Glossary of Musical Terms and Styles

Glossary of Musical Terms in Spanish
See also www.teoria.com
melody = melodía
[a] whole note = [una] (nota) redonda
half note = (nota) blanca
quarter note = (nota) negra
eighth note = [una] corchea
sixteenth note = [una] semi-corchea
rhythem = ritmo
beat (or pulse) = pulso
measure(s) = [el/los] compás(es)
meter = tiempo
tie = ligadura rítmica
rest = silencio
C, D, E, F, G, A, B = Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si
note = nota
sharp = sostenido
flat = bemol
scale = escala
staff = el pentagrama
treble (G) clef = la clave de sol
bass (F) clef = la clave de fa
key = el tono
key signature = la armadura del clave
slur = ligadura melódica
strum = rasgueo (noun), rasguear (verb)
pick = punteado, arpeggio
soprano, alto, tenor, bass = soprano, contralto, tenor, bajo
Refrain = Estribillo
Verse = Estrofa
Introduction = Introducción
End = Fin
Ending (1st, 2nd, Final) = casilla (primera, segunda, última)
LIST OF HISPANIC MUSICAL STYLES
(Based on guitar rhythms)
Frequently-used styles in Hispanic Music
bolero
polka / norteña
ranchero waltz
mariachi — instrumentation, not a style
cumbia
huapango
salsa
merengue
samba
andino
Musical styles (based on regions)
• Northern Mexico and Tejano: norteña, polka, ranchera, banda
• Caribbean and coastal: bolero tropical, salsa, afro-cubano, merengue, cumbia, mambo, chacha, guajira, guaracha, rhumba, samba, son cubano, son montuno, bassa nova, nueva trova,
bomba, plena, trio
• Eastern Mexico: danzas (dances) — huasteco, huapango, indígena
• Central Mexico: mariachi — bolero romántico, bolero ranchero, carnavalito, vals ranchero,
polca, son jaliciense
• Central America: marimba
• South America: andino, tango, vallenato
• Miscellaneous: trio, “rock” en español
Melodies of Latin-america
• 2-voice texture (a simple “auto-harmony” in which a “segunda voz” is added above or below)
• trio (3-voice auto-harmony)
Musical Instruments of Latin-America
Guitars: nylon, steel, vihuela, cuatro, requinto, charango, guitarrón, bajo sexto, electric bass
Trumpet
Violin
Marimba
Accordion
Saxophone and clarinet
other brass – trombone, tuba
Harp
Organ
Percussion: congas, bongos, maracas, shaker, güiro, cabasa, cowbell, clave, tambourine
Compiled by Peter Kolar, WLP