163 music words

Music Drawing Game Words

Q: Which music words suit a music class?

Notes and signs on the page has 20 cards, from Staff and Quarter note to Fermata and Tie, and Instruments has 30. Most instrument cards are Easy; most signs are Medium or Hard, because the guesser has to know the sign's name.

Instruments, notation, concert life and musical sayings to draw, with no song or band to know.

Violin

Next step Musical instrument bingo A word from the big deck

All 163 music words

Instruments 30

Accordion A folding box squeezed between two hands, with keys down one side.
Bagpipes A bag under one arm with pipes pointing up over the shoulder.
Banjo A round body like a small drum, with a long neck and strings.
Bongos Two small drums joined side by side, played with the hands.
Cello A big string instrument standing on a spike between the knees of a seated player.
Clarinet A straight dark pipe with keys, held pointing down.
Cymbals Two metal discs about to be clapped together.
Double bass A string instrument as tall as the player standing beside it.
Drum kit Several drums and cymbals set around one stool.
Electric guitar A flat guitar body with knobs, and a cable running to a box.
Flute A thin pipe held sideways at the lips.
French horn Brass tubing coiled in a circle, ending in a wide bell.
Gong A big metal disc hanging in a frame, with a padded beater.
Grand piano A long curved case on legs, with the lid propped open.
Harmonica A small flat bar held to the mouth with both hands.
Harp A tall triangle frame filled with strings.

Show all 163 music words (147 more)

Instruments, continued

Kazoo A small tube held in the lips by someone humming.
Maracas Two round shakers on handles, with movement lines.
Pipe organ Rows of tall pipes rising above a keyboard.
Recorder A short pipe with a row of holes, blown from the end.
Saxophone A metal pipe shaped like a hook, with keys down the side.
Steel drum A metal pan on a stand, tapped with two short sticks.
Tambourine A hoop with small metal discs around its edge.
Triangle A metal bar bent into three sides, hanging from a string, with a beater.
Trombone A long brass loop with a slide pushed far out in front.
Trumpet A loop of brass tubing with buttons on top and a flared bell.
Tuba A huge brass horn on the player's lap, with the bell pointing up.
Ukulele A very small guitar held high against the chest.
Violin A small curved body tucked under the chin, with a bow across the strings.
Xylophone A row of bars from long to short, hit with two mallets.

Parts and gear 22

Amplifier A box with knobs on top and a round speaker in front, a cable going in.
Cassette tape A flat box with two toothed holes and a window between them.
Conductor's baton A thin short stick in a raised hand, in front of players.
Drumsticks Two thin sticks with small rounded tips, crossed.
Guitar case A guitar-shaped box with a handle and clasps.
Guitar pick A small rounded triangle pinched between a finger and thumb, at the strings.
Guitar strap A wide band over a player's shoulder, holding a guitar up.
Headphones A band over the head with a padded cup on each ear.
Jukebox A tall cabinet with a rounded top and a row of buttons, with notes floating out.
Loudspeaker A tall box with two round cones, and sound waves coming out.
Mallets Two sticks with round ends, above a row of bars.
Metronome A small box with an arm swinging from side to side, ticking.
Microphone A ball on a handle, held at a singer's mouth.
Microphone stand A tall pole on a round base with a microphone clipped at the top.
Music stand A thin pole on three feet, holding open pages.
Piano bench A low padded seat in front of a keyboard.
Piano keys A row of long keys with shorter dark keys set between them.
Record player A box with a turning disc and an arm resting on it.
Trumpet mute A cone pushed into the bell of a trumpet.
Tuning fork A handle with two straight prongs, and sound lines around them.
Vinyl record A dark disc with fine rings and a small hole in the middle.
Violin bow A thin stick with hair stretched from end to end.

