Sign placed above or below a note to show that it must be played more loudly than the other notes. Here are examples:
| Instruction manual Pizzicato 2.0 | Glossary - Revision of May 8, 2000 |
Glossary - musical and computer terms
You will find in this glossary the definitions of most terms used in the Pizzicato instruction manual. These terms relate as well to music as to computers. Some terms have a quite precise computer definition in addition to their usual meaning. Only the definitions suitable for computers are included in this glossary.
Some words have several definitions according to the context in which they are used. Be sure to take the correct definition. The terms in color and underlined in the definitions have themselves a definition in the glossary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Name of the sixth note of the natural scale formed by the piano white keys. The A notes are white keys located between the second and the third black key of groups of three black keys on the musical keyboard.
Standard dimension of a paper sheet very used in Europe. Its dimensions are : 210 X 297 mm.
Italian word meaning accelerating. It is used to indicate that it is necessary to gradually accelerate the notes played, i.e. to increase the tempo while playing. Its abbreviation is Accel.
Sign placed above or below a note to show that it must be played more loudly than the other notes. Here are examples:
A sign placed in front of a note to modify its pitch. The sharp, the flat, the double-sharp, the double flat and the natural are accidentals. When placed in front of a note, one speaks about an accidental. They can also be located at the beginning of a staff. They then constitute a key signature.
A tool to erase an accidental. Its shortcut is upper case letter 'X'.
Italian term meaning slowly, gently. It is used in music to indicate a slow tempo, in the neighborhood of 40 to 50 quarter notes per minute.
After having pressed a musical keyboard key, you can press more or less by maintaining the pressed key. Some keyboards take this pressure into account and send it as a MIDI message to influence the notes played. This effect is called After touch, it occurs after the note is pressed.
Italian term meaning sharp, lively. It shows that the music piece must be played with a lively tempo, in the neighborhood of 100 to 120 quarter notes per minute.
Denomination of a key located on a PC keyboard. It is generally located to the left of the space bar, on the first key line.
It is the force of a sound, its intensity, its loudness. The sound is an air vibration. The amplitude of a sound is the extent of its vibration. By comparing it with waves propagating on sea, the amplitude is the height of the waves.
Name of a key located on the Macintosh keyboard. This key is on the left of the space bar. On the extended keyboards, it is found also on the right of the space bar. It is called the Apple key, because an apple is drawn on it. Its main function is to activate shortcuts for menu items.
- Name of the company which markets Pizzicato (In French : Arpège).
It is the succession of the notes of a chord. Here is a chord followed by an arpeggio with the same notes:
Sign placed in front of a chord to indicate that the notes must be played as an arpeggio:
- The action of making an arrangement.
- Option used in the musical libraries. During the score generation, when this option is active, Pizzicato replaces the notes of a melody with the closest notes belonging to a given chord.
- Manner of combining the various instruments and musical elements to come to a coherent sound result. The obtained result.
- Adaptation of an original work so that it can be played by instruments different from those envisaged originally (piano arrangement of a work written for an orchestra) or to give it another musical colour (jazz arrangement of a classical work).
It is a tool of Pizzicato. It is located on the main palette and is activated by ESC. It is used to move most of the score items.
Abbreviation of American Standard Codes for Information Interchange. It is a code which associates a number to letters and various characters and signs found on a computer keyboard. The computer uses this code to handle and store text.
Applies to an interval when larger than a major or perfect interval.
Sound card models (SoundBlaster series).
Name of the seventh note of the natural scale formed by the white piano keys. B notes are white keys located just to the right of groups formed by three black keys on the musical keyboard.
It is a parameter found on most Hi-Fi systems. It directs sound to the right or to the left. In Pizzicato, the instruments view lets you adjust the balance for each instrument.
The sounds generated by a synthesizer are often organized in several sets called sound banks. To select a sound, the sound bank must first be selected and then the instrument number in this sound bank.
It is a vertical line drawn on the staff which delimits the measures. Here is an example:
Broad cylinder with two tended skins which one strikes. The obtained sonority is very low and is often used to mark strong beats of the measure. A percussion instrument.
