music

Music is a sequence of sounds created by humans using musical instruments or the voice to express feelings, ideas, or moods. Musical sound often has a smooth and logical flow. Typically, music follows certain rules described by music theory.

N

Note

Note is a symbol in musical notation that represents an individual musical sound with a specific pitch and duration. Pitch is determined by the frequency of vibrations, while duration refers to the length of time the sound lasts. Notes are the foundation of melodies, chords, and rhythm.
In the European musical tradition, there are seven basic notes: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si (in the Latin system: C, D, E, F, G, A, B). These notes repeat at different pitch levels in octaves and form the basis of the musical scale.

P

Pitch

Pitch is a property of musical sound that is perceived by the human ear. It depends on the frequency of sound vibrations: the higher the frequency (faster vibrations), the higher the perceived pitch. Pitch forms the basis for constructing melodies and harmonies.
For more information and examples, see the article: What is Pitch .

R

Renaissance music

Renaissance refers to a musical style that flourished in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. It is characterized by polyphony, balanced structure, and formal clarity. This period saw active development of instrumental music, including ricercars, dances, preludes, and ensembles made up of similar instruments. The use of the lute, recorder, keyboard instruments, and others became more widespread. Notable composers of the era include Desprez, Lassus, Gabrieli, and Tallis.

Reverberation (Perception of Space in Sound)

Reverberation is the effect of multiple reflections of sound from various surfaces, causing the sound waves to persist even after the original source has stopped. These reflected waves overlap, gradually decay, and create a sense of space and depth.
In music, reverberation plays an important artistic and acoustic role: it adds richness, volume, and spatial character to the sound of instruments. It is especially significant in concert halls and chamber music venues.
See more in the article:
Reverberation and the Perception of Space in Sound

Rhythm

Rhythm is the organization of musical sounds and silences in time. It determines how long notes last and how they are grouped into measures (bars). Rhythm gives music a regular flow, drives it forward, and provides structural clarity.
In instrumental music, rhythm helps to express the character of a piece and to distinguish one style from another — for example, a march from a waltz.

Romantic music (Romanticism)

Romantic music is a musical movement that emerged in Europe during the 19th century (approximately 1800–1910). It is characterized by deep emotion, personal expression, free form, and heightened musical expressiveness. Instrumental music of this period was often inspired by literature, nature, or folk imagery. During this time, genres such as the symphonic poem, piano cycle, concerto, and ballade flourished. Notable composers include Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Glinka, and Tchaikovsky.

S

Sound

Sound is a mechanical vibration that travels through the air as a wave and is perceived by the human ear. In music, sound is the basic building material used to create melodies, chords, and rhythms. Learn more in the article what is musical sound.

T

Tempo

Tempo is the speed at which a piece of music is performed. It indicates how fast the music is played and how the melody unfolds.
Tempo can be measured in beats per minute (BPM) or described using Italian terms such as Allegro (fast), Andante (moderate), Adagio (slow), and others that convey the expressive character of the performance.
In European instrumental music, tempo plays an important role in shaping the mood, style, and character of a composition.

Timbre (Tone color)

Timbre is the unique sound quality of an instrument or voice that allows us to distinguish one sound source from another, even when pitch and loudness are the same.
It is shaped by the frequency spectrum (including the fundamental tone and overtones) as well as by how the sound evolves over time. Timbre is perceived subjectively — as the character of the sound, its depth, softness, brightness, and other expressive qualities.
In European instrumental music, timbre plays an essential role: it defines the sonic character of instruments such as the violin, flute, guitar, or piano, and influences the expressiveness and individuality of their sound in orchestral and chamber music.
Learn more in the article Frequency Spectrum and Timbre

Tonality

Tonality is a system for organizing sounds and chords around a central note — the tonic, which defines the main pitch and the sequence of other tones. It helps structure music by creating a sense of stability, direction, and resolution.
Tonality influences the emotional character of the music — it can sound joyful or sad, calm or tense. This depends on the mode, a specific set of tones arranged in a certain order.
In European instrumental music, two modes are used most often:
Major conveys a bright, joyful, and festive mood (e.g., C major), while minor sounds soft, sad, and thoughtful (e.g., A minor).

U

Ultrasound

Ultrasound refers to sound with a frequency above the upper limit of human hearing — that is, above 20,000 Hz. It is physically identical to ordinary sound but has a frequency too high to be perceived by the human ear. Ultrasound is widely used in medicine, technology, and by animals (e.g., for echolocation). In music, ultrasound is not used directly.
For more information and examples, see the article What is ultrasound.

V

Vocal music

Vocal music is music performed by a soloist or a choir, where the voice is the main expressive element. It usually includes lyrics and may be accompanied by musical instruments or performed a cappella — that is, without instrumental accompaniment.

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Brief dictionary of musical concepts and terms