Na…
Nach (German) after
Nachahmung (German) imitation
Nach belieben (German) ad lib
Nachdruck(German) emphasis
Nachdrücklich (German) emphatic
Nachgehend (German) following
Nachlassend (German) slackening speed
Nachschlag the two notes that sometimes terminate a trill
Nachtanz (German) the second of two contrasting dances, normally a quick dance following a slower one
Nachtmusik serenade
Nachstück (German) nocturne
Nach und nach (German) bit by bit, little by little, gradually
Nach wie vor (German) as before , as previously
Nadales the name given to Christmas songs in Catalonia and Galicia Spain
Nagkula a simple Indian bamboo-stick zither
Nahe (German) near
Naïf (French) artless
Naïve (French) artless
Naïvement (French) artlessly
Nämlich (German) namely, the same
Nana Spanish lullaby
Napoléon Coste (1806-1883) see Classical Guitarists and Composers
Narrante (Italian) in a declamatory manner
National anthems songs, usually anthems, fanfares, marches, or hymns, that are used as national symbols
Nationalism music identified with a particular nation, that inspired by folk music
Nationalist music identified with a particular nation, that inspired by folk music
Natural a note neither sharpened nor flattened, the sign placed before a note that is neither sharpened or flattened. see natural sign in Note Symbols
Naturale (Italian) in a or normal manner, without using the mute
Natural keys keys whose signature contains neither sharps nor flats, C major and A minor
Natural minor Scale see Musical Scales
Natural Sign see natural sign in Note Symbols
Natürlich (German) in a or normal manner, without using the mute
Navidás (Spanish) Christmas songs
Nd…
Ndongo eight-stringed lyre of Uganda
Ne…
Neapolitan chord any chord built upon the flat second degree of the tonic key
Neapolitan sixth the first inversion of a major chord on the flattened second degree of a major scale
Neben (German) at the side of, near, subsidiary
Nebst (German) including, together with
Neck Wood of the guitar extending from the body including the fingerboard, frets, fingerboard nut, & Headstock. see Dressing the Frets on a Classical Guitar see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Neck Angle The degree of tilt of the neck where it meets the body of a guitar.
Neck Block The Neck Block is often made of mahogany and along with the neck,
supports the book-matched back, top, & sides of a guitar. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Neck Joint A joint that connects the neck to the body of a guitar. One method of attaching the neck to a Classical Guitar body is the use of a Dovetail Joint. It holds well and can be detached during future guitar repairs. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Neck Setting Jig A devise used to hold the neck in proper position when gluing to the body of the guitar.
Neck Tension Jig A devise used to hold neck in proper tension position when dressing the frets on a guitar. See Dressing the Frets on a Classical Guitar
Negli (Italian) in the, at the
Negligénte (French) negligently, unconstrained, careless
Negligente (Italian) negligently, unconstrained, careless
Negligentemente (Italian) negligently
Nehmen (German) to take
Nei (Italian) in the, at the
Neighbouring notes non-harmonic notes that leave and return to the same chord note by a whole step or half step
Nel (Italian) in the, at the
Ne jamais (French) never
Nell’ (Italian) in the, at the
Nella (Italian) in the, at the
Nelle (Italian) in the, at the
Nello (Italian) in the, at the
Neo (Greek) a prefix indicating a revived interest in something old
Ne pas (French) no
Ne point (French) not
Ne que (French) only
Nera (Italian) quarter note
Nerveux (French) nervous
Net (Italian) clear
Netta (Italian) clear
Nette (Italian) clear
Nettement (French) clearly
Nettemente (Italian) clearly
Netto (Italian) clear
Neue (German) new
Neues (German) new
Neuf (French) nine
Neun (German) nine
Neuvième (French) ninth
New Age music a compositional style conducive to meditation
New Orleans jazz an early style of jazz originating in New Orleans in the first two decades of the twentieth-century
Ng…
Ngoni a small traditional four-stringed Mali lute in the form of a teardrop
Nguyeät (Vietnam) guitar-like instrument with a long neck, which emits muted sounds, having 2 strings made of silk braid
Ni…
Nicht (German) not
Nieder (German) down
Niederdrücken (German) depress, press down
Niente (Italian) nothing
