Glossary of notation terms

Han-Wen Nienhuys and Jan Nieuwenhuizen

Table of Contents

This glossary is far from complete. Additions are welcome.

	comma enharmonique
	doigté de pédale
	doigté	Fingersatz
	indication de pédale
	pointillés
A	la	a
accent	accent	Akzent		accent	accento
accidental	altération accidentelle	Vorzeichen, Versetzungszeichen, Akzidenz		toevallig teken	accidento
adjacent keys	tons voisins
alto	alto	Alt		alt
ancient form??? (diatonic minor scale)	forme du mode mineur ancien
appoggiatura	appogiature, ports de voix, notes d'agrèment	langer Vorschlag		lange voorslag	appogiature
arbitrary number of bars' rest)	bâton de pause			meermaats rust
arpeggio	arpège, arpègement	Arpeggio, Brechungen		gebroken akoord	arpeggio
artificial measure	mesure artificielle
artificial rest	respiration
ascending interval	intervalle ascendant			stijgend interval
augmented (interval)	augmenté (intervalle)	übermäßig (Intervall)		overmatig interval
B	si	h
backfall, forefall	accent, chute, port de voix	Vorschlag		korte voorslag	appogiature
bar line	barre (de mesure)	Taktstrich		maatstreep	stanghetta
bar; measure	mesure	Takt		maat, maatstreep
baritone	bariton	Bariton		bariton
		F-Schlüssel		F sleutel		A clef shaped as a curl with two dots. The position between the dots is the line of the F below central C.
bass clef	clé de fa	Bass-Schlüssel		bas sleutel	chiave di basso	A clef setting with central C on the first top ledger line.
bass	basse	Bass		bas
beam	barre	Balken		waardestreep/balk	barra
beat	temps	Takt(-schlag)		tel
brace	accolade	Klammer		accolade, haak	accolada	Symbol at the start of a system that connects staffs.
brass		Blechbläser		koper (blazers)
alto clef	clé d'ut	Altschlüssel		alt sleutel	chiave di tenore	Clef setting that has central C on the middle staff line.
C clef				C sleutel.		A clef symbol that looks like a horizontally mirrored 3. It indicates the position of the central C. Used in different positions.
C	do	c		C
C	ut	c
cadence	cadence	Kadenz		cadens
cadenza	fioriture	Kadenz		cadens	cadenza
cent		Cent		cent		1/1200 of an octave (1/100 of an equally tempered semitone)
chain of trills	chaîne de trilles			triller
character	caractère
chevron	chevron
chord	accord	Akkord		akkoord
chromatic scale	gamme chromatique	Chromatische Tonleiter		chromatische toonladder
chromatic semitone	demi-ton chromatique			chromatische halve toon
chromatic transposition	transposition chromatique
chromatic type	genre chromatique
church mode, ecclesiastical mode	mode ecclésiastique	Kirchentonart		kerk toonladder
clef	clé	Notenschlüssel		sleutel	la chiave (pl. le chiavi)
comma	comma	Komma		komma		Difference in pitch of a note when the note is derived from a different tuning system.
compound interval	intervalle composé	Komplementärintervall
compound measure	mesure composée			samengestelde maat
conjunct movement	mouvement conjoint
consonant interval; consonance	consonance	Konsonanz		consonant
contralto	contralto	Alt(-stimme), alt-
contro-time	contre-temps
crescendo	crescendo	Crescendo			crescendo	written with an extended opening angular bracket, indicates increasing volume
cue-notes		Stichnoten		stichnoten		In an orchestral part, notes for a different instrument that hint when to start playing. Usually printed in smaller type.
