A
accelerando
(Italian), "accelerate." Gradually increase the
tempo. Abbr.: accel.
adagio
(Italian), "slowly, at ease." Slower than
andante and faster than largo.
ad
libitum (Latin), "at liberty." 1) After an
instrument name (e.g., Guitar II ad libitum) it
indicates the optional omission of that part. 2)
As a tempo marking it indicates rhythmic
freedom. 3) In a cadenza it indicates
improvisation or rhythmic freedom. Abbr.: ad
lib.
affettuoso
(Italian), "affectionate.
agitato
(Italian), "agitated."
alla
breve (Italian), "in shortness." Cut time or
2/2 meter. Indicated with the symbol
"¢."
allargando
(Italian), "broadening, becoming
slower."
allegretto
(Italian), "cheerful, lively." Moderately fast
but a little slower than allegro.
allegro
(Italian), "cheerful, lively." Fast.
andante
(Italian), "walking." Moderately slow: faster
than adagio and slower than allegro.
andantino
(Italian). A little faster than
andante.
animando,
animato, animandosi (Italian), "animating,
animated, becoming animated."
apoyando
(Spanish), "leaning." Rest stroke.
appassionato
(Italian), "passionately."
arm.,
abbr. for armonici.
armonici
(Italian), "harmonic." Abbr.: arm.
assai
(Italian) "much, very." Allegro assai: very
lively.
a
tempo (Italian), "in tempo." Resume normal
tempo.
B
B
[plus Roman numeral), abbr. for barré
or bar.
bar
(English), barré (French).
Fretting of two or more strings with the first
finger. Indicated with a capitol B and a Roman
numeral corresponding to the fret: BIII, bar
third fret. A slash through the letter indicates
a half bar.
brio,
con (Italian), "with vigor."
C
C
[plus Roman numeral, e.g., CIV], abbr.
for capotasto or ceja.
cantabile,
cantando (Italian), "songlike,
singing."
capotasto
(Italian), ceja, cejilla (Spanish).
Barré or bar. Indicated with a capitol C
and a Roman numeral corresponding to the fret:
CIII, bar the third fret. A slash through the
letter (¢) indicates a half bar.
con
(Italian), "with." For phrases beginning with
this term, see the second word.
cresc.,
abbr. for crescendo.
crescendo
(Italian). Gradual increase in volume. Abbr.:
cresc.
D
da
capo (Italian), "from the head." Return to
the beginning. Abbr.: D.C. Da capo al fine:
return to the beginning and play to fine. Da
capo al : return to the beginning and skip ahead
to the next occurrence of the sign (the coda).
dal
segno (Italian), "[play] from the
sign ." Abbr.: D.S. Dal segno al fine: go to the
sign and end at fine.
D.C.,
abbr. for da capo.
D.S.,
abbr. for dal segno.
decresc.,
abbr. for decrescendo.
decrescendo
(Italian). Gradual decrease in volume. See
diminuendo. Abbr.: decresc.
dim.,
abbr. for diminuendo.
diminuendo
(Italian). Gradual decrease in volume. See
decrescendo. Abbr.: dim.
dolce,
(Italian), "sweetly, softly.
doloroso
(Italian), "painful, sorrowful."
E
espressivo
(Italian), "expressively."
étouffé
(French), "suffocate or smother." The technique
of muting (not stopping) a tone by laying the
palm on the bridge while plucking the string.
See pizzicato.
F
f,
abbr. for forte.
ff,
abbr. for fortissimo.
fine
(Italian), "finish, end." See da
capo.
forte
(Italian), "loud." Abbr.: f.
fortissimo
(Italian), "very loud." Abbr.: ff.
forzando,
forzato (Italian), "forced." A sudden stress
on a single note or chord in a passage. Abbr.:
fz. See sforzando.
fz,
abbr. for forzando or forzato.
G
gliss.,
abbr. for glissando.
glissando
(Italian), "slide." A rapid succession of
pitches made by sliding a finger up or down a
string. Indicated with a straight line between
note heads. Abbr.: gliss.
golpe
(Spanish) "blow, stroke." Percussive tapping on
the guitar body. See tambora.
grave
(Italian), "heavy, solemn." Slow and serious.
Similar to adagio.
grazioso
(Italian), "graceful."
H-I-J-K
har.,
harm., abbr. for harmonic or
harmoniques.
harmonic
(English), harmoniques (French),
"overtone." Abbr.: har., harm. See armonici.
L
larghetto
(Italian). Slow and broad but faster than
largo.
largo
(Italian), "wide." Slow and broad.
legato
(Italian), "bound." Played smoothly with no
separation between notes.
leggiero
(Italian), "lightly." Light, nimble and quick.
Abbr.: legg.
lento,
lentamente (Italian) "slow."
M
maestoso
(Italian), "majestically."
marcato
(Italian), "marked." With emphasis or stress.