Oblique or horizontal lines connecting groups of notes whose rhythmic values are less or equal to an eighth note. Here are some examples:
A beat is a subdivision of a measure in equal parts. A 4/4 measure contains 4 beats and each beat corresponds to a quarter note. The denominator of the measure indicates the rhythmic value associated with a beat (4 means that each beat equals to a quarter note, 8 corresponds to the eighth note…).
It is a picture format used on a computer. The picture is divided into small squares and each square can be coloured with a different colour. The aspect of the picture is thus defined by the colours of these dots. Each dot is called a pixel.
It is a graphic area which surrounds a window. In the Windows windows, it is a small area (1 or 2 mm) which surrounds the window. By clicking and dragging this area, you can change the size of the window, according to the type of window.
A sign that groups several staves on a score. Pizzicato offers two different models. The first one (braces) is used to group staves played by the same performer, such as for example the left hand and the right hand of the piano:
The second (brackets) is used to group instruments of the same family, such as for example all string instruments of an orchestra:
See brace.
Family of instruments which comprises the trumpet, the horn, the trombone,...
Rectangular graphic area found in dialog boxes. By clicking a button, the computer executes an action. Here are two examples:
In computer terminology, it corresponds to a number which can have a value from 0 to 255. It is the capacity of the memory necessary to keep a character of the computer keypad. A megabyte (MB) is a unit of memory which contains one million bytes.
Name of the first note in the natural scale formed by the white keys of a piano. C notes are white keys located to the left of the two black keys groups on the musical keyboard.
You will find a button entitled Cancel in most Pizzicato dialog boxes. By clicking on this button, you cancel modifications done in the dialog box. You can also activate it with the ESC key on the computer keyboard. The dialog box is automatically closed.
A key of the computer keyboard forcing the use of capital letters. It is located just above the left SHIFT key. On some keyboards, a light indicator shows its activity.
By convention, a 4/4 measure can be written with a large C at the beginning of the measure. In the same way, a 2/2 measure can be written with a large crossed C (with a vertical line). Here are two examples:
Term used in the Pizzicato composition libraries. It designates each of the 4 basic elements used to create a musical work : the rhythm, the melody, the theme and the chord.
The composition libraries let you build simple cells combinations to form more complex elements. Also called a folder. For chords, one speaks about a chord progression.
Battery instrument composed of two cymbals which are primarily activated by the foot.
It is a graphic item used to select an option. It is represented by a small square followed by some words describing the option:
- When several notes are heard simultaneously, one speaks about a chord. According to the relations existing between the various notes of the chord, a specific name is given to the chord to characterize it.
- In Pizzicato, a more restrictive definition is used for a chord placed in a measure. It is a set of superimposed notes with the same rhythmic value, that behaves like one rhythmic value associated with several note pitches.
- It is the name of the tool used to create chords on the staff.
- A sequence of chords forming the base on which most musical works are written.
- In Pizzicato, a chord progression is a musical library folder which contains chords.
Special effect which distorts sound by giving the impression that it multiplies itself and slightly puts himself out of tune.
Which takes into account or uses all the half tones of the scale. The chromatic scale contains the 12 keys of the keyboard (black and white keys).
Music composed by the well known Western composers, in opposition to variety and jazz.
It is a symbol placed at the beginning of a staff as a reference for the positions of notes in the staff. According to the clef type, the C note will be placed on or between different lines on the staff. The most common clefs are the treble clef (F) and the bass clef. Here are examples :
- (Noun) A click is executed by pressing and releasing the mouse button. This operation is used to control and direct the computer and to tell it to execute actions.
- (Verb) It is the action consisting of pressing the mouse button and releasing it immediately. It is the main action used to control the computer using the mouse.
It is the action consisting of pressing the mouse button, dragging the mouse and then releasing the mouse button. This operation is used to move graphic items, to select a menu or to change the size of a window.
It is a small area located in the left or right part of the title bar of a window or in a dialog box. By clicking in it, the window or the dialog box is closed.
See IBM.
It is the art to create and build a musical work.
