Ha…
Hahnebüchen (German) coarse, heavy
Hail Columbia music for the Vice President of the United States of America
Hail to the Chief music for the President of the United States of America
Hairpins the colloquial term for signs indicating graded dynamic change
Halam Senegalese plucked lute
Halay a square dance, originally from Turkey, in which the participants join hands, making a circle, and the music and the dance start slowly but gets faster and faster.
Halb (German) half
Halbe (German) half
Halbenote half note see Note Values
Halbe Taktnote half note see Note Values
Halbe-pause half rest
Half Cadence A chord progression where the dominant chord is the final chord of the cadence and is preceded by the tonic chord in second inversion. This pattern produces two chords with the same bass note. In the tonality of C major, a half cadence would be the tonic chord in second inversion C major chord (G C E) moving to the dominant G major chord (G B D). see Musical Cadences
Half Close Cadence A chord progression where the dominant chord is the final chord of the cadence and is preceded by the tonic chord in second inversion. This pattern produces two chords with the same bass note. In the tonality of C major, a half cadence would be the tonic chord in second inversion C major chord (G C E) moving to the dominant G major chord (G B D). see Musical Cadences
Half note a note half the value of a semibreve see Note Values
Half rest a rest half the value of a semibreve
Half step a semitone
Halk general term for Turkish folk music
Hallelujah (Hebrew) a song in praise of God
Hallen (German) to clang
Halling Norwegian dance generally in 2/4 time
Halt (German) the fermata sign, pause
Halten (German) to hold, to sustain
Hanacca (German) Moravian dance in simple triple time
Hanakisch (German) Moravian dance in simple triple time
Hanaise (French) Moravian dance in simple triple time
Hand (German) hand
Hände (German) hands
Hardi (French) bold
Hardiment (French) boldly
Harmonic relating to harmony
Harmonic Minor Scale see Musical Scales
Harmonic progression the movement from one chord to another
Harmonic rhythm the rate of harmonic change
Harmonic series elements of the aural spectrum
Harmonics elements of the aural spectrum
Harmonique (French) harmonic
Harmonische Töne (German) harmonics
Harmony the relationship between notes when heard together
Hart (German) hard, major
Harte (German) hard, major
Hasapi two-stringed mandolin from Indonesia
Hastig (German) hasty, impetuous
Haupango creating cross rhythms of great complexity
Haupt (German) head, principal
Hauptstimme (German) principal part
Hauptthema (German) principal theme
Haut (French) high
Haute (French) high
Haut instruments loud instruments, particular those designed to be played out of doors
Hay a type of round dance
Hawaiian guitar a slide guitar
Haye a type of round dance
He…
Head the main theme
Head arrangement an arrangement worked out from memory
Headstock The uppermost part of the neck, above the fingerboard nut, that holds the tuners on a guitar. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) see Classical Guitarists & Composers
Heftig (German) violent, impetuous
Heiss (German) ardent, hot
Heiter (German) cheerful, clear
Hejjuj Arabic word for lute
Hell (German) bright, clear
Hemidemisemiquaver sixty-fourth note see Note Values
Hemidemisemiquaver rest sixty-fourth rest
Hemiola rhythmic pattern where two notes are played in the time allotted to three or where three notes are played in the time allotted to two
Hemiolia rhythmic pattern where two notes are played in the time allotted to three or where three notes are played in the time allotted to two
Hemitonium half-step
Heptachord a scale of seven notes
Heptatonic scale a scale of seven notes
Herbstlied (German) autumn song
Hernach (German) hereafter
Héroïque (French) heroic
Heroisch (German) heroic
Hertz the unit in which the frequency of a note is measured
Herunterstimmen (German) to tune a string down to a specified note
Hervorgehoben (German) to emphasize a melody
Hervorragend (German) to emphasize a melody
Herzhaft (German) charming, hearty, tender
Heterophonic two or more lines performing the same melody but applying different embellishments
Heterophony two or more lines performing the same melody but applying different embellishments
Hexachord (Latin) a group of six consecutive notes separated by a whole-step or half-step
Hexentanz (German) witches’ dance
Hi…
Hide Glue A wood glue often used in guitar construction. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Hidden fifths Approaching fifths or octaves by similar motion can produce the same effect as approaching fifths or octaves by parallel motion. Adding a passing tone to a hidden fifth produces a parallel fifth, for example. Since the parallel fifth is implied by a missing note, approaching fifths or octaves by similar motion is called hidden fifths or octaves
Hidden octaves Approaching fifths or octaves by similar motion can produce the same effect as approaching fifths or octaves by parallel motion. Adding a passing tone to a hidden fifth produces a parallel fifth, for example. Since the parallel fifth is implied by a missing note, approaching fifths or octaves by similar motion is called hidden fifths or octaves
Hier (German) here
High E The first string of the guitar. see How to Change Classical Guitar Strings
Hinsterbend (German) dying away
Hirt (German) herd, herdsman
Ho…
Höchst (German) highest
Hochzeitmarsch (German) wedding march
Hochzeitszug (German) wedding procession
Hocket a rhythmic device in two part music in which rests in one part alternately match notes in the other
Hoedown similar to a jig or reel, usually associated with square dancing
Hofkapelle (German) royal chapel
Hofkomponist (German) court composer
Hofmusicus (German) court musician
Hogaku Japanese classical music
Hold fermata; musical symbol placed over a note or rest to be extended beyond its normal duration
Homophone two strings tuned to produce the same note
Homophonic a musical composition for 2 or more parts with a single melody line, all other parts serving as accompaniments
Homophony a musical composition for 2 or more parts with a single melody line, all other parts serving as accompaniments
Homorhythmic polyphonic lines played together have the same rhythm but independent melodies
Hondo sad Andalusian song employing microtones
Honduran Mahogany A wood that used to be exported mainly from Honduras, but now comes more often from Brazil. African Mahogany is a little heavier and finer textured than Honduran Mahogany. Mahogany is fine for guitars due to its relative low cost, ease of working, and stability. Colors range from light pink to medium brown to reddish brown. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Honduran Rosewood A wood becoming difficult to obtain. Denser than Indian rosewood, it compares well to Brazilian rosewood, and some claim it is superior, producing a well-balanced sounding guitar with great projection and strong lows and highs. A good substitute to Brazilian Rosewood. The color ranges from a rich mauve to a brownish brick red with tight growth rings and occasional dark brown to black ink lines. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Honduran Redheart 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
Honey songs campfire songs Central African Pygmies
Honeysuckle 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
Hopak a Russian and Ukrainian folk dance
Hornpipe a lively dance resembling a jig in triple time in the early sixteenth century, and in 4/4 time from the mid-eighteenth century, associated with sailors
Hortus Musicus (Latin) musical garden
Hot Hide Glue A heated wood glue often used in guitar construction. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
House a performance hall or theatre where the audience sits
Hu…
Hübsch (German) dainty, pretty
Hu Chinese bowed lute
Hualaychos groups of Bolivian street musicians that play during Christmas and New Year
Huapanguera a 9 string Mexican guitar from the Jarocho region
Huit (French) eight
Huitième de soupir (French) thirty-second rest
Hula a sacred dance of Hawaii
Humoreske (German) piano music of a capricious character
Humoresque (French) piano music of a capricious character
Huon Pine 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
Hurdy-gurdy stringed instrument in which the strings are set into vibration by the action of a hand-cranked rosined wheel
Hurtig (German) agile, nimble
Hy…
Hymn a song of praise