Listening to music is definitely one of the favorite activities among people, especially those who intend to become professionals in this area. A lot of people enjoy discussing music when they gather together or expressing their opinions about their favorite genres of music. So, it seems necessary to learn how to talk about music professionally. Most non-native language learners are always looking for ways to improve English speaking. One of the most effective methods that they usually don’t consider is expanding their vocabulary. Knowing a wide range of English expressions, idioms, and phrasal verbs will help you speak more fluently and at a higher level. Therefore, in this article, we will provide you with some useful expressions, collocations, and music vocabulary in English.
What are the different music genres?
- Pop music genre
- Hip hop music genre
- Rock music genre
- Folk music genre
- Jazz music genre
- Disco music genre
- Classical music genre
What is the verb for music in English?
The main verb for the music is “sing”. There are also some adverbs by which we can qualify it.
To sing + adverb
To sing beautifully / like an angel / sweetly / badly / terribly
Example: Tylor Swift sings like an angel!
Example: David sings terribly! He is not musically talented.
Famous expressions about music
Here’s the music expression list that is used in the English language:
To sing in tune = to sing well (the right notes)
To sing out of tune = to sing the wrong notes
To hold a tune = to sing well
catchy tune: memorable melody
To be tone deaf = can’t sing at all, can’t hit the right notes
To have a good/bad sense of rhythm = able to follow the beat of the music
Example: Jack has recently started his singing class but he sings in tune. However, Toney, his classmate is approximately tone deaf.
A melody: the tune, not the words
An upbeat (=lively) / catchy melody or tempo
The hip-hop music has an upbeat melody/tempo
Vocabulary about music in English
Musically gifted:
Meaning: Have talent in music
Example: Terry is absolutely musically gifted. He plays guitar very well.
Sheet music (Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: Musical notation written on paper
Example: The conductor provided some sheet music for the group.
Strumming a guitar:
This is also in the list of music vocabulary in English that means: playing guitar.
What are the types of musical instruments?
Percussion instrument:
Meaning: a musical instrument (such as a drum, xylophone, or maraca) sounded by striking, shaking, or scraping
Wind instrument (Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: a musical instrument (such as a trumpet, clarinet, or organ) sounded by wind especially: one sounded by the player’s breath
Stringed instrument:
Meaning: a musical instrument (such as a guitar, violin, or piano) that has strings and that produces sound when the strings are touched or struck
To compose music:
This item is also on the list of vocabulary related to music, which means:
Meaning: to create music
Example: Mozart has composed numerous tracks in his life
Song lyrics (Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: the words to a song
Example: He usually spends two hours per day writing song lyrics.
To attract a sizable following:
Meaning: To attract a lot of fans
Example: This musician has attracted a sizeable following
To play gigs (Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: to give small, informal performances
Example: a lot of musicians have started their careers by playing gigs on streets
To record your debut album:
Meaning: to record your first CD
Example: this group recorded its debut album last year
To become a massive hit:
This items of music vocabulary in English means:
Meaning: to become so popular
Example: His latest track has become a massive hit.
To release your album(Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: to make your album available publicly
Example: Our first album will be released next month
To perform live:
Meaning: To sing live in front of audiences in a hall or concert
Example: His live performance was as fantastic as his tracks
To go on tour:
Meaning: To travel to different cities and regions and hold concerts
Example: Tylor Swift goes on several tours during the summer.
Big break (Of music vocabulary in English):
Meaning: big opportunity to become famous
Example: His live performance in front of famous musicians was a big break for him.
To sing along:
This is a common music vocabulary in English that means:
Meaning: to sing together
Example: All audience sang along in the concert last night
To sing off-key:
Meaning: sing the incorrect melody
Example: It was so strange that he sang off-key in his latest concert.
Meaning: Extremely skillful.
Example: Without a doubt, he is an occasional virtuoso.
A remixed track:
This item is also of music vocabulary in English that means:
Meaning: a song that has been modified electronically
Example: Young people are mostly interested in remixed tracks from rap artists
To conduct the orchestra:
Meaning: to lead a group of musicians who are playing together
Example: Conducting an orchestra is a very complicated task and requires a lot of skills.
How to describe a musician?
So, let’s listen to Elizabeth who is talking about her musician brother: (In this description Elizabeth uses collocations and vocabulary we already learnt)
My older brother John is absolutely musically gifted. He can play any tune from memory, without looking at sheet music. He dedicates all his free time to strumming a guitar, composing music, and writing song lyrics. I would say he is an Occasional virtuoso.
John and his friends formed a band that has attracted a sizable in our city. They started out playing gigs on the streets and they used the money they earned to record their debut album.
A remixed track from that CD then became a massive hit on the media platforms thanks to its catchy tune and upbeat tempo.
Their second album will be released at the end of the year; they’ll record it live at their next show. John dreams of going on tour – he’s just waiting for his big break to get his foot in the door of the music industry. He is interested in performing live. He is going to learn classical music and desires to conduct an orchestra in the future.
As for me, I love singing along to his music, but a career in music isn’t for me I’m completely tone-deaf and I always sing off-key.
Different sounds in English
Different sounds
- Buzzing
- Crashing
- Creaking
- Rumbling
- Rustling
There are also some adjectives we use with different noises:
Deafening Applause/Cheer/explosion/Music/roar/silence
Piercing cry/scream/whistle
Rowdy behavior/crowd/fans/party
Slam shut/click shut/creak open door
A dog barks/growls/whimpers/whines
In this article, you learned about the most common expressions, collocations, and music vocabulary in English. The different music genres were introduced, and you also became familiar with different types of sounds and musical instruments. If you are looking to expand your vocabulary, follow the steps mentioned in the article, which completely explain how to improve your English vocabulary.
