Okuzeka
Music vocabulary · Performance and Practice

Ad libitum

Meaning in music, with examples

phraseAdvanced term

In music, ad libitum means: A performance direction meaning the player may choose freely, often about tempo, ornamentation, or whether a part is optional.

In Turkish: isteğe bağlı olarak, serbestçe

How it is used

Seen in scores and rehearsal talk, especially in classical and choral settings. It can mean freely, at will, or optional, depending on context.

Example sentences

  1. The editor marked the final cadence ad libitum, so the soprano added a brief ornament in the concert.

    Here ad libitum allows interpretive freedom, specifically giving the singer room to choose an ornament at the cadence.

  2. Our conductor treated the piano reduction as ad libitum because the choir could rehearse the passage unaccompanied.

    In this case, ad libitum means optional rather than free in style; the accompaniment does not have to be used.

Common collocations

  • ad libitum section
  • marked ad libitum
  • sing ad libitum
  • optional ad libitum part
  • scoreWritten music that shows all the parts of a piece together, one above the other. It also means the original music written for a film, series or game.
  • conductorThe person who leads an orchestra or choir, setting the tempo, showing entries and shaping the performance with hand movements or a baton.

More terms: Performance and Practice

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: