Talking about Music: English Vocabulary List

a sequence of musical notes arranged in a specific order to create a recognizable piece of music

"I know this tune."

"She hummed a familiar tune, its simple melody instantly recognizable to everyone present."

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."

a performer skilled in playing a particular instrument

"He is a skilled instrumentalist."

"The renowned instrumentalist captivated the crowd with his virtuosic performance on the violin."

a person who sings, especially one performing in a rock, jazz or pop band

"The vocalist sang very well."

"A scat vocalist is a jazz singer who improvises using nonsense syllables instead of structured lyrics"

a device used to adjust the balance of frequencies in audio signals by boosting or attenuating specific bands

"She adjusted the equalizer on her stereo to boost the bass."

"An equalizer is a device that allows a user to adjust the balance between specific frequency components of an electronic audio signal."

a device that helps musicians regulate their desired speed and rhythm

"The pianist practiced her scales to the steady tick of a metronome."

"A metronome is a practice tool that produces a steady pulse or beat to help a musician play rhythms at a consistent"

a unit that is used in measurement of the frequency of sound and radio waves

"Sound is measured in hertz."

"The radio station broadcasts at a frequency of ninety-five megahertz."

any musical instruments that can produce sound when its strings are touched or struck

"The violin is a classic and highly expressive string instrument."

"A string instrument creates sound by the vibration of a tensioned string"

a musical instrument that produces sound by vibrating air within a metal tube, typically made of brass

"The trumpet is a loud and clear brass instrument."

"A brass instrument is a wind instrument where a musician's vibrating lips buzz into a mouthpiece to create a rich"

a musical instrument that produces sound by vibrating air within a tube or pipe, typically made of wood or metal

"The clarinet is a single-reed woodwind instrument."

"A woodwind instrument is not always made of actual wood today"

any musical instrument such as cymbals, timpani or bass drum that is played by being hit or scraped by a beater

"The drums are the most famous type of percussion instrument."

"A percussion instrument is any instrument that produces sound by being struck"

a device that generates musical sounds using electronic circuits or digital technology

"The synthesizer is a versatile electronic instrument."

"An electronic instrument produces an audio signal using purely electronic circuitry"

any wind instrument that produces sound when air blown into its chambers causes a thin strip of material, called a reed, to vibrate

"The saxophone is a reed instrument."

"The clarinet is a reed instrument that produces a warm, rich tone."

a session of practice in which performers prepare themselves for a public performance of a concert, play, etc.

"We had a rehearsal today."

"The orchestra had a final rehearsal before the big concert to make sure every note was perfect."

a process of checking that the equipment used for recording music, or for playing music at a concert, is working correctly and producing sound of a good quality

"The band ran a quick soundcheck before the doors opened."

"A soundcheck is a brief technical preparation during which the crew tests and adjusts the venue's PA system and on-stage monitor mixes."

a person who is passionate about heavy metal music

"My brother is a metalhead."

"A metalhead is a dedicated and passionate fan of the heavy metal music genre"

a predetermined sequence of songs or musical pieces that a band or performer plans to play during a live performance or concert

"The band's set list included all of their biggest hits."

"A set list is a written document that lists the specific songs a band plans to perform during a concert"

a loud and fast-paced genre of rock music popular in the 1970s and 80s characterized by short songs and aggressive lyrics

"He likes punk rock music."

"Punk rock emerged in the 1970s as a rebellious response to mainstream music."