Music Vocabulary
People
percussionist – percusionista![](../../../../imagenes/masgramatica.gif)
session musician = freelance musician hired to record on a specific
track/album
songwriter, singer-songwriter = someone who composes and sings their own
songs – cantautor
instrumentalist = someone who plays a musical instrument
choir – coro
sound technician = técnico del sonido
stagehand = montador
“roadie” = person who helps transport the group/equipment on tour
producer = person in charge of the technical side
manager = person in charge of the business/logistical side
“groupie” = a (young) impressionable fan who follows a group and would
do anything to be with the group members, including maybe sleep with
them!
Other terms
tune – melodía
to whistle –soplar
to hum – tararear
rhythm – not to be confused with “rhyme”
(to play) in tune/out of tune – afinar/desafinar
![](../../../../imagenes/masvocabulario.gif)
a score – una partitura
chord – acorde
to play in a band
concert/gig; to do a gig = to give a concert
mixing desk – mesa de mezcla
microphone = “mic” – micro
amplifier = “amp” = amplificador
live (careful with pronunciation)….music/performance/recording = ….en
directo
to/a record = grabar/un disco
a recording = una grabación
a recording studio
to rehearse/a rehearsal = ensayar/un ensayo
a rehearsal room/studio = un local de ensayar
unplugged = without electric instruments = acoustic
the acoustics = the particular sound qualities of a venue
eg. I love the acoustics in this church; the sound echos a little.
a cover version/to cover (a song) = not an original song, a version of
another’s song
to arrange/an arrangement = to (re-)assign different parts to different
instruments
to release a record/song/CD, etc. = to make it available to the public
a new release = a record just recently released
to/a re-release = releasing an old record again
(record) label = record company eg. EMI, Decca, Sony, Atlantic Records….
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Music Idioms
face the music – to be punished; to finally confront a difficult
situation
to jazz something up – make it more interesting
make a song and dance out of something – make a fuss out of something
It’s music to my ears – I like it
It takes two to tango – one person/party can’t be solely responsible for
the actions of two
(eg. A:What an amazing match. Real Madrid are great!
B:It takes two to tango – Barça were great too!)![](../../../../imagenes/masaudio.gif)
to play second fiddle – to always be the second, but not first focus of
attention (fiddle=violin)
(eg. I’m tired of my boss getting all the credit for our teamwork. I’m
always playing second fiddle.)
to blow your own trumpet – to say how great you yourself are
to call the tune(s) – to decide what happens
to strike/hit the right note – to do/say something appropriate
and all that jazz = and similar related things. (eg She loves glamour,
Hollywood, fame and all that jazz)
to ring a bell – to sound familiar (eg. I think I recognise that voice.
It rings a bell.)
to change your tune – to change your perspective/opinion/attitude/version
(eg. Peter used to say he hated London and now he loves it. He’s changed
his tune.)
for a song – cheaply (eg. This second-hand Ferrari cost me only $500. I
got it for a song!)
to play by (it) by ear – to act without a plan, depending on the
circumstances that arise (In music it means to play without a score.)
to strike a chord – to connect with your sentiment (eg. I like the
government’s new tough Crime laws. They strike a chord with me.)
as clean as a whistle – very clean (whistle = pito)
to blow the whistle, to be a whistleblower – to publicly denounce
wrongdoing (eg. Baltasar the judge blew the whistle on his corrupt
colleagues and got into trouble for it.)
to end on a high note – end an event in a positive/optimistic way
Discussion
What groups/singers/types of music do you like or dislike?
Do you prefer songs or instrumental music?
When and where do you like listening to music?
Does music relax you, perk you up, excite you, bore you, make you laugh,
make you cry…?
Can you play an instrument or sing? What instrument would you like to be
able to play?
Have you ever played in a group?
What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
Shakespeare wrote: “If music be the food of love, play on…” What do you
think?
*Dispones
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PODCAST en inglés publicados en los cuadernos anteriores
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