The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

fortissimo
Very loud. (Abbreviated as 
ff.
)
fortississimo
Very, very loud. (Abbreviated as 
fff.
)
frequency
A scientific measurement of how fast the molecules of air are
vibrating; the faster the vibrations, the higher the 
pitch
.
fugue
A contrapuntal form that is built from a single subject.
gig
A musician’s job.
glissando
A mechanism for getting from one pitch to another, playing every
single pitch between the two notes as smoothly as possible.
grace note
One or more notes, played lightly and quickly, that precede a
main note.
grave
Tempo marking for a very slow or solemn pace.
half step
The smallest distance between notes in a chromatic scale.
harmonic interval
Two notes sounded simultaneously.
harmonization
The choice of chords to accompany a melodic line.
harmony
The sound of tones in combination; also used to refer to the
accompanying parts behind the main melody.
interval
The distance between two pitches or notes.
inversion
A chord in which the bass note is not the root of the chord.
Ionian mode
A mode starting on the first degree of the corresponding major
scale, equivalent to the major scale. 
See mode.
jazz
A style of music that incorporates and encourages improvisation.
Originally derived from American blues, gospel, and ragtime music, infused
with European harmony.

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The Complete Idiot’s Music Glossary
269
key
A combination of a tonic and a mode. For example, the key of F Major
has F as the tonic and major as the mode.
key signature
The sharps or flats that are placed at the beginning of a staff to
indicate the key of the music.