Glossary of Musical Terminology - O

O

• obbligato: required, indispensable
• octave: interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. 12 semitones equals an octave, so does the first and eighth (hence "oct"ave) note in a major or minor scale.
• ohne Dämpfer (Ger): without a mute
• omaggio: homage, celebration
• one-voice-per-part, or OVPP: the practice of using solo voices on each musical line or part in choral music.
• ordinario, or ord. (It.): in bowed string music, an indication to discontinue extended techniques such as sul ponticello, sul tasto or col legno, and return to normal playing. The same as "naturale".
• organ trio: in jazz or rock, a group of three musicians which includes a Hammond organ player and two other instruments, often an electric guitar player and a drummer.
• ossia or oppure: or instead; i.e., according to some specified alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff
• ostinato: obstinate, persistent; i.e., a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition
• ottava: octave; e.g. ottava bassa: an octave lower