A cappella
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One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment. |
Accessible
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Music that is easy to listen to and understand. |
Adagio
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A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease. |
Allegro
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A direction to play lively and fast. |
Amadinda
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Freenotes Amadinda Xylophone is inspired by a traditional pentatonic xylophone originating in Uganda and is tuned to c major in the pentatonic scale. |
Atonal
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Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key. |
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Baroque
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Time in music history ranging from the middle of the 16th to the middle of the 17th centuries. Characterized by emotional, flowery music; written in strict form. |
Beat
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The unit of musical rhythm. |
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Capriccio
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A quick, improvisational, spirited piece of music. |
| Carol |
A song or hymn celebrating Christmas. |
Chant
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Singing in unison, texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech. |
| Choir |
Group of singers in a chorus.
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Chorale
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A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison.
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Chord
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3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony. |
Chord
progression
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A string of chords played in succession. |
| Chorus |
A group singing in unison. |
| Chromatic scale |
Includes all twelve notes of an octave.
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| Clavier |
The keyboard of a stringed instrument. |
| Clef |
In sheet music, a symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that particular staff. |
| Coda |
Closing section of a movement |
Concerto
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A composition written for a solo instrument. The soloist plays the melody while the orchestra plays the accompaniment. |
Conductor
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One who directs a group of performers. The conductor indicates the tempo, phrasing, dynamics, and style by gestures and facial expressions. |
| Consonance |
Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord. |
| Contralto |
Lowest female singing voice. |
| Contra Base Chimes |
Contra Base Chimes are quite simply a stunning piece in both their towering appearance and their low resonant sounds. |
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| Diatonic |
Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole tones and semitones. |
Dissonance
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Harsh, discordant, and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord. |
Drone
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Dull, monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody. |
| Duet |
A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists. |
| Dynamics |
Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.
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Encore
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A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance, shown by continuous applause. |
| Energico |
A symbol in sheet music a direction to play energetically. |
| Ensemble |
The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus. |
| Espressivo |
A direction to play expressively. |
| Etude |
A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest. |
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| Fifth |
The interval between two notes. Three whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes. |
Finale
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Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition. |
Flat
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A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone. |
| Flying Amadinda |
Tuned to C major in the pentatonic scale the Freenotes Flying Amadinda has thirteen Ipe bars suspended between a sturdy frame using coated steel cable.
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Form
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The structure of a piece of music. |
Forte
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A symbol indicating to play loud.
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| Fourth |
The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes. |
Freenotes
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Freenotes are unique, custom made, beautiful handcrafted outdoor musical instruments |
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| Gamelan |
A musical ensemble of Indonesia typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs |
Glee
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Vocal composition written for three or more solo parts, usually without instrumental accompaniment. |
| Glissando |
Sliding between two notes. |
| Grandioso |
Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly. |
Grave
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Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.
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Grazioso
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Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.
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| Harmony |
Pleasing combination of two or three tones played together in the background while a melody is being played. Harmony also refers to the study of chord progressions. |
| Homophony |
Music written to be sung or played in unison. |
| Hymn |
A song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God. |
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Imbarimba
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Freenotes' Imbarimba outdoor musical instrument has a unique musical design combining elements of two classic African instruments: the Marimba (a resonated xylophone) and the Kalimba (thumb piano). |
| Impromptu |
A short piano piece, often improvisational and intimate in character. |
| Instrumentation |
Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments. |
| Interlude |
Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera. |
| Intermezzo |
Short movement or interlude connecting the main parts of the composition. |
| Interpretation |
The expression the performer brings when playing his instrument. |
| Interval |
The distance in pitch between two notes. |
| Intonation |
The manner in which tones are produced with regard to pitch. |
| Introduction |
The opening section of a piece of music or movement. |
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| Key |
System of notes or tones based on and named after the key note. |
| Key signature |
The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key of music the piece is to be played. |
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| Leading note |
The seventh note of the scale where there is a strong desire to resolve on the tonic. |
| Legato |
Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly. |
Libretto
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A book of text containing the words of an opera.
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Ligature
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Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase. |
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| Maestro |
Refers to any great composer, conductor, or teacher of music. |
Major
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One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character. |
Manta Ray
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Freenotes' elegant aluminium metallophone with a stainless steel frame. The individual chime tubes are suspended by coated steel cable. The same scale is mirrored to the right and left sides and the range is two octaves and a fifth, the scale is C major. |
March
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A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.
