The following vocabulary for music theory lists words a professional student should be able to explain, give examples of, define, fluently use, and connect to other jargon in various contexts (and, if applicable, in different languages).
Below just the list is given, without translations, so the serious student can ask him- or herself the questions above, and answer individually.
Because his list is intended to be concise, it may not be complete; suggestions are welcome.
The main pages on music theory this website offers are:
- Outline of basic music theory (a short book of 8 long webpages)
- Music theory (an alphabetical reference guide)
A
- a capella
- accidental
- acoustics
- aeolian
- aim
- alteration
- altered
- alto (voicing)
- alto (vocal range)
- alto clef
- ambitus
- arrangement
- articulation
- ascending
- atonal
- atonality
- augmented
B
- ballad
- bar
- baritone (clef)
- baritone (voicing)
- baritone (vocal range)
- barline
- basic diatonic scale
- basic tone
- bass (voicing)
- bass (vocal range)
- bass clef
- beam
- beat
- binary
- bitonality
- blues
- bow
- brass
- bridge
- building block
C
- c clef
- capital
- chamber music
- chord
- chromatic
- church mode
- circle of fifths
- clef
- closed position
- coda
- combination tone
- composition
- concert
- concerto
- concerto grosso
- conductor
- consecutive
- consonance
- consonant
- context
- count
- counterpoint
- cross staff
- crotchet
D
- da capo
- dal segno
- data
- degree (studies)
- degree (harmony)
- demisemiquaver
- descending
- diatonic
- diminished
- dissonance
- dissonant
- distance
- dominant
- dorian
- dot
- double flat
- double reed
- double sharp
- drone
- duet
- duo
- duplet
E
- ear
- eighth note
- element
- eleventh
- engraving
- enharmonic
- equivalence
- even
F
- f clef
- feel
- fifth
- flat (alteration)
- form
- forte (dynamics)
- fortissimo
- fourth
- frequency
- fugue
- functional harmony
- fundamental
G
- g clef
- ghost note
- gig
- goal
- groove
H
- half note
- harmonic minor
- harmonization
- harmony
- hearing
- hemidemisemiquaver
- heterophony
- hexachord
- hexatonic
- homophony
I
- improvisation
- information
- instrumental
- interpretation
- interval
- intonation
- intuition
- inversion
- ionian
J
- jam
- jazz
K
- key
- key signature
- knowledge
L
- ledger line
- listening
- locrian
- lydian
M
- major (interval)
- major (scale)
- major (triad)
- melodic minor
- melody
- meter
- metronome
- metronome number
- mezzoforte
- mezzopiano
- mezzosoprano (clef)
- mezzosoprano (voicing)
- mezzosoprano (vocal range)
- microtiming
- microtone
- microtonality
- minor (interval)
- minor (triad)
- minuscule
- mixed position
- mixolydian
- modal
- modality
- mode
- monophony
- music
N
- natural (alteration)
- natural minor
- ninth
- noise
- nomenclature
- notation
- note
- notehead
- notestem
- note value
O
- octave
- octet
- octotonic
- odd
- one hundred twenty-eighth note
- open position
- orchestra
P
- part (sheet music)
- pause
- pentachord
- pentatonic
- perception
- percussion
- perfect (interval)
- performance
- phrygian
- pianissimo
- piano (dynamics)
- pitch
- polychord
- polyphony
- polyrhythm
- polytonality
- position (chord)
- power chord
- prelude
- printing
- progression
- publishing
- purpose
Q
- quadruplet
- quarter note
- quarter tone
- quartet
- quasihemidemisemiquaver
- quaver
- quintet
- quintuplet
R
- range
- reading
- recording
- reed
- reference
- rehearsal number
- resolution
- rest
- rhythm
- root (harmony)
- root position
S
- sample
- scale
- score
- second
- secondary (degree)
- semiquaver
- semitone
- seventh
- seventh chord
- sextet
- sharp (alteration)
- sheet music
- sight reading
- sign
- silence
- sine
- sixteenth note
- sixth
- sixty-fourth note
- slide rule
- slur
- solfege
- solo
- soprano (voicing)
- soprano (vocal range)
- sound
- species (counterpoint)
- staff
- staff systeem
- stand
- standard
- stereophonic
- string
- strings
- subdivision
- subdominant
- succession
- swing
- symbol
- symphony
- synthesis
T
- temperament
- tempo
- tenth
- tension
- tenor (voicing)
- tenor (vocal range)
- tenor clef
- ternary
- tetrachord
- theory
- third
- thirteenth
- thirty-second note
- tie
- timbre
- time
- time signature
- timing
- tonal
- tonality
- tone
- tonic
- transposing
- treble clef
- triad
- trill
- trio
- tritone
- triplet
- tuning
- tuning system
- tuplet
- twelfth
U
- unison
V
- value-flag
- vibration
- vocal
- voice
- voice leading
W
- wave
- wave form
- whole note
- whole tone
- winds
- wisdom
- woodwind
- writing
External link
A nice Dutch-English dictionary collecting music theoretical terms has been made by Kees van Hagen.