D	ré	d
dash over/below					pizzicato	With plucked strings
decrescendo		Decrescendo			decrescendo	written with an extended closing angular bracket, indicates decreasing volume
degree [of the scale]	degré [de la gamme]	Stufe [der Tonleiter]		trap [van de toonladder]
descending interval	intervalle descendant			dalend interval
diatonic major scale	gamme diatonique majeure	Diatonische Durtonleiter		diatonische majeur toonladder
diatonic minor scale	gamme diatonique mineure	Diatonische Molltonleiter
diatonic semitone	demi-ton diatonique			diatonische halve toon
diatonic type	genre diatonique	diatonisch
diatonic	diatonique			diatonisch		A diatonic scale is a scale consisting of whole and half tones.
diminished (interval)	diminué (intervalle)	vermindert (Intervall)		verminderd (interval)
disjunct movement	mouvement disjoint
dissonant interval; dissonance	dissonance	Dissonanz		dissonant interval; dissonant
dominant ninth chord	accord de neuvième dominante			dominant noon akkoord
dominant seventh chord	accord de septième dominante	Dominantseptakkord		dominant septiem akkoord
dominant	dominante	Dominante		dominant		A tone that creates tension;the fifth degree of the scale.
dorian mode		Dorische Tonart		dorische toonladder		Mode obtained by raising the sixth in minor mode. A Dorian scale can be played from D to D with no sharps or flats.
dot (augmentation dot)	point	Punkt (Verlängerungspunkt)		punt	punto	An augmentation dot after note adds multiplies the duration by one and a half.
dot and curved line combined	point et liaison combinés
dot over/below		Staccato		staccato	staccato	Play each note short.
dot	point	Punkt		punt
dotted note	note pointée	punktierte Note
double appoggiatura	appogiature double
double bar line	double barre	Doppel(takt)strich		dubbele streep	doppia barra	Indicates the end of a section within a movement.
double dotted note	note doublement pointée	doppel-punktierte Note
double flat	double bémol	Doppel-Be		dubbelmol	doppio bemolle
double sharp	double dièse	Doppelkreuz		dubbelkruis	doppio diesis	Raise pitch by two semitones
double trill	trille double	Doppeltriller				A trill on a chord
double triplet	double triolet	Doppeltriole		dubbele triool
double whole note		Brevis	breve	brevis	breve	Note during twice as long as a whole note. Mainly used in pre-1650 music.
duple meter	temps binaire			tweedelige maatsoort
duplet	duolet	Duole		duool
duration	durée	Dauer, Länge		duur, lengte
E	mi	e
eighth note	croche	Achtelnote	quaver	achtste noot
eighth rest	demi-soupir	Achtelpause	quaver rest	achtste rust
engraving		Notenstechen		steken		The traditional process of music printing: cutting in a plate of metal. Now also the term for the art of music typography.
enharmonic	enharmonique	enharmonisch		enharmonisch		Two notes, intervals, or scales are enharmonic if they have different names but sound the same. Examples: C sharp and D flat, diminished fourth and major third
equal temperament	tempérament égal			getempereerde stemming		Tuning system in which each semitone is precisely 100 cents.
essential alteration	altération essentielle
expression mark	signe d'expressoin	Vortragszeichen		voordrachtsteken	segno d'espressione
extension of interval	extension d'intervalle
F	fa	f
fermata	pauses	Fermate		fermate	fermata	Prolonged sound or silence of indefinite duration
fifth	quinte	Quinte		kwint
flag, hook, tail, pennant	crochet	Fähnchen		vlaggetje	coda uncinata	Ornament at the end of the stem of a note. The number of flags determines the lengths of notes shorter than a quarter note.
flat	bémol	Be		mol	bemolle	Lower pitch by a semitone
four-bar rest	bâton de pause
fourth	quarte	Quarte		kwart
G	sol	g
glissando	glissement	Glissando		glissando	glissando	Letting the pitch slide fluently from one note to the other
graces	petites notes	Verzierungen, Manieren		versieringen	appogiature
grand staff				piano systeem		A combination of two staffs with a brace. Usually used for piano music.
half note	blanche	Halbe Note	minim	halve noot
half rest	demi-pause	Halbe Pause	minim rest	halve rust
harmonic cadence	cadence harmonique			harmonische cadens		Sequence of chords that terminate a musical phrase or section.
harmonic form (diatonic minor scale)	forme harmonique
harmonic interval	intervalle harmonique	Harmonisches Intervall
incomplete measure	mesure incomplète
interval	intervalle	Intervall		interval		Difference in pitch between two notes
inversion of interval	renversement d'intervalle			interval inversie
irregular contro-time	contre-temps irrégulier
irregular group	groupe irrégulier
irregular measure	mesure irrégulière
irregular syncopation	syncope irrégulière			onregelmatige syncope
just intonation						Tuning system in which the notes are obtained by adding and subtracting natural fifths and thirds.
