Vocabulary

Music Vocabulary Definitions

Kindergarten:

Echo:                           Hearing a sound again/to repeat

Singing Voice:            The musical voice we use to make notes                                   

Steady Beat:              Even rhythm

Speaking Voice:            The voice we use to talk to one another

Whisper Voice:            Hushed or quiet voice

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1^st Grade:

High:                           To raise the sound

Loud:                          A big sound

Low:                            To make a deep sound                                                            

Posture:                      Sitting or standing straight and ready to perform

Soft:                            Calm and quiet sound

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2^nd Grade:

Forte:                          To sing or play an instrument loudly

Introduction:               Musical beginning

Piano:                          To sing or play an instrument softly /quietly                               

Repeat Sign:              A symbol that means to sing/play part or all of the music again  :ll

Solo:                            One person singing or playing an instrument

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3^rd Grade:

Brass:                         A family of instruments made of metal.  They have valves or slides. Sound is made by “buzzing” the lips.

Lyrics:                        The words of a song                                                                

Percussion:                 A family of instruments that make sound by shaking or striking the instrument.

String:                         A family of instruments that make sound by moving the strings.

Woodwind:                  A family of instruments that uses keys or open holes to make sounds as you blow through the reed/mouthpiece.

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4^th Grade:

Concertmaster            The 1^st chair violinist whose duty is to tune the orchestra

Composer:                  A person who writes music

Conductor:                  The leader/director of a musical group                                  

Orchestra:                  All families (brass, percussion, string, woodwind) of instruments playing together

Patriotic:                     Music that says something good/nice about your country.

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5^th Grade:

Harmony:                   2 or more different parts playing/singing at the same time

Measure:                    A group of notes or rests separated by bar lines.

Recorder:                   A beginning woodwind instrument similar to a clarinet.           

Staff:                           Five lines on which music notes/rests are written. 

Time Signature:            A symbol which appears at the beginning of the music.  The top number tells how many beats are in a measure and the bottom number tells what type of note gets one beat.

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6^th Grade:

Accompaniment:            Music that is performed to go with/support a song.

Concert Etiquette:            Rules for good behavior at a musical performance.  Ex. Clapping when the concert master/mistress, conductor and/or soloist come on stage; not clapping between movements of a musical selection such as a symphony, etc.

Dynamics:                  The different levels of loudness (forte) and softness (piano) of sound/music (ppp,pp,p,mp,mf,f,ff,fff)

Octavo:                       A single song arranged for choir with piano accompaniment