Notes and signs on the page 20

Bar line An upright line across the staff, cutting the notes into groups.
Bass clef A curl with two dots beside it, at the start of the lines.
Chord Several notes stacked one above another, all sounded at once by one hand on the keys.
Crescendo Two lines that open to the right under the notes, as a small sound grows big.
Eighth notes Two filled notes with stems, joined at the top by a thick beam.
Fermata A singer holding one note for a very long time while the others wait.
Flat sign A short upright line with a rounded belly at the bottom, placed before a note.
Half note A hollow oval with a stem.
Quarter note A filled oval with a stem.
Repeat sign Two dots beside a bar line, and an arrow curling back along the music.
Rest A player sitting still with hands off the keys while the notes stop for a moment.
Scale Notes climbing the staff one step at a time, like stairs.
Sharp sign Two upright lines crossed by two slanted ones, placed before a note.
Sheet music A page covered in rows of lines with notes on them.
Songbook An open book with music lines on its pages.
Staccato A dot placed above or below a note, and the note cut short.
Staff Five level lines running across the page, with notes sitting on them.
Tie A curved line joining two notes that sit on the same line.
Treble clef A tall curly sign at the start of the lines, with its curl wrapped around one of the lower lines.
Whole note A hollow oval with no stem.

Players and singers 22

Backup singers A small row of singers sharing a microphone behind the star.
Bagpiper A marching player with a bag under one arm and pipes over the shoulder.
Bugler A person in uniform blowing a short horn beside a flagpole.
Choir Rows of singers in matching robes, all holding folders.
Conductor A person on a small platform with both arms raised, facing rows of players.
DJ A person in headphones behind two turning discs, one hand in the air.
Drum major A leader in a fancy uniform at the head of a marching band, arms raised.
Drummer A person behind a set of drums with both sticks in the air.
Harpist A seated person reaching both arms around a tall frame of strings.
Lead singer One person with a microphone at the front, the band behind.
Marching band Rows of players in tall hats, walking in step with drums and horns.
Music teacher A grown-up pointing at notes on a board while children hold recorders.
One-man band One person with a drum on the back, a guitar in the hands and a harmonica at the mouth.
Opera singer A singer in a grand costume with arms spread and mouth wide open, on a stage.
Orchestra A big half circle of seated players around one conductor.
Pianist A person on a bench with both hands on a keyboard.
Piano tuner A person leaning into an open piano with a small tool, listening.
Rock band A drummer, two guitar players and a singer on one stage.
Songwriter A person with a guitar on the knee and a pencil, beside crumpled pages.
Street musician A player on a sidewalk with an open instrument case holding coins.
String quartet Four seated players with bows, in a half circle.
Violinist A person with a violin under the chin, bow arm out.

At a concert 24

Autograph A star signing a fan's poster with a pen.
Backstage pass A card on a cord around a neck, shown to a guard at a side door.
Balcony seat A person looking down at a stage from a seat high on the wall.
Bandstand A small round roofed platform in a park, with players under it.
Concert hall A grand room with rows of seats, balconies and a stage at one end.
Concert poster A sheet pasted on a wall with a band pictured on it.
Concert ticket A small strip of paper with a torn edge, held up at a door.
Dress rehearsal Performers in full costume on a stage, playing to rows of empty seats.
Drum solo A drummer in a spotlight with sticks flying, the band standing back.
Encore A band walking back onto a stage while the crowd claps for more.
Front row Rows of seats with an arrow pointing at the one nearest the stage.
Glow stick A shining rod waved above a head in the dark.
Guitar solo A guitar player leaning back in a spotlight, at the front of a stage.
Intermission An empty stage with the curtain closed while the audience stretches in the lobby.
Music festival An outdoor stage in a field, with tents and flags behind the crowd.
Opening act A small band playing while people are still finding their seats.
Orchestra pit Players sitting in a sunken space below the front of a stage.
Set list A sheet taped to a stage floor beside a singer's shoe.
Sound check A singer tapping a microphone in an empty hall.
Stage A raised platform with lights above and a crowd below.
Stage curtain Two heavy folded cloths pulled back at the sides of a stage.
Standing ovation A whole audience on its feet, clapping.
Taking a bow A performer bent forward at the waist, facing clapping hands.
Tour bus A long bus with instrument cases being loaded underneath.

