Music: English Vocabulary List

a musical instrument with a curved metal tube and one wide end, which is played by blowing into it while pressing and releasing its three buttons

"He played the trumpet."

"He practiced playing the trumpet every day for two hours annoying his neighbors but eventually earning a seat in the city youth orchestra."

a box-like musical instrument that is held in both hands and is played by squeezing and stretching it while pressing its keys

"She plays the accordion."

"The accordion added a lively sound to the traditional music performance."

a large musical instrument of the violin family that is held upright and is played by pulling a bow across its strings

"He plays the cello."

"The cello produces a deep rich sound that is often described as being the closest musical instrument to the human voice in tone and expression."

a musical instrument with a mouthpiece and keys, that is played by blowing into it

"She learned the clarinet."

"The clarinet gave the piece a soft and elegant tone."

a curved metal wind instrument that is played by blowing into it while pressing its buttons

"He played the saxophone."

"The saxophone made the jazz performance sound smooth and expressive."

someone who plays the piano, particularly a professional one

"The pianist played softly."

"The concert pianist performed a difficult piece by Chopin without sheet music demonstrating that she had memorized every single note perfectly."

a musician who plays the violin, typically performing solo or with other musicians or vocalists

"The violinist played well."

"The young violinist captivated the audience with her flawless technique and emotionally resonant performance of the classical masterpiece."

someone who plays a drum or a set of drums in a band

"The drummer kept time."

"The drummer played with strong rhythm and helped drive the energy of the band."

a small device used for listening to audio and MP3 files

"My MP3 player is small."

"He carried his MP3 player everywhere because he liked listening to music on the train."

a device that has two pieces that cover the ears and is used to listen to music or sounds without others hearing

"I use headphones to listen to music."

"She put on her headphones and listened to music while studying for the difficult exam."

a piece of equipment used for recording voices or sounds or for making one's voice louder

"The singer stepped up to the microphone on stage."

"A sensitive microphone captured every note of the singer's beautiful performance."

a form of entertainment in which people sing the words of popular songs while a machine plays only their music

"We sang a terrible but hilarious karaoke duet together."

"Karaoke is a form of interactive entertainment where an amateur singer sings along to a pre-recorded instrumental track with the lyrics displayed on a screen."

someone who announces or plays popular recorded music on radio or TV, or at a disco, club, etc.

"The disc jockey played great songs."

"The disc jockey kept the crowd excited by choosing music that matched the mood of the party."

someone who writes the words of songs and sometimes their music

"The songwriter wrote hits for many famous singers."

"The talented songwriter has written hit songs for many famous pop stars over the past decade."

a type of electronic musical instrument with keys like those of a piano, which is able to make many different sounds

"She plays the keyboard."

"He learned to play the electronic keyboard, mastering its diverse range of synthesized sounds and rhythms."

a tube-like musical instrument that is played by blowing over a hole while covering and uncovering its other holes

"The flute is light."

"The flute created a gentle melody that matched the quiet atmosphere of the room."

a group of musicians and singers playing popular music

"The band played loudly."

"The energetic rock band had the entire crowd on their feet, dancing to their infectious rhythm."

a group of singers who perform together, particularly in religious ceremonies or in public

"The choir sang beautifully."

"The choir performed with strong harmony and impressive control throughout the concert."

someone who guides and directs an orchestra

"The conductor led them."

"The renowned conductor raised his baton, signaling the orchestra to begin the powerful symphony with great precision."

someone who entertains an audience, such as an actor, singer, musician, etc.

"The performer was excellent."

"The performer held the audience's attention from the first moment to the final bow."

a number of music pieces or songs sold as a single item, normally on a CD or the internet

"I bought a new album."

"The band's latest album features a collection of their most popular songs from the past decade."

a thin magnetic material on which a piece of music is recorded

"The music tape played."

"He wrapped the package with tape before sending it to the office."

to travel to different places to perform, such as putting on a concert

"The band will tour."

"The popular band will tour across Europe to promote their new album and connect with fans."

to publically distribute a piece of music for sale

"They will publish the song."

"The record label plans to publish the artist's latest single next month for everyone to purchase."

a section of a song or poem that follows each verse

"We all sang the chorus."

"The catchy chorus of the song had everyone singing along enthusiastically after just one listen."

a piece of music's or a poem's main rhythm

"The song has a good beat."

"The drummer kept a steady beat throughout the song."

(plural) a song's words or text

"I love the lyric of this song."

"The song's powerful lyric about hope and resilience resonated deeply with listeners around the world."

a plastic case with a magnetic string that is used to record video, audio, or images

"Watch the old tape."

"She carefully rewound the vintage VHS tape to rewatch her grandfather's wedding video."