Glossary Of Music Theory Words

accidental

A sharp or flat of an individual note. (or measure)

arpeggio

This is the notes of a chord being sounded one note at a time.

barre chord

This is a chord where one of the fingers (usually the index finger) in laying across the strings allowing the same chord shape to be moved up and down the neck to play different chords.

bass clef

This symbol denotes that the notes of the musical staff are played below middle C.

chord diagram

A small picture showing how to play a certain chord on the guitar. It would include the chord name, the guitar strings, the neck position, and the fingers used to make the chord.

chord inversion

Changing the order of the notes that make up the chord.

common time

This is another way of saying 4/4 time, where there are 4 beats per measure, and a quarter note receives one beat.

double stop

Playing 2 strings at the same time.

dynamics

Playing the guitar loudly or softly.

enharmonic

Two different ways of describing the same tone. For example a C# and a Db.

flat

This is a symbol used in standard music notation ( it looks like a b ) and it tells the musician to lower the pitch of the note they are playing by one half step.

harmony

This is a combination of notes played or sung together to form a melody.

improvise

This is playing music by making up or inventing what you will play as the song goes on. Many times this is a lead melody played over a chord sequence.

interval

The amount of space or distance between 2 notes.

key signature

Sharps and flats at the left side of the staff that indicate the key the piece of music is in.

ledger lines

These are short lines above and below the 5 rows of the standard music notation, used to indicate notes higher and lower.

major key

This is a musical scale characterized by having a half step between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and 8th steps.

minor key

A musical scale that is characterized by having a half step between the 2nd and 3rd and 7th and 8th steps. This is where the minor third is lowered one half step.

natural

This is a symbol that is used in standard music notation and it tells the musician to cancel a previous sharp or flat.

ninth chord

This is a chord that includes the ninth note of a scale.

palm mute

Playing notes on the guitar while the right hand palm is partially touching the strings at the bridge, creating a muffled or muted type of a sound.

pitch

The pitch of a note has to do with how high or low the note sounds.

rest

A musical notation symbol to indicate that no sound should be made. There should be silence for the duration of the rest.

riff

This is a musical phrase that is usually repeated as a theme throughout a song.

root

The first note of a scale.

seventh chord

A chord that includes the seventh note of a scale.

sharp

This is a symbol used in music notation ( # ) and it tells the musician to raise the pitch of the note they are playing by one half step.

sight reading

Playing a piece of music from its written form at first sight.

staccato

This is a dot placed above a note to indicate that the note is played for a very short duration.

standard notation

This is the music notation system used by all musicians the has the common five lines and four spaces.

sweep picking

This

tablature

This is an alternative to standard music notation with six staff lines that represent the six strings of the guitar. This is sometimes abbreviated as TAB.

transpose

This is changing the key of a piece of music to a different key from the one it was originally in.

treble clef

This tell the musician that the notes to be played from the music staff are above middle C.

triplet

This is a group of three notes and it is played in the amount of time that would normally be given to two notes.