Making music 28

Air guitar A person strumming with empty hands, eyes shut.
Band practice A few friends with instruments squeezed into a garage.
Beatboxing A person with a hand cupped at the mouth, drum sounds coming out.
Campfire song People on logs around a fire, one with a guitar, notes rising with the sparks.
Drum roll Two sticks blurred above a small drum, and a crowd holding its breath.
Duet Two singers sharing one sheet of music.
Earworm A person with the same few notes going around and around inside their head.
Echo A person calling across a canyon, with the same sound lines coming back smaller.
Harmony Two singers, each with a different note, and the two notes joined in one bubble.
High note A singer on tiptoe with one note far above the lines, and a cracking glass.
Humming A face with closed lips and a few notes floating up.
Jam session A few players in a ring, with no sheet music, grinning at each other.
Karaoke A person singing into a microphone while reading words from a screen.
Lip-syncing A performer mouthing along while the sound comes from a speaker behind.
Melody A line of notes rising and falling like hills, traced by a singer's finger.
Musical chairs Children circling a row of chairs with one chair too few.
Off-key A singer with a bent, wobbly note and listeners wincing.
Piano lesson A child at a keyboard with a grown-up pointing at the page.
Playlist A phone screen with a column of short bars, each with a small play arrow.
Rhythm Two hands clapping, with a pattern of long and short marks under them.
Serenade A singer with a guitar under a lit window at night.
Sing-along A group of people with open mouths around one guitar player.
Singing in the shower A person under running water, holding a brush like a microphone.
Stage fright A shaking performer peeking around a curtain at a full hall.
Tapping your foot A shoe lifting and landing, with notes above it.
Tempo A swinging metronome between a tortoise and a hare.
Tuning up A player turning a peg at the top of a guitar neck, ear close to the strings.
Whistling A face with rounded lips and one line of notes coming out.

Sayings with music in them 17

Bells and whistles Means extra features added for show. Draw a plain bicycle covered in bells and whistles.
Change your tune Means to reach a different view. Draw a singer swapping one sheet of music for another.
Chime in Means to join a conversation. Draw two people talking and a third leaning in with a small bell.
Clear as a bell Means totally clear. Draw a bell made of glass, with sound lines.
Face the music Means to accept the unpleasant results of what you did. Draw a person standing nose to nose with a trumpet.
Fit as a fiddle Means in excellent condition. Draw a violin lifting weights.
It takes two to tango Means some things need two people to cooperate. Draw two dancers, each pointing at the other.
Like a broken record Means repeating the same thing over and over. Draw a cracked disc and the same speech bubble three times.
March to the beat of a different drum Means to do things your own way. Draw a row of marchers going one way and one drummer going the other.
Music to my ears Means welcome news. Draw a smiling ear with notes pouring into it.
Play it by ear Means to improvise, with no plan. Draw a walker at a fork in the road with no map, one hand cupped at an ear.
Pull out all the stops Means to hold nothing back. Draw an organ player pulling every knob at once.
Ring a bell Means to seem familiar. Draw a bell ringing inside a thinking person's head.
Second fiddle Means a less important role. Draw a small violin player standing behind a big one.
Strike a chord Means to stir a strong feeling in someone. Draw a hand on piano keys and a listener with a hand on the heart.
Swan song Means a final performance. Draw a swan singing on a stage as the curtain closes.
Toot your own horn Means to boast. Draw a person blowing a horn that bends around and points back at them.

How it works

These music drawing game words cover what music looks like: 30 instruments, the signs on sheet music, the people on a stage and 17 sayings. No card names a song, band or artist. Play in the style of the game sold as Pictionary.

Read the full guide

Seven topics, from Trombone to Swan song

Instruments and Parts and gear are single objects, the place to start. Notes and signs on the page suits a music class: Treble clef, Half note, Repeat sign. Players and singers, At a concert and Making music are small scenes, such as Drum solo and Air guitar. Sayings with music in them is the hard pile.

What the list adds

The list under the deck suggests a drawing for every card. For most notation cards it describes the sign itself: a whole note is a hollow oval with no stem. For the 17 sayings it gives the meaning first: Second fiddle is a less important role.

In a music class, have the guesser clap or sing the sign before the point counts: a Staccato note cut short, a Crescendo growing louder.
Draw a saying exactly as it sounds. A person standing nose to nose with a trumpet gets Face the music in seconds.

Questions and answers

Are there song titles in this deck?

No. Every card is an instrument, a piece of gear, a sign, a person, a concert scene or a saying, so nobody needs to know one song or band. For titles a whole room can sing, deal the nursery rhyme drawing deck.

Which music words suit a music class?

Notes and signs on the page has 20 cards, from Staff and Quarter note to Fermata and Tie, and Instruments has 30. Most instrument cards are Easy; most signs are Medium or Hard, because the guesser has to know the sign's name.

How do you draw a music word such as Tempo or Harmony?

Draw what it does. For Tempo, a swinging metronome between a tortoise and a hare shows slow and fast. For Harmony, draw two singers with two different notes joined in one bubble.