Terms and Signs (Part 1) ABRSM Music Theory

a tempo

• with movement
• in time
• very slow, solemn
• expressive

accelerando (or accel.)

• gradually getting faster
• with
• graceful
• loud, then immediately soft

adagio

• slow, stately
• repeat from the sign segno
• slow
• very slow, solemn

allegretto

• repeat from the beginning
• and
• in time
• fairly fast

allegro

• gradually getting softer
• expressive
• gradually getting faster
• fast

andante

• loud, then immediately soft
• at a medium speed
• slow
• gradually getting softer

cantabile

• with movement
• very slow, solemn
• in a singing style
• sweet, soft

crescendo (or cresc.)

• with
• graceful
• gradually getting louder
• soft

da capo (or D.C.)

• slow, stately
• repeat from the beginning
• repeat from the sign segno
• very soft

decrescendo (or decresc.)

• gradually getting softer
• in time
• and
• gradually getting slower