Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Accelerando: Becoming faster. See Staff
Accent: Emphasis on one note or chord. Play strongly. See Staff
Accidental: A musical sign which notes a change in the music. Usually a sharp, flat, or natural. See Staff
Bass Clef: Also called F-clef, this is the clef not commonly used in guitar. It placed at the beginning of the staff to represent lower notes played. See Staff
Bar: A musical sign which indicates the beginning and ending of a measure. See Staff
Beam: A musical sign which groups notes. Typically in 2's, 4's, or 8's. See Note
Common Time: 4/4 time signature. See Staff
Crotchet: A quarter note. See Note
Crescendo: Gradually louder. See Staff
Cut Time: 2/2 time signature. See Staff
Decrescendo: Gradually softer in volume. See Staff
Demisemiquaver: Thiry-second note. See Note
Double Bar Line: Indicates the ending of a section of music, or the end of the entire piece of music.
Eighth Note: A note that is played and held for half a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Eighth Rest: A rest that is held for half a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Half Note: A note that is played and held for two beats in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Half Rest: A rest that is held for two beats in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Hammer On: The playing of a note by striking the string down on the fret board with the left hand but not plucking it. See Staff
Hemidemisemiquaver: A sixty-fourth note. See Note
Key Signature: The musical section that indicates if any notes are to be played sharped or flatted throughout the entire piece. See Staff
Ledger Line: The musical sign which adds extra lines to the staff and idicates a note is higher or lower than the staff. See Staff
Legato: Smoothly, connected. Singing-like style. See Staff
Metronome: A musical machine that used to indicate the tempo by making regular pulces. See Staff
Mezzoforte: Medium loud. See Staff
Mezzopiano: Medium soft. See Staff
Minim: Half note. See Note
Natural: A musical sign which indicates no sharp or flat. See Staff
Note: A musical sign which indicates pitch and the duration a sound is to be played. See Note
Pianissimo: Very quiet. See Staff
Piano: Quiet. See Staff
Pitch: The height or depth a musical sound has in the tonal scale. See Staff
Piú Forte: As loud as possible. See Staff
Piú Piano: As quiet as possible. See Staff
Quarter Note: A note that is played and held for one beat in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Quarter Rest: A rest that is held for one beat in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Quaver: A quarter note. See Note
Repeat Sign: A musical sign which idicates that the player should play a particular part of the piece over. See Staff
Rest: A musical sign which indicates silence. See Rest
Semibreve: A whole note. See Note
Semiquaver: A eight note. See Note
Sharp: A musical sign which indicates the raising of a pitch by ½ step. See Staff
Sixteenth Note: A note that is played and held for ¼ of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Sixteenth Rest: A rest that is held for ¼ of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Sixty-Fouth Note: A note that is played and held for 1/16 of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Sixty-Fourth Rest: A rest that is held for 1/16 of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Staccato: This musical symbol idicates short and disconnected notes. See Staff
Staff: A musical notation which consists of five horizontal lines on which notes are placed. See Staff
Stave: See Staff See Staff
Thirty-Second Note: A note that is played and held for 1/8 of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Thirty-Second Rest: A rest that is held for 1/8 of a beat in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
Time Signature: This is usually found at the begenning of the piece of music. The time signature is composed of two parts, the top number, which tells the reader how many beats are in each bar, and the bottom number, which tells the reader which value of the note gets one beat. For example, in four four time, there are four beats per bar, and a quarter note gets one beat. In three eight time, there are three beats per bar, and an eigth note gets one beat. See Staff
Treble Clef: Also called G-clef, this is the clef commonly used in guitar. It placed at the beginning of the staff to represent normal notes played. See Staff
Whole Note: A note that is played and held for four beats in standard 4/4 time. See Note
Whole Rest: A rest that is held for four beats in standard 4/4 time. See Rest
