C

Opposite of decrescendo. Gradual increase in loudness. See dynamics for more.

Polyphonic music. Something in the lines of ‘opposing points’, like saying point against point. In the case of two voices, you can have a bass line as the cantus firmus…

See contra tenor.

A harmonic progression that lets us know when a passage or song is about to come to an end. It’s the resolution of the previous harmonies, usually to the tonic…

Lit.: strong chant. A pre-existing melody that is used to compose polyphonic music, mainly counterpoint.

Think of speaking or shouting: we use chest voice there. The quality of the sound we make using our chest voice is rougher and has a bigger ‘body’ when compared…

Think of pulling daisy petals and start counting on a music scale. As it is customary, you start with ‘he/she loves me’, so for the music, the first note will…

What’s not a verse will most likely be a chorus. It’s usually what has all the instruments smashing either together or in unison. It’s what the composer wants us to remember…

It’s either when we use accidentals in a scale or when we move in semitones. If we assume that we’re in C major, we won’t go in ascending order like:…

It means ‘key’ and it’s a French word. Man, do you need to learn a few languages to know your music or what… If we have notes on a stave…

An original work of music. It comes in all flavors and shapes.

As in consonance, not as in the consonants of the English alphabet. Think of consonant intervals as round sounds and of dissonant intervals as sounds with edges. Consonant sounds are robust and…

Lit.: against time. Although contra tempo is not widely used, it has the same meaning as off-beat. When I use it, I tend to use contra tempo in longer phrases,…

Also called countertenor. The highest male voice of the bunch. Has many notes in common with the lowest female voice, the contralto.