Phrasing
The way a performer shapes a musical sentence by controlling dynamics, timing, and articulation to convey its structure.
Category
performance
Pronunciation
/ˈfreɪzɪŋ/
Origin
Greek (phrasis, speech)
Length
174 words · 1 min read
About Phrasing
Phrasing is to music what punctuation and inflection are to speech — it gives meaning, direction, and emotion to a sequence of notes. Good phrasing involves identifying where a musical phrase begins and ends, where its high point lies, and how to guide the listener's ear through its arc.
More performance terms
Mute
View all performanceterms →A device attached to an instrument to soften its volume and alter its tone colour.
ScordaturaDeliberately mistuning one or more strings to alter timbre or range
UnisonoIn unison — all performers playing or singing the same notes together as one voice
TacetSilent — an instruction that a performer or section does not play during a movement or passage
OrdinarioReturn to normal playing technique after a special instruction
Synonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →