Pianississimo1

Extremely soft. Very infrequently does one see softer dynamics than this, which are
specified with additional ps.
Pianissimo
Very soft. Usually the softest indication in a piece of music, though softer dynamics
are often specified with additional ps.
Piano
Soft. Usually the most often used indication.
Mezzo piano
Literally, half as soft as piano.
Mezzo forte
Similarly, half as loud as forte. If no dynamic appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to be
the prevailing dynamic level.
Forte
Loud. Used as often as piano to indicate contrast.
Fortissimo
Very loud. Usually the loudest indication in a piece, though louder dynamics are
often specified with additional fs (such as fortississimo – seen below).
Fortississimo1
Extremely loud. Very infrequently does one see louder dynamics than this, which are
specified with additional fs.
Sforzando
Literally "forced", denotes an abrupt, fierce accent on a single sound or chord. When
written out in full, it applies to the sequence of sounds or chords under or over which
it is placed.
Crescendo
A gradual increase in volume.
Can be extended under many notes to indicate that the volume steadily increases
during the passage.
Diminuendo
Also decrescendo
A gradual decrease in volume. Can be extended in the same manner as crescendo.

Staccato
This indicates that the note is to be played shorter than notated, usually half the
value, the rest of the metric value is then silent. Staccato marks may appear on
notes of any value, shortening their performed duration without speeding the
music itself.
Staccatissimo or Spiccato
Indicates a longer silence after the note (as described above), making the note
very short. Usually applied to quarter notes or shorter. (In the past, this marking’s
meaning was more ambiguous: it sometimes was used interchangeably with
staccato, and sometimes indicated an accent and not staccato. These usages are
now almost defunct, but still appear in some scores.) In string instruments this
indicates a bowing technique in which the bow bounces lightly upon the string.

Accent
The note is played louder or with a harder attack than surrounding unaccented
notes. May appear on notes of any duration.

Tenuto
This symbol indicates that a note should be played for its full value, or slightly
longer; it may also indicate a slight dynamic emphasis. It may be combined with
a staccato dot to indicate a slight detachment ("portato" or "mezzo staccato").

Marcato
The note is played somewhat louder or more forcefully than a note with a regular
accent mark (open horizontal wedge).

Left-hand pizzicato or Stopped note

A note on a stringed instrument where the string is plucked with the left hand
(the hand that usually stops the strings) rather than bowed. On the horn, this
accent indicates a "stopped note" (a note played with the stopping hand shoved
further into the bell of the horn). In percussion notation this denotes, among
many other specific uses, that the hi-hat is to be closed by pressing the pedal or
that an instrument is to be "choked" (silenced by causing vibrations to cease).

Snap pizzicato
On a stringed instrument, a note played by stretching a string away from the
frame of the instrument and letting it go, making it "snap" against the frame.
Also known as a Bartók pizzicato.

Natural harmonic or Open note

On a stringed instrument, denotes that a natural harmonic (also called flageolet)
is to be played. On a valved brass instrument, denotes that the note is to be
played "open" (without lowering any valve, or without mute). In organ music,
this denotes that a pedal note is to be played with the heel. In percussion notation
this denotes, among many other specific uses, that the hi-hat is to be opened by
release of the pedal or that an instrument is to be allowed to ring.

Fermata (Pause)
A note, chord, or rest sustained longer than its customary value. Usually appears
over all parts at the same metrical location in a piece, to show a halt in tempo. It
can be placed above or below the note.
 Up bow or Sull'arco
On a bowed string instrument, the note is played while drawing the bow upward.
On a plucked string instrument played with a plectrum or pick (such as a guitar
played pickstyle or a mandolin), the note is played with an upstroke. In organ
notation, this marking indicates to play the pedal note with the toe.
Down bow or Giù arco
Like sull'arco, except the bow is drawn downward. On a plucked string
instrument played with a plectrum or pick (such as a guitar played pickstyle or a
mandolin), the note is played with a downstroke. Also note in organ notation,
this marking indicates to play the pedal note with the heel.

Ornaments
Ornaments modify the pitch pattern of individual notes.

Trill
A rapid alternation between the specified note and the next higher note
(according to key signature) within its duration. Also called a "shake." When
followed by a wavy horizontal line, this symbol indicates an extended, or
running, trill. Trills can begin on either the specified root note or the upper
auxiliary note, though the latter is more prevalent in modern performances.
Mordent
Rapidly play the principal note, the next higher note (according to key signature)
then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In most music, the
mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes
may be extended. In hand bells, this symbol is a "shake" and indicates the rapid
shaking of the bells for the duration of the note.

Mordent (lower)
Rapidly play the principal note, the note below it, then return to the principal
note for the remaining duration. In much music, the mordent begins on the
auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes may be extended.

