E…
E string The first or sixth string of the guitar. see How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Ea…
Early music music written from the Middle Ages to about 1750
East Indian Laurel An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
East Indian Rosewood Although East Indian Rosewood had been used for guitar backs and sides for many decades it became more common in the mid-1960s when the more well known Brazilian Rosewood became less available for guitar construction. Indian Rosewood was also found to be an excellent alternative to Brazilian Rosewood both visually and tonally with added stability. The color ranges from red to light brown with golden streaks. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Eb…
Ebenfalls (German) in the same way, likewise
Ebenso (German) just as
Ebonite hard black rubber
Ec…
Ecclesia (Latin) church; church related
Ecclesiastical modes church modes
Échelle (French) scale
Éclatant (French) brilliant, gorgeous, piercing
Eclecticism a term applied to a composer’s style when he is writing in an atypical manner
Ecologue short piece of music in in pastoral style
Eco (Italian) echo
École (French) school
Écossaise (French) a 2-in-a-bar contredanse, from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries
Ed…
Ed (Italian) and
Edel (German) noble
Edge Binding The Edge Binding protects the end grains of the top and the back of a guitar. It also doubles as a decorative trim at the borders of the guitar. The Binding of a Classical Guitar is generally made of layered wood. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Ef…
Effleurer (French) to touch very lightly
Effretto (Italian) effect of music on an audience
Eg…
Égal (French) equal
Égale (French) equal
Également (French) equally
Églogue (French) ecologue
Eguale (Italian) equal
Egualemente (Italian) equally
Egualezza (Italian) equality
Egualità (Italian) equality
Ei…
Eifer (German) zeal
Eifrig (German) in an ardent style, zealous
Eighth an interval of an octave
Eighth note one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Eighth rest one eighth the time value of a whole rest
Eile (German) haste
Eilen (German) to hurry
Eilend (German) accelerando
Eilig (German) speedy
Ein (German) a, one
Eine (German) a, one
Einfach (German) simple, single
Eingang (German) introduction, preface or prelude
Einige (German) some
Einlenken (German) to turn back, a turning back
Einmal (German) once
Einschlafen (German) die away
Einstimmig (German) for one part
Eintritt (German) beginning, entrance
Einzeln (German) single
Ek…
Ektar folk instrument used to provide a drone as well as simple rhythmic accompaniment to folk songs in the Indian subcontinent, one stringed lute
El…
Elaboration development or expansion of a musical idea or theme
Élargi (French) broadened
Élargissant (French) broadening
Élargir (French) to broaden, to take more slowly
Élargissez (French) broaden
Electro-acoustic music electronic music
Electronic Tuner Electronic device for tuning a guitar.
Elegante (Italian) elegant
Elegantemente (Italian) elegantly
Elegia (Italian) elegy
Elegiaco (Italian) elegiac
Élégie (French) a lament
Elegy (English) a lament
Elements of a Musical Score See Elements of a Musical Score in Elements of a Musical Score
Elevato (Italian) elevated of spirit
Elevazione (Italian) elevation of spirit
Élève (French) pupil, student
Eleventh a compound interval of an octave plus a fourth
Elision the shortening of a theme or phrase by removing particular notes
Éloigner (French) to place further away
Em…
Embellishment ornament
Emozione (Italian) emotion
Empfindung (German) feeling
Empfingungsvoll (German) feelingly
Emphase (German) emphasis
Emporté (French) excitedly
Empressé (French) eager
Ému (French) affected, moved, touched
En…
En (French) in, whilst
Enanga a six or seven string zither from East Africa
Encore encouragement to a performer to perform something more
End Block A block that supports the book-matched back, top, & sides of a guitar. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
End Grain The part of a piece of wood where the grain runs out of its edge. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Energia (Italian) energy
Energico (Italian) energetic
Enfasi (Italian) emphasis
Enfatico (Italian) emphatic
Enfaticamente (Italian) emphatically
Enger (German) quicker
Engleman Spruce Wood used for a guitar soundboard that is not as stiff as Sitka Spruce, but popular because of its appearance. Works well on smaller bodied instruments because of its lower stiffness. It has a beautiful sheen much like the European spruces with less contrast between its growth rings. Usually looks whiter than Sitka. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
English Brown Oak An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Enharmonic the interval between notes notated for example A flat and G sharp, which on an equal tempered keyboard instrument are played with the same key
Enlevez (French) remove
Ensalada (Spanish) a medley
Ensemble a group of musicians
Entendre (French) to hear
Entendu (French) heard
Entendue (French) heard
Entfernt (German) distant
Entfurnung (German) distance
Entr’acte (French) music performed between acts
Entrada (Spanish) entrance
Entrain (French) dash, go
Entrata (Italian) beginning, entrance
