: begin at the arrow
: coda sign
: D.S. sign
: eyeglasses; pay attention to this spot
: fermata/hold
: “Railroad Tracks”/Caesura; a stop in the music
: Ritornello sign; repeat the preceding measures indicated
1X, 2X, etc.: the number of time a passage is to be repeated
AABA – the 32-bar song form
Accel.: accelerando; accelerate
Ad. lib: improvise
B.D.: bass drum
Back Beat: emphasize beats two and four in the 4/4 bar
Bap – to play a sound with impact
Bell: bell of the cymbal; cow bell
Bell Cue: single note/octave on orchestra bells
Bigger: play louder/stronger
Blocks: play on temple block/emulate blocks
Blues: follow blues form
Bone: trombone (t-bone)
Bows: special music/reprise to signal the return of performers Br.: brass instruments; brushes
Break: a stop in the music/drum break
Bridge – the B, or contrasting section of a tune form, e.g., AABA
C.B.: cow bell
Changes: the chord changes of a tune
Chart: the music/guide used for drumset
Chaser: music that shuttles the act off stage
Chorus: one complete time through form; describes the chorus in verse/chorus form
Click: the presence of a click track; use cross-stick sound
Closed: closed hi-hat
Comp: accompany soloist or ensemble; align with other rhythm section players
Crash/Cr.: crash cymbal description; using the word crash as a cue
Cresc.: crescendo; get louder
Cue: words/actions/music that identifies a change
Cut: cut off; cut to a different place in the chart
Cym.: cymbal
D.C.: da capo; back to the beginning of the chart
Decresc.: decrescendo, get softer
Dim: diminuendo, gradually get softer
Ding: to play a bell-like sound on the cymbal
Dixie: Dixieland style
Dome: play on the bell of the cymbal Downbeat/D.B.: the first note of a tune or section
Encore: additional material at the end of a show
Ens.: ensemble
Entre’ Act: music at the beginning of an act/show
Elvin/Gadd/Philly Joe/Tony: to play in the style/feel in the style of a particular player
Fade: fade out
Fake: improvise section of music; solo
Fill: fill in specific space; drum fill
Four: four beats to a measure. e.g., move from a two-beat to “four” feel, etc.
Gospel: play in gospel style
G.P. grand pause; stop in the music
Groove: the basic time/feel/style of the tune
Hat: hi-hat
Head: the melody/theme of the tune
Heavy 2 & 4: strong back beat
High Tom: mounted tom-tom
In 1/2/3/4: describes the numbers of pulses in each bar
Intro: introduction or beginning of the piece
Jungle: repetitive pattern on tom-toms
Krupa: to play in the style of Gene Krupa, typically on tom-toms
Latin: play in Latin style
Lay Back: relax the time feel Lay Out: do not play
L’istesso: play same tempo
Loose: to loosen the time feel
Low T.T.: (LTT) low tom-tom
L.V.: let vibrate
Mrcs.: maracas
New Orleans: play in early jazz style; to play New Orleans Second Line style
Open Up: louder/busier
Out Chorus: last chorus of the tune, typically stronger
Pno.: piano
Purdie Shuffle: half-time rock shuffle
Rall.: rallentando; slow down
Reprise: repeat of earlier music
Ricky-Tic: triplet-based style, usually on rims
Ride: play time on ride cymbal; horn player takes a solo (ride)
Rim: play on rims
Rit.: ritard/slow down
Safety: A repeated section/vamp, until cue to continue
Sax: (Sx/Sxs.), saxes
Segue: move to a new piece of music without pause
Shaker: Brazilian percussion instrument
Shout Chorus: last chorus of the tune, typically stronger Shuffle: play in shuffle style
Sock Cymbal: hi-hat
Soft Shoe: accompaniment to a dance, typically on rims or block
Soli: solo line played in unison, typically in a big band
Solo: playing alone; identifies a specific soloist
Spiritual: typically slow, 12/8 style
S.D.: (Sn./Sn. Drum) snare drum
Straight Eighth: play even eighth note feel
Straight: play basic/simpler time
Stripper Beat: loud tom-toms, typically in triplet feel with strong back-beat
Stx./Stix: play with sticks swing: play swing feel
Swish: to use swish cymbal; move the brushes in a “swishing” motion
Sx./Sax: saxophone
Synth. – synthesizer
Tacet: do not play
Tamb.: tambourine
Tight: a very compact feel; very staccato, as in tight hi-hat
Timb.: timbales
Time: play time in specific style/feel
Timp Roll – mimic a timpani roll on the floor tom
Tog.: together Tom/Toms/T.T.: play on tom-toms
Top: the beginning of the tune
Tri./Trgl: triangle
Tutti: all together
Two-Beat: feel in two beats per measure
Unis.: in unison
Vamp: repeat measure or group of measures until cue
V.S.: volti subito; fast page turn
Walk: play straight time in swing feel; walking bass style
Waltz: 3/4 time feel or section
W.B./Wd.Blk./Blk.: wood block
Zing: to scrape the metal brush handle around the perimeter of the cymbal