Violin Online Dynamics Chart

NOTATION

NAME
Dynamics
Pianississimo
Pianissimo
Piano

DEFINITION
Dynamics is a term that indicates the degree of loudness or softness in music. The
following commonly used dynamic terms are listed in the order of softest to loudest.*
As soft as possible
Very soft
soft

Mezzo piano

Moderately soft

Mezzo forte

Moderately loud

Forte
Fortissimo
Fortississimo

loud
Very loud
As loud as possible

*Although dynamics softer than ppp or louder than fff are theoretically possible, in actual practice, they are
rarely used.

Additional Dynamic Terms

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION

Crescendo

Crescendo (cresc.) means to gradually become louder.

Diminuendo

Diminuendo (dim.) means to gradually become softer. The term decrescendo

(decresc. or decr.) also means to become softer.

Accent
Sforzando

Emphasize the note by playing forcefully.

Play loudly with a sudden, forced emphasis.

Violin Online Tempo & Expressive Terms

NAME

DEFINITION

Accelerando

Accelerate or gradually increase the tempo or speed of the music.

Adagio

A slow, leisurely tempo, often considered to be slower than andante, but not quite as slow as largo. Slow
movements of a piece are sometimes titled adagio.

Agitato

Agitated or restless. Direction to play in an agitated manner.

Allegretto

A lively and moderately fast tempo. Often considered to be slower than allegro, but faster than andante.

Allegro

A quick, lively and brisk tempo (not quite as fast as presto).

Amore

Play with love, lovingly.

Andante
Andantino

A moderately slow tempo. Often considered to be a walking speed.

A slightly slower tempo than andante (andante is a moderately slow tempo).

Animato

"Animated" or spirited. Play in a lively, spirited manner.

Appassionato

Play passionately, or with intense emotion and feeling.

Assai

Means "very" in Italian. Modifies other terms when added to them, e.g. allegro assai means very fast.

Assez

Means "enough" or "rather" in French. Modifies other terms when added to them, e.g. assez vif means
"rather lively" in French (vif means lively), or assez vite means "rather fast" (vite means fast).

A tempo

"In tempo," meaning return to the original tempo or speed. Often used after some variation in the tempo.

Bravura

Boldness. Play brilliantly with boldness and spirit. Sometimes used in passages where virtuosic skill is
required of the performer.

Brio

Spirited and lively. Con brio means play with spirit in a vivacious manner.

Cantabile

Play in a singing or vocal style; make the music sing in an expressive manner.

Comodo

Comodo is Italian for a comfortable, leisurely and convenient tempo or speed, neither too fast or too slow.

Con

"With" or in a style expressive of a certain quality. Often used to modify another term such as con spirito,
meaning to play with a spirited style.

Dolce

Sweet, soft or gentle. Direction to play sweetly.

Fuoco

"Fire" meaning, play with fire in a fiery, spirited manner.

Grandioso
Grave
Larghetto

Play with majestic grandeur.

Play in a slow and solemn manner
Slightly faster than largo, with a similarly broad, large and stately tempo and style.

Largo

A broad, slow tempo that is dignified and stately in style. Largo is the slowest of tempo markings.

Lento

Means slow in Italian (lent in French). Lento and lent mean a slow tempo in between largo and andante.

Maestoso
Meno

Majestic and dignified.

Less. Often used with other terms such as meno mosso (less rapid or less motion)

Moderato

Moderate. Play at a moderate tempo or speed. This term sometimes modifies others such as Allegro
moderato, which means moderately fast.

Mosso

Moved. When used alone as a tempo term, the meaning is similar to con moto: with motion. Mosso is
sometimes used with other qualifying terms such as piu mosso, meaning a little faster (more motion).

Moto
Piu
Poco

Motion. Often used with other terms such as con moto (with motion).
More.
"Little" or slightly. A poco a poco means little by little or gradually. Poco modifies other terms when added to
them such as poco diminuendo, meaning to become slightly softer.

Presto

A fast, rapid and lively tempo, faster than allegro.

Quasi

"As if," "almost" or "nearly." Often used to modify terms e.g. Allegretto quasi Andantino, meaning an
allegretto tempo almost at an andantino tempo.

Rallentando

Gradually becoming slower. Also abbreviated as rall.

Religioso

Play in a devotional or religious style.

Risoluto

Resolutely; play in a resolute, energetic and decisive manner.

Ritardando

Gradually becoming slower and slower (the same meaning as rallentando). Ritardando is often abbreviated
as rit.

Rubato

"Robbed." A temporary robbing of time by either slowing or speeding the tempo or rhythmic value of notes
in a passage of music.

Simile

In a similar manner. Often used to indicate a passage of music should be performed in the same manner as
a preceding section.

Semplice

Tempo

Tempo di
valse

Simply. Perform in a simple, unadorned, natural manner.

The rate of speed or pace of the music. Also may be used with other qualifying words such as "a tempo,"
meaning return to the original tempo or speed. Various tempo markings are used to indicate directions for
the rate of speed such as andante (moderately slow) and allegro (fast). Metronome markings are another
way to specify even more precisely the tempo of music e.g. = 60 means each quarter note should be played
at the speed of 60 quarter notes per minute.
Play the music at the rate of speed or pace of a waltz.

Troppo

Too much. Used to modify other terms such as adagio ma non troppo, meaning, slow but not too slow.

Vivace

Lively and brisk. As a tempo marking, vivace is often considered slightly faster than allegro.