Musical Technique & Expression Vocabulary

smooth and connected notes

“The melody flowed in beautiful legato.”

short, detached notes

“The staccato passage was crisp and percussive.”

slight, rapid variation in pitch for expressiveness

“Her warm vibrato enriched every phrase.”

plucking strings instead of using the bow

“The pizzicato section was playful.”

a slide from one note to another

“The harp's glissando sparkled.”

notes of a chord played in succession

“The pianist's arpeggios rippled across the keyboard.”

the technique of combining melodies

“Bach was the master of counterpoint.”

a combination of tones that sounds unstable

“The dissonance created tension before resolution.”

the combination of simultaneous notes in chords

“The rich harmony supported the melody.”

the distinctive quality of a sound

“The oboe's plaintive timbre is unmistakable.”