Disclaimers
Almost all of the definitions are very short and to the point as this online dictionary is supposed to be used to give you an idea of what percussion instrument you are supposed to play or what the composer is asking for. If you would like a more elaborate definition, I would suggest going to dictionary.com or purchasing the books The Harvard Dictionary of Music by Don Michael Randel, Pocket Music Dictionary by Hal Leonard, The American Heritage Dictionary, or The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music by Don Michael Randel for great biographical information.
NOTE: If I have written down the wrong definition/translation or misspelled a word, please contact me and I will fix it. If you are looking for a definition and cannot find it, I suggest looking in the suggested resources above. Some of the definitions are jokes; they're very obvious, so don't think too hard when you come across one ,)
Definitions
A
Abdämpfen [Gr.]: dampen, mute
Abgestossen [Gr.]: staccato
Abnehmend [Gr.]: diminuendo
Accelerando [It.]: gradually faster
Accelerato [It.] faster
Adagietto [It.]: slightly faster than adagio
Adagio [It]: a slow tempo
Adagissimo [It]: extremely slow
Ad libitum [Lat.]: improvisation or ornamentation of written material
Al fine [It.]: to the end
Alla marcia [It.]: in the manner of a march
Alle [Gr.]: all
Allargando [It.]: gradually slower
Allegretto [It.]: slightly faster than allegro
Allegro [It.]: fast
Alein [Gr.]: alone
Al segno [It]: to the sign
Amboss [Gr.]: anvil
Andante [It.]: walking tempo
Andante con moto [It.]: walking tempo with motion
Andantino [It.]: a little slower than walking tempo
Angklung [Jav.]: an instrument in Indonesia made of tuned bamboo
Anvil: a percussion instrument struck with a hard wooden mallet or metal mallets. Sometimes they are a specific pitch or they call for an actual blacksmiths anvil. If you cannot get an anvil, brake drums can be used to substitute.
Arará [Sp.]: Cuban cult drum carved out of a tree with one head. Played with hands or sticks.
Atabque [Port.]: barrel shaped drum with one head and usually played in sets of three
Atem [Gr.]: breath, slight pause
A tempo [It.]: to the previous tempo
Auftakt [Gr.]: upbeat
Aushalten [Gr.] sustain
B
B [Gr.]: indicates the pitch B-flat
Baguette [Fr.]: drumstick. Baguette de bois: wooden drumstick. Baguette d' éponge: sponge headed drumstick (if not available use a yarn mallet)
Bar: a single measure
Batá [Sp.]: a set of three hourglass shaped drums that has two heads and is found in Afro-Cuban music in the Lucumí cult
Battery: percussion section of the orchestra. In the marching world, battery refers to the marching percussion section on the field.
Becken [Gr.] cymbals
Bells: in orchestra it can either mean glockenspiel or tubular bells
Bes [Gr.]: indicates the pitch B-double-flat
Bis [Lat.]: repeat the passage again
Bloc de bois [Fr.]: Chinese block
Blochetto [It.]: Chinese block
Bologna: put between two slices of bread to create a sandwich...unless you're a vegan like I am.
Bombo [Sp.]: Latin American bass drum played with two sticks
Bonang [Jav.]: a set of Javanese gongs played with padded sticks
C
Caesura: sudden cessation of sound marked by //
Caisse [Fr.]: drum
Caisse chinoise [Fr.]: Chinese block
Caja china [Sp.]: Chinese block
Campana [It.]: tubular bells
Campanelli [It.]: glockenspiel
Canon shot: can be made by playing directly in the center of the bass drum very loudly, muffling with the other hand to shorten the sound may be necessary
Carillon: a set of very large tuned bells usually hung in a tower and played using a keyboard
Cascabeles [Sp.]: sleigh bells
Cassa [It.]: drum
Cassettina [It.]: Chinese block
Castrato [It.]: a very bad idea
Cencerro [Sp.]: cowbell
Ces [Gr.]: indicates the pitch C-flat
Ceses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch C-double-flat
Chinese block: a partially hollowed rectangular block of wood that can be played with softer wooden drumsticks and rubber or yarn mallets. A substitute can be a woodblock
Cinelli [It.] cymbals
Cis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch C-sharp
Cisis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch C-double-sharp
Claquebois [Fr.]: xylophone
Cloche [Fr.]: bell
Cloches tubulaires [Fr.]: tubular bells
Cog rattle: ratchet
Colla sinistra [It.]: with the left hand, abbr. as C.s.
