pianissimo

Softest musical marking

Pianissimo is a musical direction meaning very soft—quieter than piano.

The term comes from Italian and appears in sheet music as an instruction to performers.

As an adverb or adjective, it describes passages played at this hushed dynamic level: The strings enter pianissimo beneath the soloist.

Often abbreviated pp.

dynamics

forte

Area of expertise

crescendoGradual increase in loudness
decrescendoGradual decrease in loudness
diminuendoGradual decrease in loudness

subito · marcato · morendo · sotto voce

expression

delicate

Easily broken or harmed

tenderSoft or sore
gentleSoft and kind
hushedReduced to silence

whispered · subdued · muted · soft · faint · ethereal · intimate · restrained · subtle · featherlight

notation

pp

Very quiet marking

scoreNumerical standing in competition
manuscriptOriginal text before publication
instructionGuidance for action

technique

touch

Perceiving through physical contact

fingertipTerminal phalanx pad
controlAuthority to direct
lightnessMinimal weight or gravity

damper · soft pedal · sensitivity · articulation · phrasing · nuance · restraint · finesse · precision

Categories

classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
soft soundswhisper, murmur, hum, rustle, sigh
volumecubic meters, bulk, cubic feet, quantity, cubic inches
music notationtreble clef, bass clef, clef, clefs, staff
musical notationforte, score, sheet music, notation, lead sheet
musical termsadagio, andante, allegro, lento, largo

Opposites

musical dynamics/volume

pianissimofortissimo

Very loud, musically

forte · loud · thunderous · blaring · booming

Family

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G