key signature	armure, armature [de la clé], signes des accidentals	Vorzeichen		toonsoort (voortekens)	segni di chiave
kind of note	figure de note
kind of rest	figure de silence
leading note	sensible
ledger line, leger line	ligne supplémentaire	Hilfslinien, Kopfstriche (?)		hulplijntje	lineette	A ledger line is an extension of the staff.
legato curve	liaison rythmique			legato boog
lilypond	étang de lis	Lilienteich	lily pond	lelievijver	stagno del giglio	A pond with lilies floating in it, also the name of a music typesetter.
line	ligne	Linie		lijn
long appoggiatura	appogiature longue
lower number	chiffre inférieur
major (interval)	majeur (intervalle)	groß (Intervall)		groot (interval)
major mode	mode majeur	Dur
meantone temperament	tempérament mésotonique					Tuning based on a fifth that is 16 cents smaller than the natural fifth.
mediant	médiante			mediant		The third degree of a scale
melodic cadence	cadence mélodique			cadens		A free-form section at the end of a solo-concerto, where the soloist can demonstrate his/her virtuosity.
melodic form (diatonic minor scale)	forme mélodique
meter, time	mètre	Takt, Metrum		maatsoort		A recurring pattern of stress
metronome	métronome	Metronom		metronoom		Device which sounds a steady beat
metronomic indication	indication métronomique	Metronomangabe				Exact tempo indication (in beats per minute). Also denoted by M.M. (Mälzel's Metronom)
mezzo-soprano	mezzo-soprano	Mezzosopran
middle C	do central	eingestrichenes c		centrale C		First C below the 440 Hz A.
minor (interval)	mineur (intervalle)	klein (Intervall)
minor mode	mode mineur	Moll
modal note	note modale
mode	mode	Geschlecht
modulation	modulation	Modulation		modulatie
mordent	mordant, pincè	Pralltriller, Mordent		mordent	mordente
motive	incise	Motiv		motief
musical ladder	échelle musicale
mixolydian mode		Mixolydische Tonart		Mixolydische toonladder		Mode obtained by lowering the seventh in major. A mixolydian scale can be obtained by playing G to G with no sharps or flats.
natural sign	bécarre	Auflösungszeichen		herstellingsteken	bequadro	Do not play the following note flat or sharp.
ninth		None		noon
note head		Notenkopf		noot balletje
note	note	Note		noot	nota
octave line	échelle d'octave
octave line	clé d'octave
octave sign	octave	Oktave			ottava
octave	octave	Oktave		octaaf
ornament, embellishment; accessory	agrèment, ornement	Verzierungen			fiorette, fioriture, abbellimenti
part				partij
pause	pause	Luftpause
pause	point d'orgue
perfect (interval)	juste (intervalle)	rein (Intervall)		rein (interval)
perfect major chord	accord parfait majeur
perfect minor chord	accord parfait mineur
phrase member	membre de phrase
phrase	phrase	Phrase		frase, zin
phrasing	phrasé
pitch pipe; tuning fork	diapason	Stimmgabel		stemfluitje; stemvork
pitch	hauteur	Tonhöhe		toonhoogte
Pythagorean comma	comma pythagoricien	Pythagoräisches Komma		komma van Pythagoras		A sequence of fifths starting on C eventually circles back to C (B sharp), but this B sharp is 24 cents higher than C. This gap is the Pythagorean comma.