Turn
When placed directly above the note, the turn (also known as a gruppetto)
indicates a sequence of upper auxiliary note, principal note, lower auxiliary note,
and a return to the principal note. When placed to the right of the note, the
principal note is played first, followed by the above pattern. By either placing a
vertical line through the turn symbol or inverting it, it indicates the order of the
auxiliary notes is to be reversed.
 Appoggiatura
The first half of the principal note's duration has the pitch of the grace note (the
first two-thirds if the principal note is a dotted note).

Acciaccatura
The acciaccatura is of very brief duration, as though brushed on the way to the
principal note, which receives virtually all of its notated duration. In percussion
notation, the acciaccatura symbol is used to denote the flam rudiment, the
miniature note still being positioned behind the main note but on the same line or
space of the staff. The flam note is usually played just before the natural
durational subdivision the main note is played on, with the timing and duration
of the main note remaining unchanged.

Octave signs
Ottava
The 8va sign is placed above the staff (as shown) to indicate the passage is to
be played one octave higher.

(An 8vb sign is placed below the staff to indicate the passage is to be played
one octave lower.[3][4])

Quindicesima
The 15ma sign is placed above the staff (as shown) to indicate the passage is
to be played two octaves higher.

(A 15mb sign is placed below the staff to indicate the passage is to be played
two octaves lower.)

8va and 15ma are sometimes abbreviated further to 8 and 15. When they appear below the staff,
the word bassa is sometimes added.

Repetition and codas

Tremolo
A rapidly repeated note. If the tremolo is between two notes, then they are
played in rapid alternation. The number of slashes through the stem (or number
of diagonal bars between two notes) indicates the frequency at which the note is
to be repeated (or alternated). As shown here, the note is to be repeated at a
demisemiquaver (thirty-second note) rate.

In percussion notation, tremolos are used to indicate rolls, diddles, and drags.
Typically, a single tremolo line on a sufficiently short note (such as a sixteenth)
is played as a drag, and a combination of three stem and tremolo lines indicates
a double-stroke roll (or a single-stroke roll, in the case of timpani, mallet
percussions and some untuned percussion instrument such as triangle and bass
drum) for a period equivalent to the duration of the note. In other cases, the
interpretation of tremolos is highly variable, and should be examined by the
director and performers.

The tremolo symbol is also used to represent flutter-tonguing.

Repeat signs
Enclose a passage that is to be played more than once. If there is no left repeat
sign, the right repeat sign sends the performer back to the start of the piece or
the nearest double bar.

Simile marks
Denote that preceding groups of beats or measures are to be repeated. In the
examples here, the first usually means to repeat the previous measure, and the
second usually means to repeat the previous two measures.

Volta brackets (1st and 2nd endings, or 1st- and 2nd-time bars)
A repeated passage is to be played with different endings on different playings;
it is possible to have more than two endings (1st, 2nd, 3rd ...).

Da capo
(lit. "From top") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music from its
beginning. This is followed by al fine (lit. "to the end"), which means to repeat
to the word fine and stop, or al coda (lit. "to the coda (sign)"), which means
repeat to the coda sign and then jump forward.
Dal segno
(lit. "From the sign") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music starting
at the nearest segno. This is followed by al fine or al coda just as with da capo.
Segno
Mark used with dal segno.
 Coda
Indicates a forward jump in the music to its ending passage, marked with the
same sign. Only used after playing through a D.S. al coda (Dal segno al coda)
or D.C. al coda (Da capo al coda).
Pedal marks

Pedal marks appear in music for instruments with sustain pedals, such as the piano, vibraphone
and chimes.

Engage pedal
Tells the player to put the sustain pedal down.

Release pedal
Tells the player to let the sustain pedal up.

Variable pedal mark

More accurately indicates the precise use of the sustain pedal. The extended lower line tells
the player to keep the sustain pedal depressed for all notes below which it appears. The
inverted "V" shape (∧) indicates the pedal is to be momentarily released, then depressed
again.

Con sordino, Una corda

Tells the player to put the soft pedal down or, in other instruments, apply the mute.

Senza sordino, Tutte le corde

Tells the player to let the soft pedal up or, in other instruments, remove the mute.

Other piano notation

left hand right hand

l.h. r.h.
English
left hand right hand

l.H r.H
German
linke Hand rechte Hand

m.g. m.d.
French
main gauche main droite

m.s. m.d.
Italian
mano sinistra mano destra
 Finger identifications:
1 = thumb
2 = index
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3 = middle
4 = ring
5 = little

a piacere: “to your pleasure/at will”; indicates that liberties may be taken with certain aspects of the
music, usually tempo. See ad libitum.

▪ a tempo: “in time; back in tempo”; indication to return to the original tempo after an alteration such
as tempo rubato.

▪ a tempo di menuetto: to play “in the tempo of a minuet”; slowly and gracefully.

▪ al coda: “to the coda [sign]”; used with the repeat commands D.C. al coda and D.S. al coda.

▪ al fine: “to the end [of the music, or until the word fine]”; used with the repeat commands D.C. al
fine and D.S. al fine.

