In a Song
a piece composed from parts of existing pieces
Medley
played or sung alone
Solo
to create music at the spur of the moment, spontaneously
Improvise
the period of a musical piece that encompasses a complete cycle of the time signature - marked with a bar
time, overall speed of a piece of music
Tempo
musical form in 2 sections (AB)
Binary
one section playing in unison or harmony
Soli
a jazz or rock term where performers improvise to fill in a brief time between phrases, melodies, or sections
Fill
a tail/closing section to a movement
Coda
4/4 time - 4 beats per measure, quarter note gets 1 beat
Common Time
bass note or chord performed continuously throughout a composition
Drone
all together
Tutti
a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of downbeat rhythm with emphasis on the sub-division or up-beat
Syncopation
From the sign
Dal Segno
2/2 time - 2 beats per measure, half note gets 2 beat
Cut Time
transitional passage connecting 2 sections of a composition
Bridge
Divided - in a part where musicians normally play exactly the same notes, and are instead split into different notes
Divisi
a rapid series of ascending or descending notes closely spaced in pitch forming a scale, arpeggio, or other pattern
a small coda
Again; return to stage and perform one more time
Encore
repeat a phrase or verse; return to the original theme
Reprise
Silent; do not play
Tacet
Trill
break, stop (nicknamed "railroad tracks")
Cesura
Return to the main tempo of the piece
a tempo