forte

dynamicsFOR-tayfrom Italian

A dynamic marking meaning loud. Abbreviated as f.

In Depth

Forte means loud and is one of the most basic dynamic markings in music.‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍ Abbreviated as f, it tells the performer to play with full, resonant sound. It sits in the middle-upper range of the dynamic spectrum, louder than [mezzo-forte](/term/mezzo-forte) but softer than fortissimo. The concept of notated dynamics only became standard in the early 18th century. Before that, performers were expected to add dynamics based on the musical context and period conventions. The ability to play forte expressively — with a full, rich tone rather than mere volume — is a mark of musical maturity. Simply forcing more air or striking harder often produces a harsh sound rather than a true forte.

Did you know?

The instruction forte first appeared in a published score in 1597, in Giovanni Gabrieli's Sonata pian e forte — one of the earliest pieces to specify dynamics at all.