Synonyms and antonyms of Playing, performing and arranging music in British Thesaurus

accompany (verb)

music to play the supporting music while someone sings or plays the main tune

arrange (verb)

music to change a piece of music so that it is suitable for a particular type of voice or instrument

articulation (noun)

the production of speech or music

atmospherics (noun)

music the special way a piece of music is written to give you a particular feeling or mood

autotune (noun)

a piece of equipment or computer program that automatically changes the pitch of someone's recorded voice

autotune (verb)

to use a computer program to change the pitch of someone's recorded voice

back (verb)

music to play or sing the music that goes with the main singer or musician’s performance

bang out ()

to play a tune on the piano very loudly and not very well

baton (noun)

music a stick that the conductor of an orchestra uses

beat out ()

to make a pattern of sounds by hitting an instrument or other object

beat time ()

to make regular movements or sounds to show how fast a piece of music should be sung or played

blast (verb)

if music blasts, or if it is blasted, it plays very loudly

blast away ()

if music is blasting away, it is playing very loudly

busk (verb)

to perform music in the streets and other public places for money

clap out ()

to hit your hands together at the same speed and beat as a piece of music or poetry

compose (verb)

music to write a piece of music

conduct (verb)

to stand in front of an orchestra or group of singers and direct the way they play or sing

conductor (noun)

someone who directs the musicians of an orchestra or other musical group

cut (verb)

music if a musician or band cuts a record, they record it

drum (verb)

music to play a drum

fiddle (verb)

informal to play a tune on the violin

fingering (noun)

the positions of your fingers and the way that you move them when you are playing a musical instrument

gig (verb)

to perform music in public

go with a swing ()

to have a strong pleasant musical beat

harmonization (noun)

music the act of singing or playing different notes at the same time, producing a pleasant combination of sounds, or sounds that are produced in this way

hum (verb)

to make musical sounds with your lips closed

in concert ()

performing music or songs in a concert

in/out of tune (informal)

informal producing the right/wrong note when you sing or play music

instrumentation (noun)

music the way that a piece of music is arranged for a group of instruments

interpret (verb)

to perform a piece of music, a part in a play etc in a way that shows how you understand it and feel about it

in time (music)

music if musicians are in time with each other, they are all playing at the same speed

jam (verb)

musicinformal to play music in an informal way with a group of people

keep time ()

if you keep time for a musician, you show them what the correct speed and beat are for a piece of music

keep time (music)

music if a musician keeps time, they play a piece of music at the correct speed and beat

leader (noun)

music someone who conducts a band

lip-synch (verb)

to pretend to sing or say something by moving your lips at the same time as a recording of music or speech is played

loop (verb)

music to electronically repeat a sample (=short piece of recorded music or sound) without a break

mime (verb)

to pretend to sing or play an instrument while a piece of recorded music is being played

mix (verb)

music to play CDs continuously, so that one piece of music begins before another finishes

mix (verb)

music to remix a piece of music

modulate (verb)

music if a piece of music modulates, it changes to a different key

musical director (noun)

someone who is in charge of an orchestra or other musical group and who decides what they will play

musicianship (noun)

musical ability or skill

music stand (noun)

a wooden or metal frame used for holding printed music for a player or singer to read while they are playing a musical instrument or singing

mute (verb)

music to make the sound of a musical instrument softer and less loud, especially by using a mute

orchestrate (verb)

music to arrange a piece of music

phrase (verb)

music to perform music in a way that clearly shows which musical notes belong together

pick (verb)

mainly American to play a guitar or similar instrument by pulling the strings with your fingers

play (verb)

music to perform music, or to use an instrument to make music

play (something) by ear ()

to perform a piece of music by remembering what it sounds like, without looking at the notes

play something by ear ()

to play music by hearing and remembering it, not by reading it

plonk (verb)

informal to plunk a musical instrument

pluck (verb)

music to pull the strings of a musical instrument with your fingers in order to produce a sound

plunk (verb)

mainly Americaninformal to plonk

plunk (verb)

mainly Americaninformal to play a musical instrument without interest or enthusiasm, especially a piano or guitar

pound out ()

if you pound out a song, you play it loudly by hitting your instrument very hard

pulse (verb)

to have a strong regular beat

rap (verb)

music to talk using rhythm and rhyme, usually over a strong musical beat

record (verb)

to do a performance, especially of music, so that it can be copied electronically

remaster (verb)

to make a new copy of an old film or musical recording using new technology in order to improve its quality

sample (verb)

music to copy a short piece of music from a record, and then use it again as part of a new piece of music. This activity is called sampling.

score (verb)

music to write a piece of music for a particular group of instruments or voices

scratch (verb)

especially in rap music, to produce rhythmic scratching sounds by moving a disc backwards and forwards with your hand

sight-read (verb)

to sing or play written music the first time you look at it, without practising it first

slur (verb)

music to play two or more musical notes with no pause between them

stick (noun)

a baton used by a conductor to direct an orchestra

strike (verb)

to press a key or to hit a musical instrument with a finger or a hand in order to produce a note or a series of notes

strike up ()

to start to play or sing a piece of music

strike up ()

if a piece of music strikes up, someone starts playing it

strum (verb)

to play a guitar or other musical instrument by moving your fingers quickly across its strings

swing (verb)

if music swings, it has a strong pleasant beat

synthesise ()

a British spelling of synthesize

synthesize (verb)

to produce sounds using a synthesizer

throb (verb)

used about loud music that has a regular beat

thump out ()

to play a tune very loudly, especially on the piano

tickle the ivories ()

to play the piano

tongue (verb)

music to produce a musical note on a wind instrument by using your tongue to prevent air from flowing through it for a short time

toot (verb)

if you toot a musical instrument such as a horn, trumpet, or trombone, or if it toots, it makes a loud high sound

tootle (verb)

informal to play a wind instrument such as a flute or horn without really thinking about what notes you are producing

to the accompaniment of something ()

while a musical instrument plays a tune

transcribe (verb)

music to change music so that a different instrument can play it

transpose (verb)

music to change the key of a piece of music so that it can be performed using higher or lower notes

trill (verb)

to sing or play a musical trill

tune (verb)

music to make small changes to a musical instrument so that it produces the correct notes

tune up (music)

music if a group of musicians tune up, they make small changes to their instruments so that they can play well together

whistle (verb)

to make a tune or musical notes by forcing air through your mouth