Xa…
Xango from the Macumba ritual in Brazil, a dance in honor of the jungle god Xango
Xi…
Xitende a plucked, one-string musical bow from Mozambique with a gourd resonator
Wt…
Xtoles Mayan warriors dance from Mexico
Ya…
Yambú one of the three most popular forms of Cuban rumba, a slow to medium tempo duple meter style
Yang Qin Chinese hammered dulcimer played with two bamboo mallets
Yanggum Korean hammered dulcimer
Yasl-khani improvised songs of humor and satire from Bushehr, Iran
Yataga Mongolian zither, on which the strings are plucked, constructed as a box with a convex surface and an end bent towards the ground
Yayue (Chinese) Chinese ritual music
Ye…
Yew A 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
Yo…
Yovoringo a Mandinka wrestling rhythm
Yu…
Yue qin (Chinese) a Chinese mandolin, with a moon-shaped soundbox (although the soundbox can be octagonal or hexagonal), with 2 strings normally tuned a 4th or 5th apart, to which two additional strings can be added, tuned in unison with the other 2 strings creating 2 courses, commonly used to accompany performances
Yüeh ch‘in (Chinese) a Chinese mandolin, with a moon-shaped soundbox (although the soundbox can be octagonal or hexagonal), with 2 strings normally tuned a 4th or 5th apart, to which two additional strings can be added, tuned in unison with the other 2 strings creating 2 courses, commonly used to accompany performances
Za…
Zählzeit (German) beat
Zambra Spanish flamenco dance of Moorish origin, performed primarily by Gypsy women
Zandunga songs and dances of southern Mexico often with amusing lyrics
Zapateado syncopated solo Spanish clog-dance in triple meter where heel stamping replaces castanets; tapping or foot stomping used in Spanish flamenco and Mexican dancing
Zart (German) tender, delicate
Zartheit (German) tenderness
Zartlich (German) tenderly
Ze…
Zebrawood A wood that is a more boldly colored alternative to Indian Rosewood. With about the same density, workability and resonance as Indian Rosewood, it is evenly striped overall with small alternating bands of gold-tan and dark brown. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Zehn (German) ten
Zeichen (German) sign
Zeitmass (German) tempo
Zelo (Italian) zeal
Zeloso (Italian) zealous
Zelosamente (Italian) zealously
Zh…
Zhonghu Chinese bowed lute
Zi…
Ziehen (German) to draw out
Ziemlich (German) rather, somewhat
Ziemlich langsam (German) rather slow
Zierlich (German) elegant
Zigeuner (German) gipsy
Zigeunerlied (German) gipsy song
Zigeunermusik (German) gypsy music
Zimbalon sophisticated form of dulcimer found in Hungary and Romania
Zingarese, alla (German) in the style of gypsy music
Zingaro (Italian) male gipsy
Zingara (Italian) female gipsy
Ziricote A wood that is striking in appearance, much like Brazilian Rosewood but in shades of grey and olive green with black rather than red with black. It is heavier than Rosewood and tends to be brittle. see Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Alternative Wood Choices for Back & Sides see Anatomy of a Classical Guitar
Zither a Tyrolean dulcimer bearing about 40 strings stretched over a closed wooden box: 4 or 5 melody strings are fretted with the left hand while the remainder are accompaniment strings
Zitternd (German) trembling
Zo…
Zögernd (German) delaying
Zongore Romanian term for guitars
Zoppa, alla (Italian) with a syncopated or limping rhythm
Zortziko 5-in-a-bar Basque folk dance where the second and fourth beats are generally dotted
Zouk (Creole) party
Zu…
Zu (German) to, too, for
Zuerst (German) first, at first
Zug (German) to process, to pull
Zugeeignet (German) dedicated
Zugehen (German) to go
Zugehend (German) going
Zukunftmusik (German) music of the future
Zum (German) to the, at the
Zur (German) to the, at the
Zurück (German) back again
Zurückgehend (German) going back
Zurückhaltend (German) holding back, slowing down
Zurückhaltung (German) slowing down, a retardation of the tempo
Zusammen (German) together
Zutraulich (German) confidingly, intimately
Zuvor (German) before
Zw…
Zwei (German) two
Zweifach (German) twofold
Zweimal (German) twice
Zweistimmung (German) two-voiced
Zweite (German) second: exact form depends on context
Zweiunddreissigstel (German) thirty-second note see Note Values
Zweiunddreissigstelnote (German) thirty-second note see Note Values
Zweiunddreissigstelpause (German) a thirty-second rest
Zwischen (German) between, amongst
Zwischenspiel (German) interlude
Zwo (German) two
Zwölf (German) twelve
Zwölftonmusik (German) twelve-note music
Zwote (German) second
Zy…
Zydeco Cajun accordion-based musical genre from Louisiana combining blues, rhythm & blues, rock, country & western, Caribbean and traditional Cajun music