Which term indicates a gradual decrease in volume?

• A. Crescendo
• B. Diminuendo
• C. Staccato
• D. Decrescendo

Answer: (D)

Dynamic markings tell you how loud to play and how that loudness changes over time. A term that indicates a gradual decrease in volume tells the players to soften steadily as the passage goes on. That direction is decrescendo, which signals the music should get softer step by step as you continue. It’s the opposite of crescendo, which means to grow louder, and it’s distinct from staccato, which deals with how short or detached notes feel rather than the overall volume trend. Diminuendo also means softening, but decrescendo is the common label used to mark a gradual decrease in loudness in many scores.