Con fuoco [It.]: with fire
Con garbo [It.]: with grace
Con rabbia [It.]: with rage
Con vaghezza [It.]: with longing
Conga: single headed long drum played with the hands, usually played in sets of two to three often tuned to a perfect fourth
Corista [It.]: tuning fork
Corde [Fr.]: snare
Crécelle [Fr.]: cog rattle, ratchet
Crescendo [It.]: to grow in volume <
Croche [Fr.]: eighth note
Croma [It.]: eighth note
Crotales: small and thick chromatically tuned cymbals, often mounted on a stand or suspended individually. Place one on a timpani and strike it while moving the pedal to create a very unique sound effect.
Cuíca [Port.]: friction drum from Brazil
Cymbales [Fr.]: cymbals
Cymbala [Lat.]: small cymbals
Cymbales antiques [Fr.]: crotales
D
Da capo [It.]: from the beginning; abbr. as D.C.
Daff [Ar.]: Middle Eastern frame drum
Dal segno [It.]: from the sign
Davul [Turk.]: double head bass drum of Turkey, slung over the right shoulder and played with a stick in the right hand
Debole [It.]: weak
Des [Gr.] indicates the pitch D-flat
Deses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch D-boudle-flat
Destra [It.]: right hand (mano destra)
Dholak [Hin.]: barrel shaped drum from India that has two heads and is played with one stick and one hand
Diluendo [It.]: dying away
Diminuendo [It.]: gradually softer; abbbr. dim. or dimmin.
Di nuovo [It.]: again
Dis [Gr.[: indicates the pitch D-sharp
Disis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch D-double-sharp
Dolce [It.]: sweet
Dolcemente [It.]: sweetly
Dolcissimo [It.]: extremely sweet
Dolente [It.]: sad
Doloroso [It.]: sorrowful
Donnermaschine [Gr.]: thunder machine
Doppelt so schnell [Gr.]: twice as fast
Double croche [Fr.]: sixteenth note
Doucement [Fr.]: gently
Douloureux [Fr.]: sorrowful
Doux [Fr.]: sweet
Drum kit: drum set
Drum set: drum kit
Duff [Ar.]: Middle Eastern frame drum
Duramente [It.]: Harshly
Dynamic Markings and typical stick height for a drumline
ppp: (pianississimo) very very soft - 1"
pp: (pianissimo) very soft - 2"
p: (piano) soft - 3"
mp: (meso piano) moderately soft - 4-5"
mf: (meso forte) moderately loud/heavy - 6-8"
f: (forte) loud/heavy - 8-10"
ff: (fortissimo) very loud/heavy - 10-13"
fff: (fortississimo) very very loud/heavy - 13+"
Sf: (sforzando) forcefully loud - at least 12"
Sfz: (sforzando) forcefully loud - at least 12"
Fp: (forte piano) loud immediately followed by soft - 9" to 3"
E
Échelette [Fr.]: xylophone
Échele [Fr.]: scale
Eis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch E-sharp
Eisis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch E-double-sharp
Ému [Fr.]: with emotion
Enchaînez [Fr.]: continue without a break/pause
Enclume [Fr.]: anvil
Entschieden [Gr.]: resolute
Entschlossen [Gr.]: determined
Éoliphone [Fr.]: wind machine
Erlöschend [Gr.]: dying out
Ermattend [Gr.]: weakening
Ersterbend [Gr.]: dying away
Es [Gr.]: indicates the pitch E-flat
Esercizio [It.]: exercise or etude
Eses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch E-double-flat
Espressivo [It.]: with expression
Etinguendo [It.]: dying away
Estinto [It.]: barely audible, as soft as possible
Étouffé [Fr.]: muted or dampened
F
Feirlich [Gr.]: solemn
Fermata [LIt.at.]: hold/sustain
Fes [Gr.]: indicates the pitch F-flat
Feses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch F-double-flat
Fine [It.]: the end
Fis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch F-sharp
Fisis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch F-double-sharp
Flexatone: the greatest percussion instrument ever to annoy people. It is a flexible sheet of metal that is connected to a handle and held in the hand and rotated. When rotated there is one to two rubber (or wooden) ball(s) that strikes the metal and creates the sound. Use your thumb to change the pitch by applying pressure to the tip of the metal, more pressure creates a high pitch and less pressure creates a lower pitch.
