Questions tagged [music]
Questions about the English terms related to music, and the proper usage of them.
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Image is to pixelated as a song is to ___?
The closest I could think of is "low quality" but that is not as specific as I'd like, it could also mean that the music is bad.
Example:
I like this song, but you should really get the CD. This ...
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Why is a song's radio edit called a ‘7" version’?
For some reason, I used to think that a 7" version of a song was a 7-minute long version.
Then, I started noticing that most 7" versions I came across were in fact around 3:30 long. Upon further ...
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Precise word to differentiate "major" and "minor" in music
In a similar manner to the way that we use "sex" to differentiate male and female, I want to find the best word to differentiate major and minor.
The Wikipedia page on the subject did not use any ...
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Term for music that imitates speech
I have searched and asked others for the answer to this but have come up dry: What is the name or technique in music where musical notes approximate/imitate speech?
Note that I am not talking about ...
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Do native speakers understand all the words in songs? [closed]
I'm wondering if native speakers understand all the words in songs. For me it is very very difficult, as I can usually understand only 30% of words and phrases in songs. While listening to people's ...
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Do “chorus” and “refrain” have different connotations?
In a musical context, let's say musicians talking about present-day pop music (i.e. there is not a real chorus with 40 people singing), do the words “chorus” and “refrain” carry different meanings? Is ...
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What is the origin of the music term 'grace note'?
A grace note (Wikipedia link) is a generally short-lived musical note, which serves to 'decorate' a melody, while not adding any time to it, or affecting the melody's structure in any significant way.
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What is the name of this symbol "♪"?
I need the names of the following symbols:
♪
The one that is not coloured in and looks like a "d"
The circular one, that looks like an "o"
The one like this ♪, but doesn't have the little thingy ...
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What does "autolyco-sentimental" mean?
Wagner is said to have described Mayerbeer's operas as follows:
(translated into English and originally written in German, probably.)
"Meyerbeer ... wanted a monstrous, piebald, historico-romantic, ...
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What do you call all the pieces of a song minus the lyrics
I think there must be a good word for this, but can't think of what it might be.
Harmony and Melody are pieces of it, beat seems simplistic, Instrumentation seems too scientific and dull.
Any Ideas?
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When and where did "clam" come to mean a missed note in a musical performance?
Someone just asked me in chat what a missed note in music is called. Without hesitation, I replied, "A clam." It's what I've always heard in academic and professional settings since forever.
Only now,...
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A word for an instrumental melody which copies the vocal part?
Sometimes in rock music you'll hear a guitar solo which reproduces the vocal melody: from the verse, for example.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana springs to mind - here's a link to the relevant ...
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Etymology of "high" and "low" notes
The words "high" and "low" generally refer to magnitude or vertical distance. How did these words come to be associated with pitch?
We can draw comparison to high ("large") or low ("small") frequency,...
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Different types of whistling
Are there terms or succinct phrases that describe the different ways of whistling listed below?
The standard put-your-lips-together-and-blow
Tongue against bottom teeth
Sticking two fingers (thumb ...
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How can I describe "people beat with their feet according to music rhythm" in English?
Seek for help: Now I'm doing a translation work. How can I describe "people beat with their feet according to music rhythm" in English? Maybe one word or a few words.
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What term is used for the type of music that evokes a strong picture?
Some songs, such as Rodeo by Aaron Copland and Symphony No. 1 by Daniel Bukvich can evoke strong images in listener's ears. Rodeo has listeners imagining a wild west setting while Symphony No. 1 ...
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Word for listening to a single song over and over
Is there an English verb that would mean listening to a single song (on repeat) over and over just because one likes it so much? In my language we have a word that would in English literally mean ...
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What's the difference between a tune and a melody?
What's the difference between a tune and a melody?
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What is the origin of the phrase "bo selecta"?
The phrase means literally "good song" or "good DJ". selecta is the DJ ("the selector"). But why that spelling? And where does bo come from? Is it from the French beau or the Latin bona? Is there a ...
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Orchestra Without a Score
What is the term for an orchestra or group of musicians playing without sheet music? Essentially they are "winging it" or improvising.
Maybe I need to clarify the question. I recall a specific term ...
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Origin of “ish kabibble” as an interjection i.e. 'What, me worry?'
In New York in the mid-70s, my ethnic German bride-to-be introduced me to an expression :
“ish kabibble”
At the moment, I thought it kind of catchy, and have used it ever since in milder WTF ...
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Why are flutes called recorders? [closed]
It seems that a certain type of flute (like the wooden one children are often given in school) is called "recorder". How did that happen?
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Origin of “riff”
What’s the origin of riff, a repeated musical motif? Wikipedia and the Online Etymology Dictionary both state that its origin is uncertain, possibly an alteration of riffle, refrain, or rhythmic ...
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Is there a verb for singing nonsense syllables to substitute for unknown lyrics?
Someone who doesn't know all the lyrics to a song might sing "la la la" or "dum dum dum" in place of the verses they don't know. Is there a verb for this? Similar to "humming" the tune, but with ...
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Word Hunt: Audio Player Terminology
I'm looking for a few words today, in the context of Audio Players. I'm basically looking for words that match the following definitions:
Here are my current known words, and their definitions:
...
