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Instrumental Music Glossary
Accompaniment
The music that supports the melody.
Articulation
The way the sound is produced.
Staccato: short and detached
Accent: strongly tonguing the note
Legato: smoothly and connected
Slur: only tongue the first of more than one note
Tie: two or more of the same notes connected
Brass
Trumpet, trombone, tuba, French horn,
Sousaphone, baritone, and euphonium.
This category of instruments is usually made of brass, silver, gold, nickel, or a combination of metals.
These instruments also have valves, keys, or a slide. Players buzz the lips into a conical- shaped, metal mouthpiece to make the sound.
Duet
Two players playing together.
Dynamics
The intensity of the sound made by any instrument.
p = piano = soft
mp = mezzo piano = medium soft
mf = mezzo forte = medium loud
f = forte = loud
ff = fortissimo = very loud
sfz = sfzortsondo = suddenly loud
Embouchure
The way the lips are shaped against the mouthpiece to make the sound on any wind instrument.
Ensemble
Several players playing together.
Ligature
The mechanism used to hold a reed to a mouthpiece on woodwind instruments.
Melody
The main, most important part of the music.
Percussion
Snare drum, bass drum, bells, xylophone, piano, triangle, cymbals, tympani, tambourine, and many others.
This category includes any instrument that a player hits, strikes, or shakes to make sound.
These are the oldest of all instruments used today.
Position
The correct posture and placement of the hands, fingers, and body to play any given instrument.
Practice Strategies
The frequency of practice increases the development of the musicianship on any instrument. First and second year players need to practice almost every day.
Practice should include a short review of familiar music. 80% of practice time should be spent on newer, challenging music.
Quartet
Four players playing together.
Rhythm
The organization of the beats and/or the notes and length of the sound or silence.
Tempo
The speed of the music.
Presto: very fast
Andante: medium fast
Adagio: slowly
Largo: very slowly
Trio
Three players playing together.
Woodwinds
Flute, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, saxophone, and recorder.
This category includes any instrument that has a mouthpiece that one blows across
and/or a reed is used to make the sound.