Interval
The difference between two pitches. For example, pitches that are two steps apart are called seconds. There are three different kinds of intervals: major, minor, and perfect. Seconds, thirds, sixths, […]
Intermezzo
Italian for “interlude.”
Interlude
1. A piece of music played between two other larger sections. 2. Music played between acts in a play or opera.
Instrumentation
Writing music that is right for each instrument so it sounds good when they all play together.
Instrument
An object used to make music. There three basic kinds of instruments: wind instruments, which use air to make the sound; percussion instruments, which involve something being hit to make […]
Incidental Music
Background music for a play, movie, or television show. It is used to set the mood and illustrate the action; for a play, the incidental music also includes the overture […]
Improvisation
The art of composing music while performing it, without the help of a written score.
Impressionism
A term transferred from painting to music. Instead of lifelike paintings with hard outlines, Impressionist artists used dots, or shades of color to create the “impression” of a scene on […]
