Glossary of musical terms

A one-sentence definition for every term used in this tutorial. Search this page (Ctrl/Cmd-F) for any word that stopped you while reading a lesson.

A–C

Accidental. A sharp, flat, or natural sign that changes a note from the key signature. Arpeggio. The notes of a chord played one at a time rather than struck together. Augmented. Raised by a semitone — usually applied to a 4th, 5th, or chord. Bar / Measure. A group of beats marked off by bar lines on the staff. Bend. Pushing a string sideways to raise its pitch — common in blues/rock. Cadence. A chord movement that creates a sense of ending (V–I, IV–I, etc.). Chord. Three or more notes sounded together. Chromatic. Moving by half-steps; using all 12 tones. Circle of fifths. The diagram that arranges keys by perfect fifths.

D–F

Diatonic. Belonging to the seven notes of the current key/scale. Diminished. Lowered by a semitone — applied to 5th, 7th, or chord. Dominant. The 5th degree of a scale, and the chord built on it (V or V7). Drop voicing. Re-arranging a 4-note chord by dropping one inner note an octave for a wider, more guitaristic sound. Enharmonic. Two names for the same pitch — F♯ and G♭ are enharmonic. Extension. A note added above the 7th of a chord: 9, 11, 13. Fifth (perfect). The interval 7 semitones above the root — extremely consonant. Flat (♭). Lower a note by one semitone. Fret. A metal strip on the neck that produces a half-step.

G–L

Half-step. One fret of distance; one semitone. Harmony. What chords do; how they relate to each other. Inversion. A chord with a note other than the root in the bass. Interval. The distance between two notes. Key. The “home” pitch and its scale that a piece centers on. Key signature. The sharps or flats at the start of a staff that define the key. Leading tone. The 7th degree of the major scale — pulls strongly to the tonic.

M–R

Major. A scale or chord with a major 3rd above the root. Minor. A scale or chord with a minor 3rd above the root. Mode. A scale that re-roots a parent scale (e.g. Dorian = major scale from its 2nd degree). Modulation. Changing key mid-song. Motif. A short, recognisable musical idea. Octave. The interval where a note repeats — 12 semitones / 12 frets. Pentatonic. A five-note scale; usually major or minor pentatonic. Phrase. A musical sentence — usually 2, 4, or 8 bars. Power chord. Just root + 5th, common in rock. Progression. A sequence of chords. Resolution. When tension releases into a consonant chord (usually the tonic). Rhythm. The pattern of durations and accents. Root. The note a chord or scale is named after. Roman numeral. A way of writing chord function regardless of key — I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°.

S–Z

Scale. An ordered set of notes within an octave. Scale degree. The number of a note within a scale (1, 2, 3, …). Semitone. Same as a half-step. Seventh chord. A triad with a 7th added — maj7, m7, 7 (dominant). Sharp (♯). Raise a note by one semitone. Slash chord. A chord with a specific bass note: C/G means C major with G in the bass. Subdominant. The 4th degree, and the chord built on it (IV). Sus chord. A chord where the 3rd is replaced by a 2nd (sus2) or 4th (sus4). Syncopation. Placing accents on weak beats or off-beats. Tempo. Speed of the beat, in BPM. Time signature. Tells you how many beats are in a bar and what counts as one beat. Tonic. The 1st degree / “home” of the key. Triad. A three-note chord built in thirds. Tritone. The unstable interval of 6 semitones — the basis of dominant 7 tension. Voicing. A specific arrangement of a chord’s notes on the instrument. Whole-step. Two semitones; two frets.