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| Medley |
Often used in overtures, a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety. |
| Mezzo |
The voice between soprano and alto. Also, in sheet music, a direction for the tempo to be played at medium speed. |
| Minor |
One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark, melancholic mood. |
| Modulation |
To shift to another key. |
| Monotone |
Repetition of a single tone. |
Movement
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A separate section of a larger composition. |
| Musicology |
The study of forms, history, science, and methods of music. |
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Natural
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A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished. |
Neoclassical
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Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct. |
Nocturne
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A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations. |
Nonet
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A composition written for nine instruments. |
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| Octave |
Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends. |
Octet
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A composition written for eight instruments. |
| Opera |
A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken. |
| Orchestra |
A large group of instrumentalists playing together. |
| Orchestration |
Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also, the study of music. |
| Overture |
Introduction to an opera or other large musical work.
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Part
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A line in a contrapuntal work performed by an individual voice or instrument. |
| Partial |
A harmonic given off by a note when it is played. |
Pegasus
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The Freenotes Pegasus metallophone is made with twenty-three resonated aluminium bars in the key of C major and A minor |
Pentatonic
Scale |
A musical scale having five notes. For example: the five black keys of a keyboard make up a pentatonic scale. |
Phrase
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A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence. |
| Piano |
An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a “p”. |
| Pitch |
The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds. |
Pizzicato
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String instruments that are picked instead of bowed. |
| Prelude |
A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work, also an orchestral introduction to opera, however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture. |
| Presto |
A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast. |
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Quartet
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A set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts. |
| Quintet |
A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts. |
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Recital
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A solo concert with or without accompaniment.
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Reed
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The piece of cane in wind instruments. The players cause vibrations by blowing through it in order to produce sound.
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Relative major
and minor
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The major and minor keys that share the same notes in that key. For example: A minor shares the same note as C major. |
| Relative pitch |
Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it |
| Reprise |
To repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played. |
| Requiem |
A dirge, hymn, or musical service for the repose of the dead. |
Resonance
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When several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches, all strings vibrate when only one of the strings is struck. |
Resonator
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Parts of instruments which resonate or vibrate, thus enhancing the sound of the instrument |
| Rhythm |
The element of music pertaining to time, played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats. |
| Root |
The principal note of a triad. |
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| Scale |
Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending. |
| Scherzo |
Pertaining to the sonata form, a fast movement in triple time. |
| Septet |
A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts. |
| Sequence |
A successive transposition and repetition of a phrase at different pitches. |
Serenade
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A lighthearted piece, written in several movements, usually as background music for a social function. |
| Sextet |
A set of six musicians who perform a composition written for six parts. |
| Sharp |
A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone. |
| Song cycle |
A sequence of songs, perhaps on a single theme, or with texts by one poet, or having continuos narrative. |
| Soprano |
The highest female voice. |
| Staccato |
Short detached notes, as opposed to legato. |
| String Quartet |
A group of 4 instruments, two violins, a viola, and cello. |
| Suite |
A loose collection of instrumental compositions. |
Swirl
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A beautiful outdoor musical instrument from Freenotes made of twenty-six resonated aluminium chimes in the key of C major, ranging in pitch from soprano to alto. |
| Symphony |
Three to four movement orchestral piece, generally in sonata form. |
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| Temperament |
Refers to the tuning of an instrument. |
| Tempo |
Indicating speed. |
Tessitura
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The range of an instrumental or a vocal part. |
| Theme |
A melodic or, sometimes a harmonic idea presented in a musical form. |
| Timbre |
Tone color, quality of sound that distinguishes one verse or instrument to another. It is determined by the harmonies of sound. |
| Tonal |
Pertains to tone or tones. |
| Tonality |
The tonal characteristics determined by the relationship of the notes to the tone. |
| Tone |
The intonation, pitch, and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning, feeling, or attitude of the music |
| Tonic |
The first tone of a scale also known as a keynote. |
| Treble |
The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing. |
Tremolo
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Quick repetition of the same note or the rapid alternation between two notes. |
Trill
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Rapid alternation between notes that are a half tone or whole tone apart. |
Trio
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A composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three persons. |
| Triple time |
Time signature with three beats to the measure. |
Triplet
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Three notes played in the same amount of time as one or two beats.
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| Tune |
A rhythmic succession of musical tones, a melody for instruments and voices. |
| Tuned Tubano Drums |
A fabulous set of five outdoor drums made by Freenotes. Available in a range of vibrant colours and ready to be installed at any height. |
| Tuning |
The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note. |
Tutti
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Passage for the entire ensemble or orchestra without a soloist.
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| Unison |
Two or more voices or instruments playing the same note simultaneously. |
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| Vibrato |
Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes. |
| Virtuoso |
A person with notable technical skill in the performance of music. |
| Vivace |
Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk, lively, and spirited manner. |
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Waltz
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A dance written in triple time, where the accent falls on the first beat of each measure. |
| Whole note |
A whole note is equal to 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, etc. |
Whole-tone
scale
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A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.
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