Music glossary
Short, plain-language definitions of the music, production and licensing terms you will meet when making or using music, each with a note on how it applies to prompts.
- 808An 808 is the deep, booming bass drum sound of the Roland TR-808, used as a bassline in …
- ArpeggioAn arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time instead of all together.
- Bit depthBit depth is how much detail each digital audio sample holds, which sets the possible dy…
- BPM (beats per minute)BPM is the number of beats in one minute of music, the standard way to state tempo.
- BreakdownA breakdown is a section where most instruments drop out, creating contrast before the m…
- BridgeA bridge is a contrasting section, usually after the second chorus, that leads back to t…
- Build-upA build-up raises tension before a big moment, using rising pitch, faster rhythms and gr…
- CadenceA cadence is a chord movement that ends a phrase and gives a sense of rest or of somethi…
- CC0 (public domain dedication)CC0 is a Creative Commons tool that lets creators waive their rights and place work in t…
- Chord progressionA chord progression is the sequence of chords that underpins a song’s harmony.
- CompressionCompression automatically reduces the volume of loud parts so audio sounds more even and…
- Content IDContent ID is YouTube’s system for automatically matching uploaded videos against copyri…
- CounterpointCounterpoint is the art of combining independent melodic lines that sound good together.
- Creative CommonsCreative Commons licences let creators share work with standard permissions, from free u…
- CrescendoA crescendo is a gradual increase in loudness; the opposite is a decrescendo or diminuen…
- Delay (echo)Delay repeats a sound after a set time, creating echoes that can be rhythmic or atmosphe…
- DroneA drone is a sustained note or chord held throughout a piece or section.
- DropThe drop is the moment in electronic music when the full beat and bass hit after a build…
- Dynamic rangeDynamic range is the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a piece of aud…
- Equalisation (EQ)EQ boosts or cuts specific frequency ranges to shape the tone of a sound.
- Four-on-the-floorFour-on-the-floor is a drum pattern with a kick drum on every beat of a 4/4 bar.
- Half-timeHalf-time is a feel where the backbeat lands half as often, making a tempo feel twice as…
- HookA hook is the catchy part of a song designed to stick in the listener’s memory.
- LeitmotifA leitmotif is a recurring musical theme tied to a specific character, place or idea.
- LoopA loop is a section of music designed to repeat seamlessly, end to start.
- LUFSLUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) measures perceived loudness, the standard u…
- MasteringMastering is the final stage of audio production, preparing a mix for release at a consi…
- MixingMixing is balancing and shaping all the parts of a recording so they work together in on…
- Modulation (key change)Modulation means moving from one key to another within a piece of music.
- MotifA motif is a short musical idea, often just a few notes, that is repeated and developed.
- Music bedA music bed is background music designed to sit underneath speech without competing with…
- Musical keyThe key of a piece is its home note and the scale its melodies and chords are built from.
- Musical modesModes are scales built from the same notes as the major scale, each starting on a differ…
- OstinatoAn ostinato is a short pattern repeated persistently, often underneath changing music.
- PadA pad is a sustained, soft sound, usually a synth, that fills the background with harmony.
- Performing rights organisation (PRO)A PRO collects royalties for songwriters and publishers when music is performed publicly…
- PolyrhythmA polyrhythm is two or more conflicting rhythms played at the same time, such as three a…
- Public domainWorks in the public domain are not protected by copyright and can be used by anyone for …
- ReverbReverb simulates the reflections of sound in a space, from a small room to a cathedral.
- Royalty-freeRoyalty-free means you pay once or subscribe for a licence and do not owe ongoing royalt…
- RubatoRubato is expressive flexibility in tempo, where a performer speeds up and slows down fo…
- Sample rateSample rate is how many times per second audio is measured in a digital recording, such …
- Sidechain compressionSidechain compression lowers one sound whenever another plays, creating the "pumping" ef…
- Song structureSong structure is the order of sections in a piece, such as intro, verse, chorus and bri…
- StemsStems are separate audio files for groups of instruments in a track, such as drums, bass…
- Stereo widthStereo width describes how wide a mix sounds from left to right across the speakers.
- StingerA stinger is a very short musical cue, usually a few seconds long, used to punctuate a m…
- SwingSwing is a rhythmic feel where pairs of eighth notes are played long-short instead of ev…
- Sync licenceA sync licence grants the right to pair music with visual media such as film, TV, ads or…
- SyncopationSyncopation places accents on weak beats or between beats, creating rhythmic surprise.
- TimbreTimbre is the tone colour that makes two instruments playing the same note sound differe…
- Time signatureA time signature shows how many beats are in each bar and which note value counts as one…