Flott [Gr.]: fast or lively
Flüssig [Gr.]: flowing
Flute: what little kids call a recorder
Focoso [It.]: fiery
Forte [It.]: loud or heavy (f)
Fortepiano [It.]: loud or heavy followed immediately by soft (fp)
Fortissimo [It.]: very loud or very heavy (ff)
Forza [It.]: force
Fra poco [It.]: shortly
Frame drum: a single drum head that is attached to a small (sometimes large) circular frame that is held with one hand and primarily played with the other. The hand that holds the drum is used for muting and pitch bending while the free hand is used to provide the prominent rhythms and sounds. Sometimes the frame drum has jingles, or a handle, or is played with a stick.
Frei [Gr.[: freely
Friction drum: a type of drum that is played by rubbing the head and causing friction rather than striking the head. There is usually a stick or string in the middle of the membrane that is pulled on, often with a wet cloth, to create the friction. An excellent example of this would be a "lions roar"
Fuoco, con [It.]: with fire
Furioso [It.]: furious
Fz [It.]: abbr. for forzando
G
Gai [fr.]: allegro
Gaiment [Fr.]: allegro
Gambang [Jv.]: a Javanese xylophone that covers three to four pentatonic octaves. Can be found in slendro or pelog tuning.
Ganze note [Gr.]: whole note
Ganze pause [Gr.]: whole rest
Ganzton [Gr.]: whole tone
Ganztonleiter [Gr.]: whole tone scale
Garbo, con [It.]: with grace
Gedämpft [Gr.]: muted
Gehalten [Gr.]: sustained
Gehaucht [Gr.]: whispered
Gehend [Gr.]: andante
Generalpause [Gr.]: a rest for the entire ensemble; abbr. as G.P.
Ges [Gr.]: indicates the pitch G-flat
Geses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch G-double-flat
Gesang [Gr.]: song like
Geschwind [Gr.]: fast
Gigelira [It.]: xylophone
Giocoso [It.]: humorous
Gioioso [It.]: merry
Gis [Gr.]: indicates the G-sharp
Gisis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch G-double-sharp
Glocke [Gr.]: bell
G.P. [Gr.]: abbr. for general pause
Gradatamente [It.]: gradually
Gran cassa [It.]: bass drum
Gran tamburo [It.]: bass drum
Grazioso [It.]: graceful
Grosse caisse [Fr.]: bass drum
Grosse Trommel [Gr.]: bass drum; abbr. as Gr. Tr.
Gr. Tr. [Gr.]: abbr. for bass drum
Gsp: abbr. for glockenspiel
Güiro [Sp.]: a hollowed out gourd with cut in notches that are scrapped by a stick. Originated from Latin America, many new variations include plastic or metallic version of the Güiro.
