very softly

Thân thiện

The pianist plays the passage very softly.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • In a very quiet or gentle manner: Indicates an extremely low volume or intensity of sound.
   • A musical direction: In sheet music, it instructs the performer to play a passage with an extremely low volume, quieter than "pianissimo" (pp).

Usage Examples

• Adverb (General):
  • She whispered very softly so as not to wake the baby.
  • The rain fell very softly on the roof.
• Adverb (Musical):
  • The composer marked the final bars to be played very softly.
  • The string section entered very softly, creating a delicate atmosphere.

Advanced Usage

• As a specific musical dynamic: While "pianissimo" (pp) means very soft, "very softly" can be used as a descriptive instruction to achieve an even more hushed, intimate, or delicate sound quality beyond standard notation.
  • The maestro asked for a more ethereal sound, so the cellists played the passage very softly, almost inaudibly.

Variants and Related Words

• Pianississimo (ppp): A formal musical term meaning "very, very soft," which is the closest standard notation equivalent to the instruction "very softly."
• Softly (adv.): In a quiet or gentle manner. "Very" intensifies this state.
• Pianissimo (adv./adj.): A musical direction meaning "very soft."

Synonyms

• Extremely quietly
• Most gently
• In a whisper

Related Phrases

• To die away very softly: A musical phrase instructing the sound to fade out to an extremely quiet level.
  • The melody should die away very softly at the end.

Related Idioms

Học thuật

Adverb

1. a direction in music; to be played very softly

Từ đồng nghĩa

• pianissimo