Glossary

Bridge

A contrasting passage connecting other important components of a song.

Chorus

A section of a song in which both music and text are repeated. The chorus is often sung in alternation with other sections (especially verses) and frequently contains the most memorable and engaging musical material in a song.

Contrast

Formal technique in which new musical material is presented.

Coda

A passage that brings a piece to a close.

Extemporised

Composed in the course of performance. A synonym of ‘improvised’.

Falsetto

Most commonly, the weaker upper range of the male voice.

Form

How music is organised in time by means of repetition, variation and contrast.

Instrumental music

Music made by instruments only, without singing.

Interlude

An instrumental passage that comes between other sections of a song.

Introduction

Also referred to as ‘Intro’. An instrumental passage heard at the opening of a piece of music.

Loop

A repeating section, often purely instrumental. The term is most commonly used in describing electronic music.

Ostinatos

A relatively short passage of music, continually repeated.

Outro

Coda; an instrumental section that concludes a piece of music.

Pre-chorus

A section of a song that connects the verse to the chorus. It typically uses the same words and the same melody each time it appears.

Repetition

Formal technique involving the presentation of musical material that has been heard before.

Tempo

The speed of the underlying beat.

Vamp

A short piece of opening material that can be repeated as desired.

Variation

Formal technique in which musical material that has been heard before is presented in altered form.

Verse

A verse is a section of a song that has the same musical content as other verses, but different words. Verses tend to have more text and be more focused on narrative than choruses.

Vocables

Sung, meaningless syllables.