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Why do some folk songs from 1930s Appalachia pronounce the word 'Jordan' as 'Jerdon'?
In two songs I've listened to recently, "River of Jordan" by The Carter Family (1929-1932) and "Wayfaring Stranger" by Doc Watson (1992, but was almost certainly first played much ...
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Is a piece of electronic music a song or a track?
I've seen a song defined as:
A short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung.
And a track as
A recording of one song or piece of music
A song clearly has connotations of ...
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What's a word or phrase that means "get together with people informally to play music"?
What’s a word, phrase, or expression that means to get together with people informally to play music? Something that doesn’t imply any particular style — could be Jazz, Rock, Classical, Rap, etc.
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Term that describes the technique in which an artist repeat lyrics from their previous work
I just want to preface this by stating I'm not sure if this would be better suited for the music stackexchange site, though I feel it's probably still appropriate here because my question mainly ...
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What would be the adjectival form of the word "sonata"?
Richard Wagner, it is said, looked down on "sonata form" as being too constraining. Roughly speaking, he objected to the long music passages with unchanging rhythm, with repeating cadences, ...
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Using your voice as an instrument
What are some words that describe using one's voice as an instrument, i.e. doing certain things with the voice, not necessarily just hitting particularly challenging higher/lower registers? Things ...
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Is there a general word for performing music? [duplicate]
If someone is performing music with an instrument, I'd say that they're playing the instrument.
If someone is performing music with their voice, I'd say that they're singing.
Is there a word that ...
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Word similar to well-read but in the context of songs
He is well-read in romantic literature and his brother is ....... in blues songs.
Is there a word that can be used to convey the same idea as "well-read" but in the context of songs? In ...
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What word or phrase describes this musical instrument?
The last time I saw one in the streets was back in the early 1960s, and it drew the attention of all passers-by as most people had never seen one before. Let me describe it:
It consists of a box with ...
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What is the word for someone who sees music as colours?
Some people visualise specific musical keys or chords as specific colours. There is a name for this, which I think starts with chromo-. Am I remembering this correctly?
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Is there a word for a style of art that is a great example of its own style? And a word that can be applied to its artist? [duplicate]
I was mainly thinking about musical artists whose songs have style that is very recognizable as an "artists name" song or as a specific genres song. Not a super pressing question but just ...
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Term for addictive song, replayed too many times it is hated or neutral now
I looked thoroughly on the internet, but I failed to find a term or single word (if exists any) for a song that is so addictive that you replay it again and again although you know you will hate it ...
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What's the history of the mnemonic "Father Charles goes down and ends battle"
If you work your way around the 'circle of fifths' you work your may through all the major scales. For example, starting with C major if we add one sharp, F#, we get G major. Adding a second sharp, C#,...
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What was Princeton 6 in Jamaican English?
I got an Old Raggae album and started listening to "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy (youtube)
After listening several times, I could start making out the English words (lyrics):
A me seh one thing Nancy ...
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What did 'rap' mean in 1970?
I found these folders (think pee chees) among a pile of school supplies. They reference "rap" in sort of a hippie look (and... is that John Wayne??), dated 1970. Presumably wrap is referring to folder,...
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Looking for a word about writing lyrics for the purpose of fitting the music
There is a word that I'm desperately trying to remember. I think it is used in the context of songwriting but it could be more general.
It describes the act of writing words to fit music, or to rhyme, ...
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Music school vs. musical school [closed]
I wonder if it is possible to say "musical school" instead of "music school" (with the same meaning 'a school of music'). Recently I have come across several sentences like that:
*The obvious genius ...
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In solfège, can you pronounce "sol" like "so"?
From the dictionaries, it seems like at least in American English, "sol" (as in "do, re, mi, fa, sol") is always pronounced "sole," but there's a spelling variation "so" is pronounced "so".
Oxford (...
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Is there a specific word for "sheet music portfolio"?
Is there a specific name for a portfolio (a type of briefcase) that is used exclusively for holding sheet music?
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Term to a verse that starts with the last word of the previous verse
The music "Glad you came" by The Wanted has the following verses
Turn the lights out now, now I'll take you by the hand
Hand you another drink, drink it if you can
Can you spend a little ...
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What is the false stop in a music piece called?
For example, Watch around 2:10 here. What is this false stop called? is there a single word?
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What does "edgy beat" mean?
Ólafur Arnalds mixes strings and piano with loops and edgy beats crossing-over from classical to pop.
What does the writer mean by saying edgy beats? Does the writer mean it's not exactly classical, ...
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On the origins of the use of "key" or "clavis" to refer to the keys of an organ
I'm in the middle of some research on the origins of the word "keyboard" to refer to the thing we all type on to communicate online these days. There's a clear genealogy backwards from the ...
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Word for unconventional performance in playing instruments?
A whoa-dude performance performs by Salut Salon: Competitive Foursome:
It uses abnormal playing positions in the instruments, while keeping the high level of speed and accuracy of the music. It ...
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Word for playing the music purely and unpurely
I am looking for adjectives/adverbs that express the quality and the extent to which the melody of a musical performance adheres to the prescribed composition.
For example, A4 has a frequency of ...
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