Electronic device allowing to execute prepared data treatments and handling information very quickly. These "prepared data treatments" are programs introduced into the computer and executed by it so as to offer services to the user in a specific field (music, text processing, drawing, accountancy, management…).
Term generally used in computers to designate the operation consisting in selecting a series of options (often using a dialog box) so that the computer is prepared for a precise task. Example: to configure the MIDI is to select the MIDI options in such a way that the computer can communicate with your synthesizer or your sound card.
Contemporary music is the music created nowadays. This term is especially used to designate music works exploring unusual sound effects and using musical elements in a less conventional way.
A Pizzicato function to visualize help texts on the screen, related to the context in which the mouse cursor is located. By placing the cursor on a Pizzicato item and by using the F1 key (or help key on the Mac ), a text appears on the screen to explain this item to you.
Name of a key located on the computer keyboard. It is often noted Ctrl. It is often used to modify the effect of a mouse click.
Operation consisting in making a copy of one or more measures to a temporary computer memory, in order to use it in the paste operation. This temporary memory is often called the clipboard.
Progressive increase of the loudness of sound, for one or more instruments. Cresc is the abbreviation. It is also written like this:
- The mouse cursor is a small symbol drawn on the computer screen, which follows the movement of the mouse. It shows where the mouse button acts when a click is executed. It can take various graphic aspects. It is usually represented as an arrow.
- The moving box of a vertical or horizontal scroll bar.
- When you fill characters into a text box, a small vertical bar flickers to show the location where the next character will be added. This small bar is called the text cursor.
- When you introduce notes by combining the computer and the MIDI keyboards, a vertical bar flickers through the measure to show where the next note will be added. It is the MIDI cursor.
When using the mouse, the drawing which represents it on the screen is made of an arrow. The active area of this drawing is this cursor arrow. With it you can precisely click on a score note, in a button…
It is the same operation as copy, but the original measures are also erased. The cut/paste operation is used to move one or more measures from one place to another in the score.
Instrument composed of a metal disc which is hit by a stick. The battery contains one or more cymbals.
Name of the second note of the natural scale formed by the piano white keys. D notes are white keys located between the two black keys of the groups of two black keys on the musical keyboard.
Horizontal line placed above or below a note. It means that the note must be slightly shortened and reinforced.
It is the art to structure, organize and process data using a computer. Pizzicato is a program (also called a software) which can process musical data to help the user to compose and produce scores and arrangements.
Progressive reduction of the playing loudness of one or several instruments. Decresc is the abbreviation. It is also written like this:
The expression by default is often used in computers terminology. It designates the option or the choice taken by the computer when you do not specify anything explicitly. Example: the note colour is black by default. It means that if you explicitly do not specify the note colour, the notes will automatically be black.
Each note forming a major or minor scale. The first degree is the starting note of the scale. In C major, the degrees of the scale correspond to the white keys of the piano, the first degree is C, the second degree is D…
A computer keyboard key used to erase text or graphic elements (notes, scores…). It is located in the upper right corner of the main group of keys. Here is a representation of it:
At the beginning of a musical work, it is necessary to display the rhythmic content of the measures. This is done using two superimposed numbers. The lower number is called the denominator of the measure. It determines the base of the measure beat. 4 means a quarter note, 1 means a whole note, 8 means an eighth note…
It is a particular type of window with one or more graphic areas enabling the user to select options in order to specify the way in which a computer must work.
Based on the degrees of the major or minor scale. A diatonic transposition modifies the degrees without taking into account the exact intervals made of tones and half tones.
Said of an interval smaller than the minor interval or the perfect interval.
Decreasing. Dim. is the abbreviation.
See Folder.
It is a disc used to store information in a computer. This information is not erased when the computer is switched off. Diskettes must be introduced into the computer to be written or read. They constitute a cheap way to exchange or store information. The storage capacity of a diskette is rather limited.
In Pizzicato, a document is a set of scores and composition libraries. Those information are safeguarded on the hard disk under a name chosen by the user. All working options (printing size, justification, transcription…) are safeguarded with the document. Also called file.