Entrée (French) the commencing moment of any work
Entremes (Spanish) a comic musical intermezzo within a play
Entrückung (German) rapture
Entry the point in a musical work where a melody starts
Entschieden (German) considerably, decided, resolute
Entschlossen (German) in a determined style
Entschlossenheit (German) determination
Entusiasmo (Italian) enthusiasm
Entusiastico (Italian) enthusiastic
Envelope an acoustical term referring to the attack, duration and decay of a sounding note
Environmental music music used for relaxation and meditation
Ep…
Epigoneion a 40 string kithara placed and played on one’s knees
Epinette des Vosges a French instrument of the dulcimer family
Episode a subsidiary part of a work
Episodical form the same as rondo form
Epithalamium a wedding song
Eq…
Equabile (Italian) equable
Equalmente (Italian) evenly, alike
Equal temperament the modern method of tuning where the interval of an octave is exact and the interval between each successive semitone is equal to the twelfth root of 2
Équivaut (French) is equivalent to
Er…
Ergriffen (German) emotionally moved
Erhaben (German) sublime
Erhabenheit (German) sublimity
Er hu (Chinese) a Chinese bowed string instrument similar to a violin but with only two strings
Erleichterung (German) a simplifed version
Erlöschend (German) becoming weakened
Ermangelung (German) lack
Ermattend (German) becoming tired out
Ermattet (German) tired out
Erniedrigen (German) to lower pitch
Ernst (German) earnest
Ernsthaft (German) serious
Eroica (German) heroic
Eroico (German) heroic
Erotikon (German) love-song
Ersatz (German) substitute
Erschüttert (German) agitated
Erst (German) first
Erste (German) first
Ersterbend (German) dying away
Erstickt (German) stifled
Erweitert (German) slower and steadier
Erzürnt (German) irritated
Es…
Esaltato (Italian) exalted, excited
Esatta (Italian) exact
Esattezza (Italian) exactness
Esatto (German) first
Escape note non-harmonic note, being approached by a whole step or half step and resolving to a chord note by a leap
Escondido an Argentine dance where the female partner hides from the male
Esecuzione (Italian) execution
Esercizi (Italian) exercises
Esercizio (Italian) exercise
Esoteric music specialized music designed for an elite audience that cannot understand or perform the music without special training
Esotica (Italian) exotic
Esotico (Italian) exotic
Espagne (French) Spanish
Espagnol Spanish
Espagnole (French) Spanish
Espagnuolo Spanish
Espagnolo Spanish
Espagnola Spanish
Espagnuola (Italian) Spanish
Espirando (Italian) dying away
Espressione (Italian) expression
Espressivo (Italian) expressively
Esquisse (French) sketch
Esraj North Indian bowed instrument with 20 metal frets and 12 to 15 sympathetic strings
Estinguendo (Italian) dying away
Estinto (Italian) as soft as possible
Estompé (French) toned down
Estravaganza (Italian) composition of erratic type
Estremamente (Italian) extremely
Estudiantina (Spanish) in the style of students
Estudiantino (Spanish) in the style of students
Esultazione (Italian) exultation
Et…
Et (Latin) and
Et (French) and
Éteindre (French) to extinguish
Éteint (French) extinguished
Étendue (French) compass, range
Ethnographic material material originating in any culture still living or known through relatively recent history
Ethnomusicology the study of music as a cultural phenomenon
Étouffer (French) dampen, mute, to dampen
Étouffez (French) dampen, mute, to dampen
Étude (French) a piece written for the purposes of practicing or displaying technique
Etwas (German) some, something, somewhat
Eu…
Eucalyptus An alternative wood for the back and sides of a classical guitar. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Eurhythmics the expression of musical rhythm through bodily movement
Ev…
Evaded cadence a cadence that implies one type of resolution, but goes instead to another
Éveillé (French) awakened
Even tuning equal temperament
Evocación (Spanish) evocation, invocation
Ex…
Exactement (French) exactly
Exalté (French) exalted, very excited
Exercise a piece designed to develop technique
Exoteric music music meant to be easily comprehended and performed by anyone with little musical training
Exoticism music in which the rhythms, melodies, or instrumentation are intended to evoke the atmosphere of far-off lands or ancient times
Expected Barre Anticipated or Expected Barre See Anticipated or Expected Barre in Barre
Exposed intervals hidden fifths or octaves between the outer voices in a harmonic progression
Exposition the part of a work where the principal themes are first stated
Expressif (French) expressive
Expressionism where the work expresses the artist or composer’s state of mind
Expression marks indications in a musical score where the composer wish changes in the dynamics, tempo or mood
Extended tertian sonorities tall chords; 9th, 11th and 13th chords
Extension an horizontal line (or broken line) placed next to the right of a symbol to show that a symbol must be maintained during the following note or notes
Extravaganza (Italian) stage entertainment with music, written in a free informal style
Extemporisation the art of composing at sight, improvisation
Extrêmement (French) extremely
Ey…
Eye music music that is pleasing or puzzling to the eye