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MAT musical terms
Musical Terms to Study for the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Term | Definition |
---|---|
accelerando | gradually speed up |
accent | marking placed on note to indicate significance |
adagio | slowly |
allegretto | moderately fast speed |
altissimo | very high range of notes |
andante | relaxed speed, like walking |
appoggiatura | grace notes that take some time of the following note's duration |
arpeggio | notes of a chord played individually |
a tempo | return to original speed |
bend | sliding a note up or down a little in jazz |
bridge | section of a song that differs from the refrain or chorus |
cadenza | solo section of a song |
canon | musical theme that is repeated and layered |
carol | festive, religious song |
clef | symbol to define not range |
coda | final section of a song |
coloratura | ornamentation of a vocal part |
countertenor | highest male voice |
crescendo | gradually increasing in volume |
decelerando | gradually decreasing in speed |
decrescendo | gradually decreasing in volume |
dirge | songe expressing grief |
dynamics | indications of volume in a song |
forte | loud |
fortissimo | very loud |
key | one of the 12 notes a song can be based on |
largo | slowly |
legato | smoothly, connected |
marcato | every note accented |
measure | short unit of a song |
melisma | changing the note during one syllable |
motif | short musical idea that repeats |
natural | marking that cancels sharp or flat |
pianissimo | very soft |
piano | soft |
pitch | ordering of musical tones based on frequency |
poco | a little |
presto | quickly |
ritard | slowing down |
rondo | form of a song where the theme is alternated between other sections |
rubato | flexible speed, not like a metronome |
semitone | half-step; smallest interval between notes |
sforzando | suddenly loud and accented |
staff | 5 lines where notes placed |
subito | suddenly |
syncopation | style with emphasis on upbeats |
tacet | silent |
tempo | speed of song |
tenuto | marking that indicates holding a note slightly longer |
tutti | all |