Vocabulary Words for IELTS: Music

One of the well-kept secrets to scoring high in the IELTS test is the readiness to discuss any topic under the sun. Sure, you probably won’t encounter subjects that are extremely specific (e.g., healthcare policies) or obscure (e.g., urban legends). General topics like food, crime, and media, on the other hand, are not so uncommon.

Music is one such topic. Due to its prevalence in media, it is often mentioned in the exam’s texts and audio recordings. It’s also a frequent query in the speaking test. So, make it a point to expand your related vocabulary during your IELTS training.

Below are some of the most frequently used terminologies and collocations about music. Study them and get used to integrating them into your responses during your IELTS review period.

Common Words and Phrases
Musical Instruments
Wind Instruments	Flute Recorder Trumpet Pipes Saxophone Tuba Bagpipes Clarinet Oboe Harmonica Bugle
Stringed Instruments	Guitar Electric guitar Violin Harp Cello Viola Fiddle Banjo Sitar Lute
Percussion Instruments	Drums Xylophones Bamboo xylophones Triangles Accordion Wood blocks
Keyboard Instruments	Piano Organ Electronic keyboard
Musical Terms
Accent	The “punch” or emphasis at the start of a musical sound
A cappella	A musical composition without instrumental accompaniment
Allegro	A fast-paced and lively temp
Bar	A specific number of musical sounds that are arranged within a measure
Bass	The lowest part of the musical range
Beat	The regular pattern within a bar
Chorale	A choral composition of voices and/or instruments
Chord	The sound produced when two or more pitches or notes are sounded simultaneously
Ensemble	It may refer to a group of musicians playing together like an orchestra or the act of playing music together as a unit
Fanfare	A musical composition used as an announcement
Harmony	the pleasing combination of pitches
Melody	An identifiable and significant succession of musical chords
Notes	Symbols that represent the pitches and duration of sounds
Tonality	The organization of all the tones and harmonies of a musical piece

Collocations for the IELTS Exam
About music genres	African American Baroque Black Choral Classical Contemporary Digital Electronic Flamenco Folk French Hip hop Instrumental Italian Live Mariachi Orchestral Techno Traditional Trance Western
About people who work with music	Musician Singer choir  Music + ·         Specialist ·         Supervisor ·         Teacher ·         Therapist
About acts related to or involving music	Composing Dancing Hearing Listening Making Playing (an instrument) Practicing Singing Studying Writing Using

Add these words and phrases to your vocabulary during your IELTS training. Peruse materials that tackle or mention music, like song and performance reviews, to get an idea of how these terminologies are used. Make sure you can use them confidently before your test date.

But, don’t stop your vocabulary acquisition efforts with music. Remember, it’s only one of the general topics that may come up in the test. Do you want to find out what other topics must you have an extensive vocabulary in before you take the exam? Enroll in an IELTS review course today! 

References:

“Common Adjective Collocations of Music.” Pro Writing aid. Accessed February 12, 2019. https://prowritingaid.com/list/295785/CommonAdjectiveCollocationsofmusic.aspx

“Collocations with “Music”.” Dictionary Cambridge. Accessed February 12, 2019. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/collocation/english/music

“Glossary of Musical Terms.” Khan Academy. Accessed February 12, 2019. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/music/music-basics2/notes-rhythm/a/glossary-of-musical-terms

“List of Music Terms.” English Club. Accessed February 12, 2019. https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-vocabulary.htm

Liz. “Musical Instruments Vocabulary.” IELTS Liz. February 15, 2015. Accessed February 12, 2019. http://ieltsliz.com/musical-instruments-vocabulary/

“Music.” Vocabulary. Accessed February 12, 2019. https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/228290