| Term | Description |
|---|
| quasi (Latin and Italian) | as if, almost, e.g. quasi recitativo like a recitative in an opera, or quasi una fantasia like a fantasia |
| rallentando or rall. | Broadening of the tempo (often not discernable from ritardando); progressively slower |
| rapido | fast |
| rasch (Ger) | fast |
| religioso | religiously |
| repente | suddenly |
| restez (Fr) | stay; i.e., remain on a note or string |
| rinforzando (rf) | reinforced; i.e., emphasized; sometimes like a sudden crescendo, but often applied to a single note |
| risoluto | resolutely |
| rit. | an abbreviation for ritardando;also less frequently considered an abbreviation for ritenuto |
| ritardando, ritard., rit. | slowing down; decelerating; opposite of accelerando (see in this list) |
| ritenuto, riten., rit. | held back; i.e., slower (usually more so but more temporarily than a ritardando, and it may, unlike ritardando, apply to a single note) |
| roulade (Fr) | a rolling; i.e., a florid vocal phrase |
| rubato | robbed; i.e., flexible in tempo, applied to notes within a musical phrase for expressive effect |
| ruvido | roughly |