▪ al niente: “to nothing”; to make the volume fade into nothing very gradually. See dal niente and
morendo.

▪ (accel.) accelerando: “to accelerate”; to gradually speed up the tempo.

▪ accentato: to play with general, overall emphasis; to accentuate.

▪ accompagnato: indicates that the accompaniment will follow the tempo (or overall playing style) of
the soloist. See concerto.

▪ adagietto: remains somewhat ambiguous, and may be interpreted as slightly slower or faster than
adagio. Usually, its tempo is between adagio and andante.

▪ adagio: to play slowly and calmly; at ease. Adagio is slower than adagietto, but faster than largo.

▪ adagissimo: to play very slowly and calmly; slower than adagio.

▪ affettuoso: “affectionately”; encourages a performer to express warm emotions; to play

affectionately with love. See con amore.

▪ affrettando: a rushed, nervous accelerando; to hastily increase the tempo in an impatient manner.

▪ agile: to play swiftly and confidently, but it can also signify a switch to double-speed.

▪ agitato: to play quickly with agitation and excitement. Agitato can be paired with other musical
commands to add a rushed, vibrant element, as in presto agitato, “very quick and with excitement.”

▪ alla breve: “to the breve” - where breve refers to a half-note; an indication to play in cut time. Alla
breve has the 2/2 time signature, in which one beat = half-note.
▪ alla marcia: to play “in the style of a march”; to accentuate the downbeat in 2/4 or 2/2 time.

▪ (allarg.) allargando: to “widen” or “broaden” the tempo; a slow rallentando that retains a full,
prominent volume.

▪ allegretto: to play somewhat quickly; slower and slightly less lively than allegro, but faster and livelier
than andante.

▪ allegrissimo: to play very fast; faster than allegro, but slower than presto.

▪ allegro: to play in a quick, lively tempo. Allegro is faster than allegretto, but slower than allegrissimo.

▪ alterazione: a musical symbol that modifies the pitch of a note; an accidental. Alterazioni include il
diesis (♯), il bemolle (♭ ), and il bequadro (♮).

▪ amoroso: to play in a loving manner; see con amore and con affetto.

▪ andante: to play with a moderate tempo; to play in a light, flowing manner. Andante is faster than
adagio, but slower than allegretto; similar to moderato.

▪ andantino: to play with a slow, moderate tempo. Andantino is slightly faster than andante, but
slower than moderato (andantino is a diminutive of andante).

▪ animato: “animated”; to play in an animated manner; to play with excitement and spirit.

▪ arpeggiato: an arpeggio in which the notes are struck progressively faster.

▪ arpeggio: a chord whose notes are played quickly in order as opposed to simultaneously; to give a
chord a harp-like effect (arpa is Italian for “harp”).

▪ assai: “very”; used with other musical commands to augment their effects, as in lento assai, “very
slow”; or vivace assai, “very lively and quick.”

▪ attacca: to move immediately to the next movement without a pause; a seamless transition into a
movement or passage.

▪ bemolle: a musical symbol (♭) that decreases a note’s pitch by a semitone; a flat.

▪ bequadro: a musical symbol (♮) that cancels out a previous accidental; a natural.

▪ brillante: to play in a brilliant, lustrous manner; to make a song or passage stand out with brilliance.

▪ brioso: “lively”; to play with vigor and spirit; to make a composition full of life. See con brioso.
▪ bruscamente: to play in a blunt, abrupt manner; to play with impatient accentuation.

calando: indicates a gradual decrease in both the tempo and volume of a song; the effect of a
ritardando with a diminuendo.

▪ capo: refers to the beginning of a musical composition or movement, and is most often seen in
repeat phrases such as D.C. al coda (da capo al coda).

Note: The guitar fret-holding device – a capo – is pronounced kay’-poh.

▪ coda: a musical symbol used to organize complex musical repetitions. The Italian phrase al coda
instructs a musician to move immediately to the next coda, and can be seen in the commands dal segno
al coda and da capo al coda.

▪ come prima: “like at first”; and indicates a return to a previous musical state (usually referring to
tempo). See tempo primo.

▪ comodo: “comfortably”; used with other musical terms to moderate their effects. For example:
tempo comodo, “at a reasonable speed”; adagio comodo, “comfortable and slow.” See moderato.

▪ con affetto: to be played affectionately; to play with warm emotion and loving conviction.

▪ con amore: “with love”; an indication to play in a loving manner.

▪ con brio: to play with vigor and spirit. Con brio is often seen with other musical commands, as in
allegro con brio, “quick and lively.”
▪ con espressione: “with expression”; often written with other musical commands, as in tranquillo con
espressione, “slowly and with expression.”

▪ con moto: “with motion”; to play in an animated manner. See animato.

▪ con spirito: “with spirit”; to play with fire and spirit. See spiritoso.

▪ concerto: an arrangement written for solo instruments (such as a piano), with an accompanying
orchestra.

▪ (cresc.) crescendo: to gradually increase the volume of a song until otherwise noted. A crescendo is
marked by a horizontal, opening angle.

▪ D.C. al coda:  “da capo al coda”; to repeat from the beginning of the music, play until you encounter a
coda, then skip to the next coda sign to continue.

▪ D.C. al fine:  “da capo al fine”; to repeat from the beginning of the music, and continue until you
reach the final barline, or a double-barline marked with the word fine.

▪ D.S. al coda: “dal segno al coda”; to start back at the segno, play until you encounter a coda, then
skip to the next coda to continue.
▪ D.S. al fine:  “dal segno al fine”; to start back at the segno, and continue playing until you reach the
final barline, or a double-barline marked with the word fine.

▪ da capo: “from the beginning”; to play from the start of the song or movement.

▪ dal niente: “from nothing”; to gradually bring notes out of complete silence; a crescendo that rises
slowly from nowhere.

▪ dal segno: “from the [segno] sign,” and is part of a system of complex musical repeats, as in D.S. al
fine.

▪ decrescendo: to gradually decrease the volume of the music, marked in sheet music with a narrowing
angle.

▪ delicato: “delicately”; to play with a light touch and an airy feel. See dolce.

▪ diesis: a musical symbol (♯) that increases a note’s pitch by a semitone; a sharp.

▪ (dim.) diminuendo: to gradually decrease the volume of the music.

▪ dolce: to play in a tender, adoring manner; to play sweetly with a light touch.
▪ dolcissimo: very sweetly; to play in a particularly delicate manner.

▪ doloroso: “painfully; in a painful manner.” To play in a mournful manner; to play with a forlorn,

melancholy tone. Also con dolore, “with pain.”

▪ doppio bemolle: a musical symbol (♭♭) that decreases a note’s pitch by two semitones; a double-
flat.

▪ doppio diesis: a musical symbol (x) that increases a note’s pitch by two semitones; a double-sharp.

energico: “energetic”; to give energy and urgency to the music. See animato.

▪ enfatico: “with emphasis”; to play with an over-exaggerated accent.

▪ eroico: “heroically”; to create a sense of courage and triumph.

▪ espirando: to make expire; die away. See morendo.

▪ espressivo: to play expressively; may also encourage physical expression by the performer.

▪ estinto: “extinguished”; to make the notes barely audible; to play as softly as possible, softer than
pianississimo.
F

▪ fermata: a tempo/articulation mark that allows a note or chord to be held for as long as desired. Also
called a bird’s eye.

▪ fine: “end”; marks the end of a composition or movement, usually following a repeat command such
as D.C. al fine. Pronounced fee’-nay.

▪ (f) forte: to play loudly; louder than mezzo forte, but softer than fortissimo.

▪ (fp) fortepiano: to play loudly in forte, followed immediately by piano. The earliest version of the
modern piano was called the “fortepiano,” or “piano forte.”

▪ (ff) fortissimo: to play very loudly; louder than forte, but softer than fortississimo.

▪ (fff) fortississimo: to play as loudly as possible; louder than fortissimo.

▪ (fz) forzando: to play a note, chord, or passage with accentuated force. See sforzando.

▪ fuocoso: “fiery”; to play with adamant passion and fiery desire. Also con fuoco, "with fire."

▪ furioso: “furiously”; to play with fierce emotion.

gaudioso: “joyfully”; to play with cheerful merriment.

▪ gentile / gentilmente: “gently”; to play with a calm and delicate touch. See dolce.

▪ giusto: “strictly”; most commonly seen in the phrases tempo giusto, to play “in strict time,” to take
no liberties with the tempo of the music; and quinta giusta, or “perfect fifth interval.” See tempo rubato.

▪ glissando:  to slide from one pitch to another distant pitch. For example, gliding your hand up or
down the piano’s naturals from one end of the keyboard to the other is a glissando (however, glissando
is not a genuine Italian word). See portamento.

▪ grandioso: “grandiose; grand.” To play with an over-the-top, confident attitude.

▪ grave: “serious”; to play slowly and solemnly in a quiet, contemplative manner.

▪ grazioso:  “gracefully”; to play in a pleasant, elegant manner. Often seen in the title of a musical
composition; for example, the third movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 13 is called ‘Allegretto
grazioso.’

▪ gustoso: with “gusto”; to play with cheerful enjoyment and excited expression.

▪ imperioso: to play with pomposity; usually seen as a descriptive title for a musical composition, as in
Bach’s Imperioso Prelude in C minor.
▪ improvvisato: a musical composition that was originally improvised. Often spelled improvisato.

▪ in altissimo: “in the highest”; to play in the highest octaves of an instrument’s range. On the piano,
this usually refers to C6 and above. See ottava alta.

▪ intermezzo: “in the middle”; refers to a very brief movement that serves to connect two larger
movements.

▪ intimo: “intimately”; to play with heartfelt expression. See affettuoso.

▪ irato: “irately; angrily.” To play in an irritated manner; with rage.

▪ lacrimoso: “mournfully”; to play with sadness. See melancolico and grave.

▪ lamentoso: “with lamentation”; to play with heavy pain or remorse. See tristamente.

▪ largamente: “broadly”; to play with a “wide” tempo; slowly. See largo.

▪ larghetto: to play somewhat slow; slightly faster than largo.

▪ larghissimo: to play very slowly; slightly slower than largamente.

▪ largo: quite slowly; to play with a “broad, wide” tempo, meaning the beats remain far apart from one
another. Also largamente.

▪ legato:  “bound together”; to slur notes together so that no audible spaces are between them.
Written in sheet music with a long, curved line above or below notes. See staccato.

Legatissimo means making notes sound as close together and as smooth as possible, sometimes with
slight overlapping.

▪ leggiero / leggiermente: “lightly; delicately.” May refer to volume, articulation, and/or physical

technique. Leggierissimo means to play very lightly.

▪ lentando: to gradually slow the tempo; a ritardando.

▪ lentissimo: to play with a very slow tempo; slower than lento.

▪ lento: to play slowly; slightly faster than largo.

▪ libero / liberamente: with liberty; freely. Often seen with other musical commands, such as tempo
libero, “with a loose, free tempo.” See ad libitum.

▪ lo stesso / l’istesso: “the same”; often seen in the phrases l’istesso movimento and l’istesso tempo,
meaning the rhythm will remain the same after a change of meter; it will be a smooth transition.

▪ loco: “at place.” In piano music, loco is most commonly written after octave commands such as 8va
and 8vb to cancel them out and restore the original octave.

▪ lontano: “distantly”; to make the music sound far away, like background music. See estinto.

▪ lunga: “long”; used with other musical commands to lengthen their effects, as in fermata lunga, to
hold a pause for a slightly longer duration than normal.

▪ (M.D.) mano destra:  “right hand”; indicates a passage is to be played with the right hand. Often seen
written in the bass staff if the left hand is already occupied with other notes.

▪ (M.S.) mano sinistra: “left hand”; the passage should be played with the left hand.

▪ maestoso: to play “majestically”; to perform with grand, dignified expression. Maestoso is often used
in the title of a musical composition, as in the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 (Elvira
Madigan), ‘Allegro maestoso.’

▪ marcato:  “marked; to make stand out.” Marcato refers to both a written/verbal command as well as
a musical symbol affecting articulation. Indicates that a note or series of notes is to be played with
accentuation. See accentato.

Marcatissimo is to make notes heavily accented.

▪ martellato:  (usually seen as a command for string sections, but has been and can be used to
command piano music) to give notes a heavy, hammer-like accent.

▪ marziale: “march-like”; see alla marcia.

▪ melancolico: “full of melancholy”; to play in a painful, solemn, and mournful manner.

▪ meno: “less”; used with other musical commands to lessen their effects, as in meno allegro, “less
lively.”

▪ (mf) mezzo forte: “half strong”; to play somewhat loudly; slightly softer than forte.

▪ (mp) mezzo piano: “half soft”; to play somewhat softly; slightly louder than piano.

▪ misterioso:  “mysteriously”; sometimes used as a command to indicate a passage is to be played with

an enigmatic, reserved quality, but usually seen as part of the title of a musical composition.

▪ misura: “measure”; a measure, which is a portion of a musical staff that comes between two barlines;
a bar.

▪ moderato: to play in a reasonable, “moderate” tempo. Moderato is also used in musical titles.

▪ molto: “very”; used with other musical commands to intensify their effects, as in molto crescendo,
“speed up very quickly”; or molto allegro, play very quickly.
▪ morendo:  indicates a decrease in volume or tempo, but often affects both; to make the sound slowly
die away. Morendo creates the effect of a slow ritardando and a diminuendo with an extreme fade. See
al niente.

▪ mosso: “in motion; animated.” To play with movement, often seen in the musical phrases più mosso
and meno mosso, meaning more and less animated, respectively. See animato.

▪ naturale:  may refer to a natural note (one neither sharp nor flat) or a command that cancels out the
effects of a previous musical command. Abbreviated nat. as a musical command.

▪ niente: “nothing”; see al niente and dal niente.

▪ nobile: “with nobility”; to play with dignity and satisfaction.

▪ non troppo: “not too much”; used alongside other musical commands to lessen their effects.

The modifying term poco affects commands similarly, but poco, meaning “a little,” only demands a small
portion of an effect; non troppo calls for an obvious, yet modest effort.

▪ non tanto: same as non troppo.

▪ notturno: “nocturne”; a style of musical composition written for nighttime.

▪ ossia:  literally, “or”; an alternative passage that may be played instead of the main passage (at the
performer’s discretion) written by the composer. An ossia passage may be written on a small staff above
or below the main staff; on the bottom of the page; or, rarely, at the appendix of the sheet music
booklet.

