very softly
Definition
- 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
Adverb
-
a direction in music; to be played very softly
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