- When a dot is drawn after a note or a rest, the note or rest duration is multiplied by one and a half. A dotted quarter note lasts for example one quarter note and a half. A dotted half note lasts three quarter notes.
- When a dot is drawn above or below a note, it means that the note should be played shorter than its normal value. On the musical keyboard, it amounts releasing the key earlier than expected.
- (Noun) Operation done with two successive clicks on the mouse button. To form a double-click, the two clicks must be sufficiently close together (less than half a second in general). The double-click is often used to open a graphic item or to call a dialog box.
- (Verb) The action of executing a double-click using the mouse.
Sign placed in front of a note to show that its pitch is lowered by two half tones. On the musical keyboard, it amounts to taking the key located two keys to the left of the note (black and white keys mixed). Here are 2 examples:
Sign placed in front of a note to show that its pitch is increased by two half tones. On the musical keyboard, it amounts to taking the key located two keys to the right of the note (black and white keys mixed). Here are 2 examples:
It is a note with a duration equivalent to eight quarter notes. Here is an example:
It is a rest equivalent to 8 quarter rests. It is written on the staff as a small black square:
See Click and drag.
In the score sequencer view of Pizzicato, it is possible to select one or more measures or staves and to drag and drop them to another place of the score, in the same score or in another one, in the same document or in another one. It is a very natural shortcut for the copy operation followed by the paste operation.
To make an exact copy of an item (file, score, library…). The original item is not modified.
- It is the time period during which a sound is heard. With a tempo of 60 quarter notes per minute, a half note has a duration of 2 seconds.
- It is a parameter used to influence the notes. It is available through the instruments view. It expresses as a percentage the time during which a note will be played, compared to its natural rhythmic value. Its default value is 100 %. A quarter note played with a duration of 50 % will be played like an eighth note.
Name of the third note of the natural scale formed by the white keys of a piano keyboard. E notes are white keys located just to the right of groups of two black keys on the musical keyboard.
- Global term used in computer terminology to designate the creation, consultation and modification of information. A program or a dialog box used to execute these operations is called an editor. Pizzicato contains a score editor, because it can create, consult and modify musical scores.
- A menu title which contains the Copy/Paste/Cut/Erase functions.
It is a note with a duration equivalent to half a quarter note. Here are examples :
It is a rest with a duration equivalent to half a quarter rest. Here is an example:
Two notes bearing a different name and producing the same sound pitch are said enharmonic to each other. Example: C sharp and D flat represent the same key on the musical keyboard and thus produce the same sound.
A computer keyboard key mainly used to validate dialog boxes and to introduce a new line into a text box. This key is located in the right part of the main group of keys and also on the right part of the numeric keypad. Also called Return key.
A computer keyboard key. It is very often located in the upper left corner of the keyboard. In Pizzicato, it is used to cancel a dialog box and as a shortcut to the arrow tool.
- Said of a dialog box which prevents any interaction of the user with anything else than this dialog box. The user must first close it before being able to continue working with the program. In Pizzicato, most dialog boxes are exclusive.
- Said of a MIDI message used to communicate specific information to a device such as for example the characteristics of a sound. The contents of an exclusive MIDI message can be understood only by a specific device and is thus exclusively intended for this device. It is a way to transmit useful information in MIDI, information that was not defined by the MIDI standard.
A menu item located in the File menu and used to close all open documents and quit.
An operation consisting in converting some information from a document and saving it into another file format than normally used, with the purpose of using it with another program. Example: the export of a MIDI file that can be used by other musical programs. The reversed operation is called import.
An horizontal line placed next to the right of a lyric syllable. This line shows that the syllable must be maintained during the following note(s):
In the page layout mode of the score view, when the reference marks tool is active, a red rectangle delimits the area where the printer can print. It is the external margin. This margin is automatically adapted to the printer when you select the printing format.
Name of the fourth note of the natural scale formed by the white keys of a piano keyboard. F notes are white keys located next to the left of a group of three black keys on the musical keyboard.
Pizzicato classifies the various sounds of a synthesizer in Families, such as pianos, organs, strings, woodwinds…. The purpose is to select a family first and then select an instrument in it. In this way, it is much easier to select a sound in a synthesizer, especially when the synthesizer contains several hundreds sounds.
