8th Note Broken Chord Accompaniment
A type of accompaniment pattern that uses a persistent 8th note rhythm with broken chords, in varying note configurations.
Accents
Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.
Accidentals
Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.
Blocked 3rds
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 3rd of any quality.
Blocked 4ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 4th of any quality.
Blocked 5ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 5th of any quality.
Broken Chords
Chord tones played one note at a time that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.
Chord Inversions
Chords with alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed either in the middle or at the top of the chord.
Crescendo and Diminuendo
Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).
Crossing Over Thumb
The physical motion of crossing fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5 over the thumb; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.
Crossing Thumb Under
The physical motion of crossing the thumb under fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.
Diminished Seventh Chords
Four-note chords comprised of the root, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, and diminished 7th; typically have a dominant function.
Dominant Seventh Chords
Four-note chords comprised of the root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, and minor 7th.
Dotted Half Notes
Half notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three quarter notes.
Dotted Quarter Notes
Quarter notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three 8th notes.
Extended Hand Positions
Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.
Fortissimo
An indication instructing the player to play very loudly; louder than forte.
Half Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one half the value of a whole note.
Intermediate Two Voices in One Hand
A type of texture where one or both hands play more than one voice at a time with large intervals, many hand positions, and complex rhythms.
Left Hand Melody
A type of texture where the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the accompaniment for an extended period of time.
Melodic 2nds
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 2nd of any quality.
Mezzo Piano
An indication instructing the player to play moderately soft; between mezzo forte and piano.
Parallel 3rds
A series of any amount or quality of blocked 3rd intervals that are played in one hand, and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.
Parallel 6ths
A series of any amount or quality of blocked 6th intervals that are played in one hand, and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.
Pianissimo
An indication instructing the player to play very softly; softer than piano.
Piano
An indication instructing the player to play softly.
Shifting Hand Positions
A technique that requires the player to pick up and move their hand to a new position; usually from a five finger scale to another.
Sustain Pedal
Also called the damper pedal, it is the rightmost pedal on the piano and used to sustain notes by moving the dampers away from the strings.
Tempo Changes
More than one tempo indication used in a single piece or movement.
Three Black Keys
A hand position where the player plays only F#, G#, and A#; almost always notated with off-staff notation.
Ties
Symbols indicating that two notes are to be played as one with the value equal to their sum.
Two Black Keys
A hand position where the player plays only C# and D#; almost always notated with off-staff notation.
Two Note Slurs
Two notes connected together smoothly where the second note is played softer and lighter.