To help my readers understand the words I use in referencing my work, I am posting this page on music terminology and glossary of terms for reference. I am posting this page just after completing the “Daily Music Writing Project,” before I embark on the “Daily Getting My Music Published Project.” If I’ve missed a term that I use frequently, please feel free to ask.
Identifing the terms I use frequently and defining these terms will take time. I intend to give examples and illustrations (images).
Accompaniment
Arrangement
Chord Melody – instrumental piece that includes both melody and harmony
Composition
Fingerstyle – fingerpicking
Instrumental Solo
Harmony
Key
Key Signature
Lead sheet – melody (notes), lyrics (text), and harmony (chords). No accompaniment.
Melody
Meter
Modulation – change of key within the same song or piece.
Notation
Notes
Pedal tone
Rhythm
Score
Sheet music
Song sheet – lyrics and chords only. There can be extras like intro riffs, strum pattern, etc. See MA in Music, “Paradox of Simplicity: Song Sheets for Participative Music Making in Ukulele Groups” dissertation, December 2018. Blog posts: “Ukulele: ticket to ride“
Tablature – the four horizontal lines (for ukulele) with numbers from 0 and up that show which string and fret to press. The number 0 means play that string without pressing a fret.
Tab – abbreviation for tablature
Tabs – abbreviation for tablature
Time Signature
Transcription
Transposition