An interval formed by a sequence of 5 successive notes. The interval from C to G (C- D-E-F- G) forms a fifth.
It is the general name given to a set of information grouped under the same name. On a hard disk or diskette, the information is stored in various files. The files themselves are organized in folders (also called directories). In Pizzicato, a document is a particular file which contains one or more scores as well as all related options and composition libraries. This information is gathered under a unique name.
A sign located in front of a note to lower its pitch of one half tone. On a musical keyboard, it amounts to taking the key located just to the left of the note (whether black or white). Here are 2 examples:
Sound creation process used in some synthesizers (Dx-7 by Yamaha, basic sound cards for PC,…). The principle is to modulate the frequency (pitch) of a signal by another signal, in order to create various sound tones.
- In the file system of a computer, a folder (also called a directory) is an element used to group several files together. By organizing your files, classifying them in folders, it is easier to find a specific one.
- In the Pizzicato musical libraries system, it is an element that may contain rhythms, melodies, chords or themes.
A complete set of characters (letters, figures and symbols) established with a common graphic style. Macintosh and Windows provide several fonts so as to personalize the presentation of a document design.
Italian term meaning loudly. It is placed in the score in the shape of a rounded F, to show that one must play loudly. Here is an example:
An interval formed by a sequence of 4 successive notes. The interval from C to F (C-D-E- F) forms a fourth.
Name of the fifth note of the natural scale formed by the piano white keys. G notes are white keys located between the first and the second black keys in a group of three black keys on the musical keyboard.
The way in which an instrument plays by going from one note to another in a smooth and continuous pitch variation rather than by a single pitch step. A synthesizer can simulate this effect with a lever located beside some musical keyboards.
Abbreviation of General MIDI. An international standard with which more and more manufacturers comply. The idea is to suggest a standard of instruments, percussions and main MIDI messages, so that a musical piece written for a specific GM compliant synthesizer can be played without modification on any other GM synthesizer. The sound colours will not be necessarily the same, but at least a piano will be heard with a piano sound and not a trumpet sound as it could be the case for synthesizers not compatible with the GM standard.
One or more note(s) used to embellish or decorate another note. It is written in reduced size right in front of the main note. It must be played right before the main note, in a very fast way. Here are examples:
With Pizzicato, you can place symbols on the score. These symbols have a graphic design visible on the printed score. A MIDI effect can be associated with any symbol. You may for example create a symbol causing a faster or more loudly play, changing the instrument… When the score is played on a synthesizer, Pizzicato takes those MIDI effects into account to perform your musical work. Those symbols are then called Graphic and MIDI because they influence both. This is only valid for Pizzicato Professional.
A group of a few notes played before or after a main note to enrich the sound effect and to highlight the note. A form of grace notes.
Abbreviation of General System. It is a standard designed by Roland manufacturer. It is compatible with GM standard but goes further. For each GM sound, variations are possible. It also standardizes messages to influence sound creation and special effects in a synthesizer.
A note having a duration equivalent to 2 quarter notes. Here are two examples:
A rest having a duration equivalent to 2 quarter rests. Here is an example:
Sound interval which separates two consecutive keys of the musical keyboard, whether black or white.
A disk used to store information in a computer. This information is not erased when the computer is switched off. The music documents you create and safeguard are stored on your computer hard disk. The storage capacity of a hard disk is very high compared to a diskette.
Set of musical writing rules which explain how to sequence and associate chords and voices.
Numbering system using digits 0 to 9 and letters A to F. It is often used in computer and MIDI.
Abbreviation of "High Fidelity". This term is used to designate a high fidelity reproduction sound material (hi-fi system…).
Sound is an air vibration. The faster the vibration, the more the sound sensation seems high pitched. On a piano keyboard, the notes are increasingly high pitched to the right of the keyboard. Contrary to low pitched.
Abbreviation of "Hyper Text Mark-up Language". It is a document description language which is used by Internet sites. The Pizzicato help system is written in HTML.