quadruplet	quartolet			kwartool
quarter note	noire	Viertelnote	crotchet	kwartnoot
quarter rest	soupir	Viertelpause	crotchet rest	kwart rust
register	registre	Register		register
regular contro-time	contre-temps régulier
regular syncopation	syncope régulière
relative scales	gammes relatives, tons relatifs
repeat	barre de reprise	Wiederholung		herhaling
rest	silence
rest	soupir	Pause		rust	pausa
return sign	renvoi			herstellingsteken
rhythm	rythme	Rhythmus		ritme
rhythmic curve	courbe rythmique
scale	gamme	Tonleiter		toonladder
score	partition	Partitur		partituur
second	seconde	Sekunde			secunde
semitone	demi-ton	Halbton		halve toon
seventh	septième	Septime		septiem	septime
sextuplet	sextolet	Sextole		sextool
sextuplet	sixain			sextool
shading signs	signes indicateurs de nuance
shading	nuance	Nuance
sharp	dièse	Kreuz (um Halbton erhöht)		kruis
short appoggiatura	appogiature brève
simple appoggiatura	appogiature simple
simple interval	intervalle simple
simple measure	mesure simple
sixteenth note	double croche	Sechzehntelnote	semiquaver	zestiende noot
sixteenth rest	quart de soupir	Sechzehntelpause	semiquaver rest	zestiende rust
sixth	sixte	Sexte		sext
sixty-fourth note	quadruple croche	Vierundsechzigstelnote	hemidemisemiquaver	vierenzestigste noot
sixty-fourth rest	seizième de soupir	Vierundsechzigstelpause	hemidemisemiquaver rest
slur	liaison, coulé	Bindungszeichen, Bindebogen		binding, bindingsboog	legatura
soprano	soprano	Sopran		sopraan
space	espace
staff	portée	Noten(linien)system		(noten)balk; partij		pl staves or staffs
stem	queue	Stiel, Hals		stok	asta, gamba
strings		Streicher		strijkers
strong beat	temps fort			thesis
subdominant	sous-dominante	Subdominante				The fourth degree of the scale
submediant						The sixth scale degree
subtonic	sous-tonique	Subtonika				The seventh degree of the scale
superdominant	sus-dominante					The sixth scale degree
supertonic	sus-tonique					The second scale degree
syncopation; upbeat	syncope	Synkope		syncope
syntonic comma	comma syntonique			komma van Didymos, syntonische komma		Difference between the natural third and the third obtained by Pythagorean tuning, euqal to 22 cents.
system	système	System		systeem	sitema
tempo indication	signes de temps	Zeitmaß, Tempobezeichnung		tempo aanduiding	segno di tempo
tempo; movement	mouvement	Tempo
tenor	ténor	Tenor
tenth		Dezime		deciem	decime
tetrachord	tétracorde	Vierklang
third	tierce	Terz		terts
thirty-second note	triple croche	Zweiunddreißigstelnote	demisemiquaver	32e noot
thirty-second rest	huitième de soupir	Zweiunddreißigstelpause	demisemiquaver rest	32e rust
tie	liaison	Haltebogen		overbinding	legatura	A curve that shows the prolongation (as opposed to the repetition fo a note)
time signature	chiffrage (chiffres indicateurs), signe de valeur	Taktvorzeichnung, Taktvorzeichen		maatsoort	segni di tempo
tonal note	note tonale
tonality	tonalité	Tonalität		tonaliteit
tone	ton	Ton		toon
tonic	tonique	Tonika		tonica
transposition	transposition	Transposition		transpositie		Shifting a melody up or down in pitch, while keeping the same relative pitches.
G clef				G sleutel		A clef symbol with a loop at the top and a spiral in the center. The center of the spiral indicates the G above central C.
treble clef	clé de sol	Violinschlüssel		viool sleutel	chiave di violino	Clef setting where the second lowest line is the G above central C.
tremolo	trèmolo	Tremolo		tremolo	tremolo
trill; shake	trille, tremblement, battement (cadence)	Triller		triller	trillo
triple meter	temps ternaire			driedelige maatsoort
triplet	triolet	Triole
tritone	triton	Tritonus
turn; gruppetto	brisè, groupe, doublè, grupetto	Doppelschlag		dubbelslag	grupetto
two-bar rest	bâton de pause
underline over/below	portamento	Portato
unison	unisson	Unisono			unisono	Different instruments playing exactly the same melody.
unit of beat	unité de temps
unit of measure	unité de mesure
upbeat, arsis		Auftakt
upper number	chiffre supérieur
voice	voix	Stimme		stem
weak beat	temps faible			arsis
whole note	ronde	Ganze Note	semibreve	hele noot
whole rest	pause	Ganze Pause	semibreve rest
woodwind		Holzbläser		houtblazers

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Copyright (c) 1997, 1998, 1999 Han-Wen Nienhuys and Jan Nieuwenhuizen.

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