▪ ostinato: “persistent”; a repeating pattern of notes or rhythm that can be heard throughout a musical
composition, passage, or movement.

▪ ottava: Italian for “eighth,” means octave. Ottava is often abbreviated 8va; otta being the Italian
feminine of “eight.”

▪ passionato: “passionately”; to play with passion and conviction. Passionato is often used in the title
of musical compositions, as in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 23, Appassionata.

▪ pastorale: to play with simple contentment; to conjure the sentimental ambiance of a peaceful,
“pastoral” environment.

▪ pedale: indicates when the damper (sustain) pedal is to be depressed; often abbreviated Ped.

▪ pesante: “heavy”; a style of musical composition with a slow, heavy feel, with a slow, sluggish tempo
and lengthened notes.
▪ più: “more”; used with other musical commands to increase their effects. Opposite of meno.

▪ (pp) pianissimo: to play very softly; softer than piano, but louder than pianississimo.

▪ (ppp) pianississimo: to play as softly as possible; softer than pianissimo. See estinto.

▪ (p) piano: to play softly; louder than pianissimo, but softer than mezzo piano.

▪ poco a poco: “little by little”; used with other musical commands to make their effects slow and
gradual.

▪ polacca: “a polonaise; in a Polish style.” A polonaise is a style of musical composition (as well as a
dance) written in triple-meter with a rhythm similar to that of an exaggerated waltz. In terms of piano
music, Chopin, originally from Poland, wrote many compositions in the style of a polonaise.

▪ portamento: In piano music, portamento is synonymous with portato, below.

▪ portato: a legato which has slight accentuation; a combination of legato and staccato, but with a
definite slur. The musical symbol indicating a portato may be a staccato accent topped with a brief
horizontal line; or, it may be indicated by writing a legato slur over staccato notes.

▪ prestissimo: to play extremely fast; as quickly as possible. Faster than presto and vivacissimo.
▪ presto: to play very quickly; faster than vivace.

▪ primo / prima: “first”; used with other musical terms, as in tempo primo, which is a return to the
“first tempo”; and prima volta, an indication to play a repeated passage as indicated the “first time”
around.

▪ quasi: “like; almost.” Used with other musical terms to hint at their descriptions; also can be seen in
the titles of musical compositions, a well-known example being in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, ‘quasi
una fantasia,’ “like a fantasy.”

Quasi niente is a command affecting dynamics similar to estinto.

▪ quartetto:  “quartet”; a musical group consisting of four performers, or a musical composition written
with four parts, which may or may not be performed by four players (depending on complexity). A
quartettino is a shorter quartet composition.

▪ quieto: “quiet”; to play calmly and quietly. See tranquillo.

▪ quindicesima (15ma): “fifteenth”; indicates a note or series of notes will be played two octaves
higher than written. See 15mb.

▪ (rall.) rallentando: a gradual decrease in speed similar to a that of a ritardando, but with more of a
rolling stop effect; a lazy deceleration of the tempo that seems to have less certainty and drama than the
ritardando.

▪ relativa maggiore / minore:  “relative major / minor”; major and minor scales that share the same
key signature, and therefore have the same amount of sharps or flats. For example, G major and E minor
are relative keys, both containing one accidental: an F♯.

▪ religioso: “religiously"; a composition style with a religious feel; music heard in a religious setting.
Religioso may also appear in the title of a musical composition, for example, the second movement of
Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is called ‘Adagio religioso.’

▪ (rfz) rinforzando: to play with gradual emphasis or broad accentuation until otherwise noted. Similar
to a light, progressive accentato; lit. “reinforcing.” See (sfz) sforzando.

▪ (rit.) ritardando: to gradually decrease the tempo of the music (opposite of accelerando).

▪ (riten.) ritenuto: to suddenly (and temporarily) decrease the tempo; to hold back for dramatic effect.

Note: Ritenuto is sometimes abbreviated rit., which also stands for ritardando.

▪ ritmo: “rhythm”; seen in some musical commands, as in ritmo giusto, “in strict rhythm.”

▪ rubato:  “robbed”; indicates that the performer may take liberties with the articulation, dynamics, or
overall expressiveness of a song for dramatic effect. However, rubato most commonly affects tempo. See
a piacere.
S

▪ scala musicale: “musical scale”; a series of notes following a specific pattern of intervals; a musical
key. Examples of musical scales include:

  ♦ Scala cromatica (chromatic scale):

    Containing every half note in an octave.

  ♦ Scala diatonica (diatonic scale):

    Made with a pattern of 5 whole steps & 2 half steps within an octave.

  ♦ Scala maggiore (major scale):

    A diatonic scale with a happy character.

  ♦ Scale minore naturale (natural minor scale):

    A diatonic scale with a somber mood.

  ♦ Scala minore armonica

    A harmonic minor scale; scala minore melodica is a melodic minor.

▪ scherzando / scherzosamente: “playfully”; to play in a joking or light-hearted and happy manner.

