THE SYMPHONY OF GRAMMAR
10 Music Words To Impress Your Musician Friends
Published on September 11, 2024
Image: Miguel Alcântara
A quote often attributed to Hans Christian Andersen says, "Where words fail, music speaks." As beautiful as this phrase is, the truth is that music and language are definitively intertwined: Don’t you sometimes feel enthralled by the beautiful sounds of words, by the incredible music that comes with language? Not only that, the vocabulary used by the world of music is filled with beautiful terms with extremely interesting meanings. We have selected 10 of the most fascinating musical terms we could find. You might be surprised to see the different meanings that music gives to a few everyday words, as well as some classical terms inherent to this medium. In any case, we hope this article will help you bring more music to your vocabulary! Enjoy!
Woodshed
Image: Clark Young
We’ll start this list with the term that surprised us the most. A woodshed, at least for those of us with no musical background, is a small building used to store firewood. Although this is not a popular term (particularly after the advent of modern heating systems), it can be easily inferred from context. Having said that, "woodshed" is a widespread word for musicians, although not for the meaning you are probably thinking about.
Curiously enough, musicians use this word not as a noun but as a verb: "Woodshedding" describes practicing in solitude for several hours to improve your skills. The name comes from the need to find a secluded place in which you won’t be bothered, like the amount of privacy an isolated woodshed separated from the main house would provide.
Bridge
Image: Baher Khairy
Just like their architectural counterparts, a musical "bridge" is a passage that connects two points in a composition. However, it should be noted that, in the music world, there are two different meanings associated with this term, one related to classical music, and one commonly used in modern popular music.
In classical compositions, a bridge’s function is a more faithful representation of an actual bridge: It is used to smooth the transition between two sections, to prevent an abrupt modulation in the piece. On the other hand, the modern usage of the bridge serves an entirely different function: It is used to provide some contrast to the original section while remaining similar enough to provide a safe return to it.
Arpeggio
Image: Jacek Dylag
The musical term arpeggio describes the act of individually playing the notes that comprise a chord in a progressive succession. The result is a beautiful cascading effect that has been frequently used by both classical composers as well as more mainstream musicians. The word comes from the Italian arpeggiare, which translates to "playing on a harp".
A few examples of compositions that include arpeggios are the opening of Beethoven’s "Moonlight Sonata" and, perhaps more surprisingly, the first chords of the U.S. National Anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner". A more modern example could be the American rock band Kansas’ 1977 hit song "Dust in the Wind", which features a gorgeous arpeggio throughout the song.
Allegro
Image: Larisa Birta
The Italian word allegro, which is a quintessential term in the world of classical music, literally translates to "cheerful." We can think of no better word to describe the happy and shiny feelings this type of tempo produces in the listener.
The term allegro indicates a type of tempo, which is to say the pace or the speed that a certain composition has. Other common indicators are Andante ("Walking-pace") or Presto ("Quickly"). You might have noticed that, while some indicators describe technical aspects like speed, others like Allegro focus on feelings or moods. Therefore, for a piece to be considered played in this tempo, it must bring joy and cheerfulness to the audience.
Canon
Image: Colin Michael
Until the time comes when large-caliber artillery is commonly used by orchestras, the word canon shouldn’t be confused with the similarly-spelled "cannon". In music theory, a canon is a composition in which a single melody is repeated by multiple parts after a given interval. Usually, the melody is initially played by a leader, also called a dux, and it is then successively played by followers, known as comes.
Canons are usually performed by choirs, with different voices coming after each other. You might be surprised to learn that some cherished childhood songs are actually canons. For example, the camping hit song "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or the nursery rhyme "Brother John".
Fugue
Image: Samuel Sianipar
Just like a canon, a fugue is a type of composition based on imitation and repetition. However, a fugue is slightly harder to explain. In this composition technique, the repetition is based on a "subject," which in itself can be composed of several melodies. While this is repeated throughout the piece (usually in different keys), it is usually accompanied by variations or melodies inspired by the original subject.
In that sense, the etymology of this word is rather interesting and can help us understand what this technique is all about. The English word "fugue" came into prominence in the 16th century, and was inspired by the Italian word fuga and the French word fugue. Both of these words can be translated to "escape" or "to flee", which is definitely an appropriate name for this technique: The initial melody seems to trail off as the piece progresses, with the accompanying melodies continuously chasing after it.
Lick
Image: Joey Nicotra
Don’t worry, this entry does not involve tasting any instruments. In popular music, especially in blues and rock, the noun "lick" describes a commonly played pattern, composed of a series of notes that are played during solos or for accompaniment. Licks are particularly used during improvisation since they can be both common ground for all musicians participating and a safe place to land after a particularly complicated bit.
Although they are used in relatively modern music, the truth is that licks have been around since Medieval times. Granted, at the time, these patterns were known as ostinatos, but they were pretty much the same. Ostinatos are ever-present in classical music, being featured in compositions by heavy hitters like Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach.
Medley
Image: Jens Thekkeveettil
Did you ever want to pay homage to your favorite artist but were short on time? Then the medley is the piece for you! A medley is composed of segments of already existing pieces, re-arranged in a way that both showcases all pieces and creates an original composition.
You might be familiar with at least a few medleys since they are pretty popular nowadays. Most of them include songs connected through the same theme, whether it’s the same artist, year, or genre. Medleys are particularly common in the world of musical theatre since they are a great form of overture.
Phrase
Image: Curtis Potvin
In more ways than one, music works just like any language in the world. It has its own syntax, grammar, and alphabet. In that sense, a phrase is exactly what you would expect it to be: a single unit, composed of one or many notes (which, in terms of this comparison, could be considered both words or letters).
At the end of the day, what defines a phrase is that, just like a sentence, it makes sense when isolated from the rest of the piece. In other words, a phrase needs to have a defined beginning and end in order to maintain coherence when heard on its own.
Anticipation
Image: John Matychuk
Are you anticipating what this final entry is going to be about? Don’t let the title mislead you. The "anticipation" coined by musicians is not exactly the one you might feel before your favorite band takes the stage. In truth, this term doesn’t have that much of a positive meaning, since it describes a harmonic dissonance in a musical piece.
These musical concepts might be a bit complicated to sum up in this short entry, but here goes our best attempt: an anticipation happens whenever a note that belongs to a chord is played early during a succession. Simply put, if a note is played one step early and then remains the same during the progression, then we can consider this an anticipation.