Nigenkin two string Japanese zither used in Shinto shrines
Ninth compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second
Nitrocellulose Lacquer Used since the 1920’s, a quick-drying solvent-based lacquer that contains nitrocellulose. A very hard, flexible and durable finish that can be polished to a high sheen. It yellows with age, producing a desired vintage look. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Nj…
Njurkle monochord guitar used in Malian music
No…
Nobile (Italian) noble
Nobilmente (Italian) nobly
Nobiltà (Italian) nobility
Noblezza (Italian) nobility
Noch (German) still, yet
Noche (Spanish) night
Nocturne (English) a moderately slow piece, usually for piano, of dreamy, reflective, contemplative character and song-like melody
Nocturne (French) a moderately slow piece, usually for piano, of dreamy, reflective, contemplative character and song-like melody
Notturno (Italian) a moderately slow piece, usually for piano, of dreamy, reflective, contemplative character and song-like melody
Node the point on a vibrating string that is at rest
Noël (French) a Christmas carol
Noire (French) quarter note see Note Values
Non (French) not, no
Non (Italian) not, no
Non-open String A fretted note.
Non-traditional Sound Hole A sound hole that is not round. Sound Holes are not limited to a particular site or number. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Nonet (English) a group of nine players, a piece written for nine players
Nonett (German) a group of nine players, a piece written for nine players
Nonette (French) a group of nine players, a piece written for nine players
Nonetto (Italian) a group of nine players, a piece written for nine players
Non-harmonic note a note that does not belong to the chord with which it sounds, for example, a passing note
Non-imitative polyphony two or more independent melodic lines that do not share material with one another
Nonmetric music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter
Nonretrogradable rhythm a rhythmic pattern that sounds the same whether played forward or backwards
Non-tertian chords chord structures not based on thirds
Nontraditional time signatures time signatures using values other than 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12 for the top number
Non troppo (Italian) not too much
Non-Western music music alien to the Western tradition of music, music and instruments of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Native Americans, …….
Non-Western sounds music alien to the Western tradition of music, music and instruments of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Native Americans, …….
Noodling improvised musical phrases a musician might play while warming up
Normal Accent See normal accent in Note Values
Nota cambiata (Italian) changed note
Nota sensibile (Italian) leading note
Notation the method used to write down music. see Elements of a Musical Score see Note Ornamentation see Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar
Note a single sound of a particular pitch and length which is notated with a symbol made up of a note head, a stem (in some cases) and a flag (in some cases). See notes in Elements of a Musical Score see Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar see Elements of Tablature for Classical Guitar
Note de passage (French) passing note
Note head the head, or round part of the note symbol as distinguished from the stem or any other part of the note. See note head in Elements of a Musical Score see Elements of Standard Notation for Classical Guitar
Note ornaments see note ornaments in Note Ornamentation
Note row the chromatic scale
Notturno (Italian) nocturne
Nove (Italian) nine
Nowell (English) a Christmas carol
Nu…
Nuances a set of symbols added on the score to indicate the volume at which a note or a series of notes are to be played
Nuova (Italian) new
Nur (German) only
Nut a slightly raised bar at the top of a guitar neck
Nut Height The height of the string measured from the top of the first fret to the bottom of the string as adjusted at the nut slot. see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Nutrendo (Italian) full rich or well-sustained tone
Nutrito (Italian) full rich or well-sustained tone
Nz…
Nzele a Kenyan music style created in the late twentieth-century, revolves around the lead singer, bass guitar, drums, percussion, keyboards, flute, horns and a rhythm guitar