Basic Dynamic Markings
The two basic dynamic indications in music are:
•p or piano, meaning "soft".
•ƒ or forte, meaning "strong".
More subtle degrees of loudness or softness are indicated by:
•mp, standing for mezzo-piano, meaning "moderately soft".
•mƒ, standing for mezzo-forte, meaning "moderately strong".
Beyond ƒ and p, there are also:
•pp, stands for "pianissimo", and meaning "very soft".
•ppp stands for "pianissimo possibile" ("softest possible")
•ƒƒ stands for "fortissimo", and meaning "very strong"
•ƒƒƒ stands for "fortissimo possibile" meaning "loudest possible".
•
•ƒƒƒ or ƒƒ are not to be interpreted as "blastissimo" i.e. singing as loud as y ou can, as this will result
in a total deterioration of vocal quality and control.
Note:
Best advice as far as vocal volume is concerned is:
1. Never sing as loud as you can.
2. In a chor al settin g if you can't hea r the sin ger besid e you, yo u are sin ging too loud.
Words/phrases indicating changes in dynamics
(In Italian unless otherwise indicated)
• al niente: to nothing; fade to silence. Sometimes written as "n"
•calando: becoming smaller
• calmando: become calm
•crescendo: becoming stronger
• dal niente: from nothing; out of silence
•decrescendo or diminuendo: becoming softer
• fortepiano: loud and accented and then immediately soft
• fortissimo piano: very loud and then immediately soft
•in rilievo: in rel ief (French en d ehors: outwards); indicates that a particular instrument or part is to play
louder than the others so as to stand out over the ensemble.
•perdendo or perdendosi: losing volume, fading into nothing, dying away
• mezzoforte piano: moderately strong and then immediately soft
• morendo: dying away (may also indicate a tempo change)
•marcato: stressed, pronounced
• pianoforte: soft and then immediately strong
• sforzando piano: with marked and sudden emphasis, then immediately soft
• sotto voce: in an undertone (whispered or unvoiced)[6]
• smorzando: dying away
Articulations
In music, articulation refers to the musical direction perf ormance technique which affects the transition or
continuity on a single note or between multiple notes or sounds.
Types of articulations
There are many types of articulation, with each having a different effect on how the note is played. Some
articulation ma rks include the slur, phrase mar k, s taccato, st accatissimo, accent, sforzando, rinforzan do, an d
legato. Each articulation is represented by a different symbol placed above or below the note (depending on its