H
H [Gr.]: indicates the pitch B-natural (seriously)
Hallbe note [Gr.]: half note
Halbe pause [Gr.]: half-note rest
Hastig [Gr.]: hurried
Hes [Gr.]: indicates the pitch b-flat
Heses [Gr.]: indicates the pitch b-double-flat
Hinsterbend [Gr.]: dying away
His [Gr.]: indicates the pitch B-sharp
Hisis [Gr.]: indicates the pitch B-double-sharp
Holzblock [Gr.]: Chinese block or wood block
Holzblocktrommel [Gr.]: Chinese block or wood block
Holzharmonika [Gr.]: xylophone, literally wooden harmonica
Holzshlegel [Gr.]: wooden drumstick
Holzstabspiel [Gr.]: xylophone
Hurtig [Gr.]: quick
I
Impetuoso [It.]: impetuous
Incalzando [It.]: pressing on
Insieme [It.]: together
J
Jagdhorn [Gr.]: hunting horn
Jared: my first name
Jeu de timbres [Fr.]: glockenspiel
K
Kadenz [Gr.]: Cadenza
Kanon [Gr.]: canon
Kettledrum: timpani
Kleine trommel [Gr.]: snare drum; abbr. as Kl. Tr.
Kl. Tr. [Gr.]: abbr. for snare drum
Knarre [Gr.]: rattle
L
Lacrimoso [It.]: tearful
Lagrimoso [It.]: mournful
Laisser vibrer [Fr.]: allow to sound, do not dampen, let ring
Lamellaphone: sound is created by plucking flexible tongues that hang over a gourd. An example is a mbira and a music box.
Lamentabile [It.]: sadly
Lamentoso [It.]: plaintively
Langsam [Gr.]: slow
Langsamer [Gr.]: slower
Largamente [It.]: broadly
Largando [It.]: allargando
Larghetto [It.]: a little faster than largo
Largo [It.[: very slow
Laut [Gr.[: loud
Lebendig [Gr.]: lively
Legato [It.]: smooth with no separation, the opposite of staccato
Leggiero [It.]: light and quick
Leicht [Gr.]: light and nimble
Leidenschaftlich [Gr.]: passionately
Leise [Gr.]: soft
Lento [It.]: slow
Lentissimo [It.]: extremely slow
Libero [It.]: freely
Libre [Fr.]: freely
Lié [Fr.]: legato
Lieve [It.]: light and easy
Linguaphone: lamellphone
Linke hand [Gr.]: left hand
Liscio [It.]: smooth and even
Lithophone: either one stone or a set of stones that produce different pitches when struck. You can adjust the pitch by carving the stone.
Lourd [Fr.]: heavy
Luftpause [Gr.]: breath
Lugubre [Fr.]: mournful
Lungo [It.]: long
Lustig [Gr.]: merry
M
Ma non troppo [It.]: but not too much
Maestoso [It.]: majestic
Main droite [Fr.]: right hand; abbr. as M.d.
Main gauche [Fr.]: left hand; abbr. as M.g.
Mancando [It.]: dying away
Mano destra [It.]: left hand; abbr. as M.d.
Mano sinistra [It.]: right hand; abbr. as M.s.
Marcato [It.]: an emphasized or stressed phrase or melody
Marche [Fr.]: march
Marcia [It.]: march
Marcia funebre [It.]: funeral march
Marimbaphone: a smaller version of the marimba usually used in music therapy. Sometimes keyed in pentatonic or whole tone based scales, they are also sometimes made of metal or wood.
