Music: English Vocabulary List

a set of recorded songs and pieces of music that have been selected to be broadcast on a radio station or a radio program

"This is a radio playlist."

"She created a playlist with her favorite songs for the long road trip."

(of music) made only by instruments and without vocals

"The music was instrumental."

"The film's score was entirely instrumental, featuring a beautiful orchestral arrangement that enhanced the emotional impact."

lacking a pleasant tune

"His singing is tuneless."

"The tuneless singing of the karaoke performer made everyone cover their ears but he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely."

an electronic device that strengthens electrical signals or causes sounds to get louder

"The amplifier makes sound louder."

"The amplifier increased the sound of the guitar during the live concert performance"

a machine that can play a chosen song when one inserts a coin or pays by card, found in bars, etc.

"The jukebox played a song."

"The jukebox played classic songs continuously in the nostalgic roadside diner"

an electronic musical instrument that produces the sounds of other instruments

"The synthesizer sounds unique."

"The synthesizer created complex electronic sounds used in modern music production studios"

a tale that is narrated in the form of a song or poem

"He sang a sad ballad."

"A ballad is a form of verse"

a wind instrument with a reed and several sticks, played by squeezing a bag and blowing through one of its pipes, originated from Scotland

"The bagpipe played a tune."

"The sound of the bagpipe echoed through the valley as the piper played a traditional Scottish lament."

a triangular musical instrument with a row of strings that are stretched vertically, played with the fingers

"She plays the harp."

"The angelic sound of the harp filled the concert hall, captivating the audience with its ethereal melody."

a musical composition that is written for one or more solo instruments and accompanied by an orchestra with three movements

"He loves the concerto."

"The violinist performed a breathtaking concerto, showcasing her incredible skill and emotional depth with the orchestra."

a musical work for two singers or players

"The duo performed well"

"The duo performed well together on stage combining their musical talents perfectly"

essential and highly important to a particular process, situation, or outcome

"This is key."

"The key factor in their success was their ability to work together as a team without blaming each other."

a long and sophisticated musical composition written for a large orchestra, in three or four movements

"The symphony played beautiful music."

"The orchestra played a beautiful symphony that moved many people in the audience to tears."

the arrangement or succession of single musical notes in a tune or piece of music

"The melody was catchy."

"The simple, haunting melody of the lullaby instantly calmed the crying baby and put him to sleep."

to make a high-pitched sound by forcing air out through one's partly closed lips

"He whistles loudly to call his dog."

"The postman whistled cheerfully as he walked down the street delivering letters to the houses along his route."

a style of dance music originated from African music and jazz, characterized by having a strong rhythm

"The band played a groovy funk song."

"The band's energetic funk music had a driving beat that made it impossible not to dance."

any musical instrument that is usually made of wood or metal and is played by blowing, such as a flute, clarinet, etc.

"Woodwind instruments sound nice."

"The woodwind section of the orchestra includes flutes clarinets oboes and bassoons playing melodic lines."

any musical instrument that is played by hitting with the hand or a stick, such as cymbals, drums, etc.

"Percussion section is loud."

"The percussionist played the drums so loudly that the entire building seemed to vibrate slightly."

(of a musical instrument) making a sound that is natural, not amplified

"She plays acoustic guitar."

"The singer performed an acoustic version of her hit song using only a guitar and her voice without any electronic effects."

an official song of great importance for a particular country that is performed on certain occasions

"The anthem played proudly."

"The anthem was powerful and united the entire stadium crowd in emotional singing"

a long and partially curved, thin rod made out of wood with horsehair strings stretched alongside it, used to play stringed instruments such as the cello and violin

"He played the bow."

"The violinist expertly drew the bow across the strings, producing a rich and resonant melody."

a cord of stretched wire, nylon, etc. on a musical instrument that is plucked to produce sound

"The string snapped loudly."

"The string broke suddenly while he was tuning the musical instrument carefully"

singing or playing with correct intonation or pitch

"His guitar is in tune now."

"Before the concert the orchestra spent some time making sure all the instruments were in tune."

any of the short sections of equal length consisting of musical beats located between two consecutive lines

"The bar was short."

"The conductor tapped his baton to indicate the start of the next bar, ensuring rhythmic precision for the orchestra."

a set of notes based on a particular note that form the tonal basis of a musical passage

"The key changed."

"The composer skillfully modulated to a new key, adding emotional depth and complexity to the final movement."

the degree of highness or lowness of a tone that is determined by the frequency of waves producing it

"The singer hit a high pitch."

"The soprano's voice reached an incredibly high pitch, captivating the entire audience."

an arrangement of a series of musical notes with specified intervals, in ascending or descending pitch order

"The scale went up."

"The pianist practiced ascending and descending the C major scale with fluid and accurate fingerwork."

notes of music played or sung in a combination that produces a pleasing effect

"The choir sang in perfect four-part harmony."

"The choir's vocal harmony created a rich and moving sound."

one of the main parts that a long musical work is divided into, having its own structure

"The first movement was fast."

"The symphony's second movement offered a gentle and melancholic contrast to the energetic opening."

to create and perform words of a play, music, etc. on impulse and without preparation, particularly because one is forced to do so

"The actor improvises his lines."

"The actor forgot his line and had to improvise a response that still made sense within the scene."

to play audio or video material from the Internet without needing to download the whole file on one's device

"You can stream movies on this website."

"You can stream the movie online from the streaming service without having to download it to your device."

to sing a tune with closed lips

"She hums a happy tune while working."

"The old man hummed a familiar tune while he worked in his garden on the warm summer afternoon."

a type of religious music in which singers sing loudly, originally performed by African Americans

"She sang gospel."

"The powerful gospel choir's performance filled the cathedral with an uplifting and soul-stirring spiritual energy."

musical instruments made of brass that produce sound when blown into, such as the trumpet and trombone

"The brass played loudly."

"The triumphant sound of the brass section announced the arrival of the king, echoing through the grand hall."

a type of music popularized by African American musicians that expresses strong and deep emotions

"I love listening to soul music."

"The rich, emotive melodies of soul music deeply touched the audience."

a piece of music that is composed for a fast dance of Brazilian origin called samba

"The samba was lively"

"The lively samba music pulsed through the streets, inviting everyone to join the vibrant celebration."

a piece of music written for a South American dance called tango in which a male and female hold hands tightly and walk in the same direction

"They danced the tango."

"The dramatic tango music swept the dancers across the floor in a passionate embrace."