How do you pronounce Sotto voce?

Sotto voce is pronounced "SOH-toh VOH-cheh".

What is the opposite of Sotto voce?

The opposite of Sotto voce includes: Forte, Fortissimo.

Sotto voce

In a subdued, hushed voice; very softly.

About Sotto voce

Sotto voce literally means "under the voice" and calls for an extremely soft, whispered quality. Originally a vocal direction, it is now used for all instruments to indicate a secretive, intimate character.

More dynamics terms

Pianissimo

Very soft; much quieter than piano.

Crescendo

Gradually getting louder

Sforzando

Sudden strong accent

Morendo

Dying away; fading to silence in both volume and tempo.

Forte piano (fp)

The notational symbol fp — attack a note forte then immediately drop to piano

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Synonyms

hushed whispered

Antonyms

Forte Fortissimo

Pianissimo Mezza voce

Compare with similar terms

Sotto voce vs hushed Sotto voce vs whispered Sotto voce vs Forte Sotto voce vs Fortissimo

v1 · 09/04/2026Browse all terms →

Nearby Terms

SmorzandoDying away in tone and speed.
SoloA passage for a single performer, with or without accompaniment.
Sonata FormA large-scale musical structure based on exposition, development, and recapitulation
SordamenteA direction to play in a muted, dampened manner, suppressing the natural resonance of the instrument.
SostenutoSustained, holding notes for their full value with a smooth connected quality
SpiccatoA bouncing bow stroke producing short, separated notes.
StaccatoShort, detached notes
StaffThe set of five horizontal lines and four spaces on which musical notes are written.
StringendoPressing forward; an instruction to accelerate the tempo with increasing urgency.
Strophic FormA song structure where the same music repeats for each verse with different lyrics each time