Markiert [Gr.]: marcato
Markig [Gr.]: vigorous
Marqué [Fr.]: marcato
Marsch [Gr.]: march
Mässing [Gr.]: moderately
Mbira: more info coming soon
M.d.: abbr. for right hand
Membranophone: more info coming soon
Meno [It.]: less
Meno mosso [It].: slower, literally less motion
Mesto [It.]: sad
Metronome: the 2nd greatest invention for keeping time that a percussionist can ever use. The greatest invention are the free play-alongs on my website ,)
Mettere [It.]: to put on, an example would be to put on a mute
Mettre [Fr.]: to put on, an example would be to put on a mute
Mezzo/a [It.]: medium
M.g. [Fr.]: abbr. for left hand
Moderato [It.]: moderate; example: allegro moderato = not as fast as allegro
Modéré [It.]: moderate, has been related to tempo marking adagio
Möglich [Gr.]: possible
Moins [Fr.]: less
Molto [It.]: very
Monotone: a passage or text recited on a single pitch, one note
Morceau [Fr.]: composition
Morendo [It.]: dying or fading away
Mormorando [It.]: murmuring
Mosso [It.]: moved
Moto [It.]: motion
Moto perpetuo [It.]: perpetual motion
M.s. [It.]: abbr. for left hand
Munter [Gr.]: lively
N
Nachere [It.]: castanets
Nachdrücklich [Gr.]: energetic
Nachlassend [Gr.]: slackening or slowing
Nachtstück [Gr.]: nocturne
Naker: a kettle drum from the Middle East
Neck: the part of the body that connects the torso to your head
Nocturne [Fr.]: of the night
Node: the point on a vibrating object that is stationary
Noire [Fr.]: quarter note
Nola [Lat.]: a small bell
Nose flute: yes the nose flute is a real instrument. It's a flute that is blown using only one nostril, the other is plugged by your finger.
Noturno [It.]: nocturne
O
Ocarina: instrument used by Link to swoon Zelda
Ohne [Gr.]: without
O'Leary: my last name
Oratio [Lat.]: prayer
Ordinario [It.]: ordinary, to return to the original style of playing after having applied a special technique
P
Pacato [It.]: calm
Pandereta [Sp.]: tambourine
Pandero [Sp.]: tambourine
Parlando [It.]: speechlike
Passer [Fr.]: pass, for timpani it means to re-tune from one note to another
Patetico [It.]: pathetic
Pathetisch [Gr.]: pathetic
Pauke [Gr.]: timpani
Pauroso [It.]: timid
Pedal drum: timpani
Pedalpauke [Gr.]: timpani
Percusión [Sp.]: percussion instruments
Percussione [It.]: percussion instruments
Perdendosi [It.]: dying away
Pesante [It.]: with emphasis/weight
Peu [Fr.]: little
Peu á peu [Fr.]: little by little
Pezzo [It.]: composition
Piacevole [It.]: pleasing
Piangendo [It.]: crying
Piatti [It.]: cymbals
Pieno [It.]: full
Piú [It.]: more; piú moso = more motion
Piuttosto [It.]: rather; piuttosto adagio = rather slow
Placido [It.]: placid
Platillos [Sp.]: cymbals
Plötzlich [Gr.]: suddenly
Plus [Fr.]: more
Poco [It.]: little
Poco a poco [It.]: little by little
Pochettino/pochetto [It.]: very little
Pochissimo [It.]: very very little
Point d'orgue [Fr.]: fermata
Pomposo [It.]: pompous
Precipitato [It.]: rushed
Prendere [It.]: take up
Prendre [Fr.]: prepare to play
Pressante [It.]: hurrying
Presto {It.]: very fast
Prestissimo [It.]: as fast as possible
Prima vista [It.]: sight reading
Pronto [It.]: quick
Prontomente [It.]: quickly
Puy: yup, backwards
Q
Quadruple-croche [Fr.]: 64th note
Quasi [It.]: almost or as if
Quijada [Sp.]: jawbone, often substituted with a vibra slap
R
Rabbia [It.]: fury
Raddolcendo [It.]: becoming softer
Raffrenando [It.]: slowing down
Ralentir [Fr.]: to slow down
Rallentando [It.]: gradually slowing down; abbr. as rall.