Scherzando also describes a musical composition with a playful, child-like character. A scherzetto is a
shorter scherzando.

Scherzosamente is usually used only as a command; scherzandissimo is a command that means “very
playful.”

▪ seconda maggiore: “major 2nd”; refers to the common interval consisting of two half steps; a whole
step (M2). Also called tono.

▪ seconda minore: “minor 2nd”; a half-step interval; a semitone. Also called semitono.

▪ segno: “sign”; refers to a symbol involved in a complex system of musical repeats. In word form, it’s
most often abbreviated D.S. (dal segno).

▪ semitono: “semitone”; the smallest interval between notes in modern Western music, commonly
called a half step. In Italian, this is also referred to as a seconda minore, “minor second interval.”

▪ semplice / semplicemente:  “simply”; to play a passage with no frills or ornamentation; to play in a

straight-forward manner, but not necessarily without expression.

▪ sempre: “always”; used with other musical commands to keep their effects constant. For example:
sempre accentato, “accentuation throughout.”

▪ senza: “without”; used to clarify other musical commands, as in senza espressione, “without

expression.”

▪ senza misura / senza tempo:  “without measure / time”; indicates that a song or passage may be
played without regards to rhythm or tempo; to have rhythmic freedom. See rubato.

▪ senza sordina / sordine:  “without mutes [dampers]”; to play with the sustain pedal depressed, so
the dampers have no muting effect on the strings (dampers are always touching the strings unless lifted
with the sustain or sostenuto pedals). Sordine is the plural, although sordini is sometimes written
instead.

▪ serioso: “seriously”; to play in a serious, contemplative manner; without jest or playfulness. Serioso

can be seen in the descriptive titles of musical compositions, as in the third movement of Ferruccio
Busoni’s huge Piano Concerto in C, Op. 39, called ‘Pezzo serioso.’
▪ (sfz) sforzando: an indication to make a strong, sudden accent on a note or chord. Sfz means subito
forzando, “suddenly with force.” Sforzando is sometimes written as a note-accent.

Similar commands include:

 (sfp) sforzando piano: to follow a strong accent with (p) piano

 (sf) subito forte: to suddenly play in (f) forte

▪ (smorz.) smorzando: to gradually slow down and soften the notes until nothing is heard; a
diminuendo that fades very slowly, often accompanied by a very gradual ritardando.

▪ solenne:  “solemn”; to play with quiet reflection. Solenne is also commonly seen in the titles of
musical compositions; for example, the first movement of Busoni’s Piano Concerto in C, Op. 39, is titled
‘Prologo e Introito: Allegro, dolce e solenne.’

▪ sonata:  “played”; a style of musical composition that usually includes two or more movements,
which is written for instruments (or one solo instrument) and not voice. Originally, two main forms of
composition included the sonata (“played [with instruments]”) and the cantata (“sung [with voices]”).

A sonatina is a shorter or less complex sonata.

▪ sopra: “above; over.” Often seen in octave commands, such as ottava sopra, which instructs a pianist
to play notes “an octave higher” than written on the staff.

▪ sordina: “mute”; refers to piano dampers, which rest on the strings at all times (unless lifted by a
pedal) to limit the duration of their resonance.
▪ sostenuto:  “sustained”; the middle pedal on some pianos, which is sometimes omitted. (Not to be
confused with the sustain pedal, which lifts all the dampers at once.)

The sostenuto pedal allows certain notes to be sustained while other notes on the keyboard are
unaffected. It is used by hitting the desired notes, then depressing the pedal. The selected notes will
resonate until the pedal is released. This way, sustained notes can be heard alongside notes played with
a staccato effect.

Sostenuto as a musical symbol may refer to the tenuto.

▪ spiritoso:  “with much spirit”; to play with palpable emotion and conviction. Spiritoso can be seen in
descriptive titles; for example, the second movement of Bach’s L’Estro Armonico, Op. 3, Concerto No. 8 in
A minor is called ‘Larghetto e spiritoso.’

▪ staccatissimo: to play with an exaggerated staccato; to keep notes very detached and brief.
Staccatissimo is marked in the following ways:

 As triangular accents above or below notes

 The written term ‘staccatissimo’ alongside standard staccato marks. This method is common in
hand-written compositions.

▪ staccato:  to make notes brief; to detach notes from one another so that they do not touch or
overlap. This effect on articulation contrasts the legato.

Staccato is marked in music with a small black dot placed above or below a note (not to its side like a
dotted note).

▪ stretto: “tight; narrow.” To press into quick acceleration; a crowded accelerando. See stringendo.

Stretto pedale can be seen in passages that contain a lot of sustain pedal markings. This instructs the
pianist to remain agile on the pedal so that the distinction between pedaled and non-pedaled notes
remains clear and crisp.

▪ stringendo: “pressing”; a rushed, nervous accelerando; to hastily increase the tempo in an impatient

manner. See affrettando.

▪ subito: “quickly; suddenly.” Used alongside other musical commands to make their effects immediate
and abrupt.