Abbr.: marc.
meno
(Italian), "less." Meno mosso: less moved
(slower).
metàlico
(Spanish), "metallic." Play near the bridge. See
sul ponticello.
mezzo
forte (Italian), "half loud." Moderately
loud (softer than forte, louder than mezzo
piano). Abbr.: mf.
mezzo
piano (Italian), "half soft." Moderately
soft (louder than piano, softer than mezzo
forte). Abbr.: mp.
mf,
abbr. for mezzo forte.
moderato
(Italian), "moderately." A tempo midway between
andante and allegro.
molto
(Italian), "very, much." Molto accelerando:
accelerate greatly.
morendo
(Italian), "fading away, dying."
mosso
(Italian), "moved."
mp,
abbr. for mezzo piano.
N-O
niente
(Italian), "nothing." Diminuendo niente:
decrescendo [to] nothing (until
inaudible).
non
troppo (Italian), "not too much." Allegro
non troppo: lively [but] not too
lively.
P
p,
abbr. for piano.
perdendosi
(Italian), "dying away." See morendo.
pesante
(Italian), "heavy." Play with emphasis.
piacere,
a (Italian), "to please." With rhythmic
freedom.
pianissimo
(Italian), "very soft" (softer than piano).
Abbr.: pp.
piano
(Italian), "soft." Abbr.: p.
più
(Italian), "more."
più
mosso (Italian), "more moved."
Faster.
pizz.,
abbr. for pizzicato.
pizzicato
(Italian), "to pluck or pinch." The technique of
muting--but not stopping--the strings by laying
the palm on the bridge while playing. Abbr.:
pizz. See étouffé.
poco
(Italian), "little." Poco crescendo: crescendo
slightly.
poco
a poco (Italian), "little by little." Poco a
poco crescendo: crescendo in small
increments.
pp,
abbr. for pianissimo.
prestissimo
(Italian). As fast as possible.
presto
(Italian), "quickly." Very fast, faster than
allegro.
Q-R
quasi
(Italian), "almost." Quasi allegro: almost
allegro (slightly slower than allegro).
rall.,
abbr. for rallentando.
rallentando
(Italian), "slowing down." Abbr.: rall. See
ritardando.
rasgueado
(Spanish). A strumming technique which uses the
fingernails to strike the strings in an outward
motion. Abbr.: rasg.
risoluto
(Italian), "resolute, energetic."
rit.,
abbr. for ritardando.
ritardando
(Italian), "gradually slowing down." Abbr.:
rit., ritard. See rallentando.
ritenuto
(Italian), "held back." A sudden slowing of
tempo. Abbr.: riten.
ritmico
(Italian), "rhythmic."
rubato
(Italian), "rob." Use of a flexible
beat.
S
scherzando
(Italian), scherzhaft (German),
"playfully."
schnell
(German), "fast."
segue
(Italian) "follows." Indicates that a movement
or section should continue without a
break.
sempre
(Italian), "continuously, always." Sempre
legato: continuously legato.
senza
(Italian), "without." Senza tempo, senza misura:
without a strict tempo.
sforzando,
sforzato (Italian), "forcing." A sudden
stress on a note or chord. Abbr.: sfz or sf. See
forzando.
sfz,
sf, abbr. for sforzando or
sforzato.
simile
(Italian), "same." Continue in the same
manner.
slentando
(Italian), "slowing down."
sostenuto
(Italian), "sustained." Andante sostenuto:
moderately slow [and] sustained. Abbr.:
sost.
staccato
(Italian), "detached." Durations are shortened
by touching the string immediately after
plucking it. Indicated by a dot over or under
the note.
stendendo
(Italian), "slowing or stretching
out."
stentando,
stentato (Italian), "halting,
labored."
stringendo
(Italian), "pressing, becoming
faster."
subito
(Italian), "suddenly." p subito: suddenly
soft.
sul
ponticello (Italian), "on the bridge." Pluck
the string near the bridge. Produces a metallic
tone. Abbr.: sul pont. or pont.
sul
tasto (Italian), "on the fingerboard." Pluck
the string over the fingerboard between the 12th
and 19th frets. Produces a soft, hollow tone.
Abbr.: tasto.
sul,
sulla (Italian). Preposition meaning at, on
or on the. Sul Re or sul D: on the D
[string].
T
tambora
(Spanish), "two-headed drum." Percussive tapping
on the guitar. See golpe.
tanto
(Italian), "so much." Non tanto: not so
much.
tempo
(Italian), "time." Speed of the beat.
tempo
primo (Italian), "first tempo." Return to
the original tempo.
ten.,
abbr. for tenuto.
teneramente
(Italian), "tenderly."
tenuto
(Italian), "held." The holding of a note pass
its indicated value, slightly delaying the
following beat. Indicated by an abbreviation
(ten.) or a short dash (-) over or under the
note.
tirando
(Spanish). Free stroke.
tristamente
(Italian), "sadly, sorrowfully."
U-V-W-X-Y-Z
un
(Italian). Indefinite article similar to 'a' in
English: un poco rubato, a little rubato.
vivace
(Italian), "lively, brisk." The same or faster
than allegro. If used after another term
(allegro vivace), play faster than the first
term's normal tempo.
vivo
(Italian), "lively, brisk."
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2001 by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights
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