Rasch [Gr.]: quick
Ratsche [Gr.]: ratchet
Rattenando [It.]: holding back
Rattenuto [It.]: holding back
Ravvivando [It.]: quickening
Recorder: an instrument typically played by children in general music class that is despised by all due to its ear piercing sound quality
Recueilli [Fr.]: contemplative
Replica [It.]: repeat
Restringendo [It.]: becoming faster
Retard: to slow down
Retenu [Fr.]: held back
R.H.: abbr. for right hand
Rigoroso [It.]: rigorous
Rilasciando [It.]: slowing down
Riforzando [It.]: becoming stronger; abbr. as r., rf., rinf., rfz.
Riposato [It]: with repose
Riprendere [It.]: to resume, for instance to resume an original tempo
Ripresa [It.]: repeat
Risoluto [It.]: resolute
Ritmico [It.]: rhythmic
Röhrenglock [Gr.]: tubular bells
Rolltrommel [Gr.]: tenor drum
Ruhig [Gr.]: calm
Rute [Gr.]: a birch brush used to play the drums; a decent substitute can be playing with the back end of a rattan mallet
S
Saccadé [Fr.]: abrupt
Saltbox: a makeshift percussion instrument that is a wooden box with a lid and sometimes played with a rolling pin. Seriously.
Sanft [Gr.]: soft
Schallbecher [Gr.]: bell
Schallbecken [Gr.]: cymbals
Schallstück [Gr.]: bell
Schlaginstrument [Gr.]: percussion instruments
Schlagzeug [Gr.]: percussion instruments
Schlegel [Gr.]: drumstick
Schlummerlied [Gr.]: lullaby
Schmerzlich [Gr.]: sad
Schnarre [Gr.]: rattle
Schnarrsaite [Gr.]: snare
Schnell [Gr.]: fast
Schütteln [Gr.]: to shake
Schwach [Gr.]: weak
Schweigen [Gr.]: to be silent
Schwer [Gr.]: heavy
Schwindend [Gr.]: dying away
Schwungvoll [Gr.]: spirited
Sciolto [It.]: free
Scorrendo [It.]: flowing
Scorrevole [It.]: flowing
Scucito [It.]: detached
Sec [Fr.]: dry/staccato
Seelevol [Gr.]: soulful
Sehr [Gr.]: very
Sehr langsam [Gr.]: very slow
Seite [Gr.]: side of the instrument
Sempre [It]: continuously or always
Sentito [It.]: expressive
Senza [It.]: without
Senza sordini [It.]: without mute
Serrant [Fr.]: becoming faster
Seul [Fr.]: solo
Sfogato [It.]: unrestrained
Side drum: snare drum
Sin ' al fine [It.]: until the end
Singend [Gr.]: song like
Singhiozzando [It.]: sobbing
Sinstra [It.]: left, as in left hand
Sizzle cymbal: can be substituted by loosely taping coins onto a cymbal if an actual sizzle cymbal cannot be obtained.
Slargando [It.]: broadening
Slentando [It.]: becoming slower
Smorzando [It.]: dying away
Snello [It.]: nimble
Soave [It.]: gentle
Sofort [Gr.]: immediately
Slenne [It.]: solemn
Solennel [Fr.]: solemn
Sopra [It.]: above
Sordino [It.]: mute
Sospirando [It.]: sighing
Sostenuto [It.]: sustained; abbr. as sost.