▪ tasto: “key”; as in a key on the piano keyboard. A musical key is tonalità.

▪ tempo: “time,” indicates the speed of a song; the rate at which beats are repeated. Tempo is
measured in beats per minute (BPM), which is indicated at the beginning of sheet music in two ways:

1. Metronome marks: ♪ = 76

2. Tempo terms: Adagio is around 76 BPM

▪ tempo di menuetto: to play “the tempo of a minuet”; slowly and gracefully.

▪ tempo di valse: “waltz tempo”; a song or passage written with the rhythm of a waltz, 3/4 time with
an accent on the downbeat.

▪ tempo giusto: “strict time”; instructs a performer to take no liberties with the rhythm of the music;
to play in time exactly as written.
▪ tempo ordinario: “normal, ordinary tempo”; to play in a moderate speed; see tempo comodo. As a
time signature, tempo ordinario refers to 4/4 time, or “common time”; in this case it is also called tempo
alla semibreve.

▪ tempo primo: “first tempo”; indicates a return to the song’s original speed. May be written in sheet
music as tempo I or I°. See come prima and a tempo.

▪ tempo rubato:  “robbed time”; indicates that the performer may take liberties with the articulation,
dynamics, or overall expressiveness of a song for dramatic effect. However, rubato most commonly
affects tempo.

See ad libitum, a piacere, and espressivo.

▪ teneramente: “with tenderness”; to play with delicate care and mindful volume. See delicato.

▪ tenuto:  “held”; to stress a note’s full value; to hold a note without breaking the rhythm of the
measure or the normal value of the note. Tenuto can be understood by realizing that, although you may
play a note inside its actual length, there are normally very brief “breaths” in between notes. However,
tenuto does not create the effect of a legato, because each note remains distinct.

Tenuto is marked in sheet music with a brief horizontal line above or below the notes affected.

▪ timbro: “timbre”; also known as tone color. Timbre is the specific quality of a voice that makes it
unique; the difference between two notes played at the same volume with the same articulation. For
example, listening to an electric guitar vs. an acoustic, or a bright upright piano compared to a massive
concert grand – the difference you’re observing is timbre.
▪ tonalità: a musical key; a group of notes on which a musical scale is based. A piano key is a tasto.

▪ tono: “[whole] tone”; refers to the common interval consisting of two semitones; a whole step (M2).
Also called seconda maggiore.

▪ tranquillo: “tranquilly”; to play in a relaxed manner; calmly.

▪ tre corde: “three strings”; indication to release the soft pedal (which is also called the una corda
pedal); to end the effects of the soft pedal.

The una corda, which means “one string,” works to soften volume by allowing only one string per key to
resonate. Since most pianos keys have three strings each, tre corde indicates a return to all strings.

▪ tremolo: “trembling; shaking.” In piano music, tremolo is executed by repeating one note or chord as
rapidly as possible – not always at a loud or obvious volume – to sustain pitch and prevent note decay.

Tremolo is indicated in sheet music with one or more slashes through the stem of a note. A single slash
indicates the note should be played with eighth-note divisions; two slashes indicates sixteenth-note
divisions, and so on. The length of the main note explains the total duration of the tremolo.

▪ tristamente / tristezza: “sadly; sadness.” To play with an unhappy, melancholy tone; with great
sorrow. Tristezza may refer to a musical composition with a sad character, usually in a minor key.

▪ troppo: “too much”; usually seen in the phrase non troppo, meaning “not too much,” which is used
with other musical commands to ensure their effects do not become excessive. For example: rubato, ma
non troppo, “take liberties with the tempo, but not too much.”

▪ tutta forza: “with complete force”; to play a note, chord, or passage with a very heavy accent.
U

▪ una corda: “one string.” The una corda pedal is used to enhance the timbre of softly played notes,
and exaggerate a low volume. The soft pedal should be used with notes that are already played softly,
and will not produce the desired effect on louder notes. See tre corde.

▪ valoroso: “with valor”; to portray a brave and courageous character; or, to indicate a strong,
prominent volume and tone.

▪ vigoroso: “with vigor”; to play with great enthusiasm and force.

▪ vivace: “lively”; is an indication to play in a very quick, upbeat tempo; faster than allegro, but slower
than presto.

▪ vivacissimo: “very quick and full of life”; to play extremely fast; faster than vivace but slower than
prestissimo.

▪ vivo: “lively; with life.” To play with a very quick and lively tempo; similar to allegrissimo. Faster than
allegro but slower than presto.

▪ (V.S.) volti subito:  “turn [the page] suddenly.” In piano music, this command instructs a pianist’s
assistent to be an alert sight-reader and keep up with the face-paced music being played, so that they
may turn the page of the sheet music quickly for the performer. See subito.

▪ zeloso: “zealous”; to play with zeal and eagerness. Zeloso is most likely to be seen in the title of a
musical composition, although it remains rare.