It is a note with a duration equivalent to a 32nd of a quarter note. Here are several examples:
A rest with a duration equivalent to the 32nd of a quarter rest. Here is an example:
Computer manufacturer. The micro-computers (PC, or Personal Computer) of IBM has formed a reference for the other manufacturers and one speaks now usually about a compatible (IBM) PC.
Small drawing representing a graphic object on the screen. The tools of Pizzicato are represented by icons. Musical scores and composition library items are represented by icons in the main view of a document.
Abbreviation of IDentifier. In computer terminology, an identifier is often a number identifying an element in a unique way among other similar elements. It is the identity card of an element. The tools of Pizzicato have each one a different ID. The instruments families, among other elements of Pizzicato, are distinguished by IDs.
An operation consisting in converting an external document into information that a program is used to handle. The external document is often coming from another program. Example: import a MIDI file coming from another musical program. The reversed operation is called export.
In the page setup dialog box, you can specify an internal margin. It delimits (inside the external margin) the page area where Pizzicato will place the measures and staves when it calculates the pages. When it exists, the internal margin is represented by a green rectangle in the page layout mode of the score view, when the reference marks tool is active.
The sound distance which separates two notes. The intervals are named according to the number of notes which separate them. If the two notes are consecutive, the interval is a second. If the notes are separated by one note, it is a third,… An interval can also be qualified compared to the number of tones and half tones which separate the two notes.
- Device used to produce sounds so as to play music.
- Pizzicato view allowing to determine which instrument will play each staff of a musical score. This view also lets you specify various MIDI characteristics as sound volume, MIDI channel, velocity,...
The way in which the instruments characteristics are presented in the instruments view. You can choose between the various configurations of this view.
Operation which consists of justifying the contents of one or more measure(s).
The action of spacing notes and rests in a balanced way inside a measure. Pizzicato can automatically justify a measure as you add notes and rests in it.
- The computer keyboard consists of keys used to send numbers, characters and various symbols to the computer, in order to control a software and to introduce information in it.
- A musical keyboard consists of black and white keys. It is used to play music. To work using a computer, the musical keyboard must be equipped with a MIDI connection.
It is a window which represents the keys of a musical keyboard. You can use it to simulate a musical keyboard if you do not have one.
One or several accidentals located at the beginning of a staff. These accidentals affect all notes located on the staff. When these accidentals are placed at the end of a staff, it is known as a courtesy key signature, because it informs the performer of a change of key signature on the next line.
Synthesizers and MIDI devices manufacturer.
A tool of Pizzicato used to modify the way measures are laid out on a page.
When a note must be written higher or lower than the 5 lines of the staff, additional lines, called ledger lines, are drawn in order to easily locate the notes pitches. These lines form a local extension of the staff. Here are examples:
Italian term meaning "connecting". Placed in the score, it means that the notes which follow must be played in a connected way, i.e. without sound interruption between two consecutive notes. It produces the same effect as a tie.
The musical staff is formed by 5 horizontal lines. The lines of the staff are numbered from 1 to 5 from bottom to top.
The linear mode (in opposition to the page mode) displays the score measures on a continuous staff system, without taking into account the way in which the measures will be laid out on a printed page. Pizzicato Light does not allow this display method.
A graphic element presenting a series of text lines to the user. The user may select a line to modify its characteristics or to execute a choice in a dialog box. Here is an example:
When a symbol is placed on the score, all its parameters have the original values of the symbol library (tempo value for instance). When you modify a parameter for a symbol placed in the score, this parameter becomes local, i.e. only this instance of the symbol is influenced by the modification. The original symbol as well as the others used in the score are not affected.
A device used to transform electrical current variations into sound vibrations. Most computers have an integrated loudspeaker. You find loudspeakers in any hi-fi system speaker and in headphones.
Sound is an air vibration. The slower the vibration, the more the sound sensation seems low pitched. On a piano keyboard, the notes are increasingly low pitched to the left of the keyboard. Contrary to high pitched.
When a song is written on a score, the syllables of the song are written just below the corresponding notes. Pizzicato has 3 specific tools for the introduction of lyrics on a score.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