Sotto [It.]: under
Soupirant [Fr.]: sighing
Sourd [Fr.]: muffled
Sourinde [Fr.]: mute
Soutenu [Fr.]: sustained
Sperdendosi [It.]: fading away
Spezzato [It.]: divided
Spianato [It.]: smooth
Spiegando [It.]: spreading out
Stabspiel [Gr.]: xylophone
Stahlspiel [Gr.]: glockenspiel
Stark [Gr.]: strong
Stärker werdend [Gr.]: becoming louder
Stegeifausführung [Gr.]: improvisation
Steigern [Gr.]: increase
Stendendo [It.]: stretching out
Stentato [It.]: halting
Sterbend [Gr.]: dying away
Stesso [It]: same, as in same tempo
Stierhorn [Gr.]: cow horn
Stimmgabel [Gr.]: tuning fork
Stinguendo [It.]: fading away
Straw fiddle: xylophone bars that are lain out on ropes of straw
Strisciando [It.]: glissando
Strohfiedl [Gr.[: straw fiddle
Subito [It.]: suddenly
Sussurando [It.]: whispering
Svelto [It.]: quick
Sweet potato: ocarina
T
Tabl [Ar.]: drum
Tabor, taborel, tabour, tabourin, tabret: a small drum of Europe, sometimes with a snare
Tacet [Lat.]: silent, tacet movement means you don't play during that movement. If a drum instructor asks you to go to a music store and buy a tacet, just smile and nod your head. If you're a drum instructor or a section leader and want to play a little joke, this is a classic.
Tambor [Sp.]: drum
Tambora [Sp.]: two headed drum that is played with a stick in the right hand a the palm of the left hand
Tambour [Fr.]: drum, drummer
Tambour de basque [Fr.]: tambourine
Tambour militaire [Fr.]: snare drum
Tamburello [It.]: tambourine
Tamburin [Gr.]: tambourine
Tamburino [It.]: tenor drum
Tamburo [It.]: drum
Tamburo grande/grosso [It.]: bass drum
Tamburo rullante [It.]: tenor drum
Tamburo militare [It.]: snare drum
Tampon: a drumstick with a mallet head on each side, used on bass drums to execute one handed rolls.
Tanto [It.]: so much
Tardo [It.]: slow
Tardamente [It.]: slowly
Tarando [It.]: slowying
Tempestoso [It.]: stormy
Tendre [Fr.]: tender
Teneramente [It.]: tenderly
Terzina [It.]: triplet
Timbal [Sp.]: timpani
Timbale [Fr.]: timpani
Timballo [It.]: timpani
Timbrel: tambourine without jingles, frame drum
Tirando [It.]: dragging
Tranquillo [It.]: tranquil
Traps: drumset, usually referred to as a trapset in pit productions (theatre)
Tratto [It.]: drawn out
Trauernd [Gr.]: mourning
Träumerisch [Gr.]: dreamy
Tutti [It.]: all, meaning everyone in the ensemble
U
Unbetont [Gr.]: unaccented
Ungebunden [Gr.]: free
Ungeduldig [Gr.]: impatient
Ungerader takt [Gr.]: triple beat/meter
Ungestüm [Gr.]: violent
Ungezwungen [Gr.]: free
Unheimlich [Gr.]: sinister
Uniti [It.]: together
Un peu [Fr.]: a little
Un poco [It.]: a little
Unruhig [Gr.]: restless
Unter [Gr.]: under
Ut supra [lat.]: as above/before
V
Vaghezza, con [It.]: with longing
Veloce [It.]: fast
Velocemente [It.]: very fast
Verhallend [Gr.]: fading away
Verkürzung [Gr.]: shortening of the note value
Verlöschend [Gr.]: dying away
Vermindert [Gr.]: diminished
Verstärken [Gr.]: reinforce another part/to amplify
Vif [Fr.]: lively
W
Wachsend [Gr.]: growing
Weich [Gr.]: soft
Wenig [Gr[: little
Whip: slapstick
Wie möglich [Gr.]: as possible; example as fast as possible or as soft as possible
Wirbel [Gr.]: drum roll
Wirbeltrommel [Gr.]: tenor drum
Wuchtig [Gr.]: weighty
Wütend [Gr.]: furious
X
Xylophone: what everyone who’s not a percussionist calls a marimba
Y
Yeast: used to bake bread
Z
Zahlzeit [Gr.]: beat
Zambomba [Sp.]: a friction drum of Latin America and Spain, lately it has been substituted with tin cans rather than a drum
Zeitmesser [Gr.]: metronome
Ziehharmonika [Gr.]: accordion.
Zimbel [Gr.]: crotales
Zu [Gr.]: toward
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