Songbook: meaning, definitions and examples
📖
songbook
[ sɔːŋbʊk ]
collection of songs
A songbook is a compilation of songs, typically featuring the lyrics, melodies, and sometimes the chords or music notation for each piece. These books can range from collections of popular songs, traditional folk tunes, to more specialized compilations such as hymns or children's songs. They are widely used by musicians, choirs, and music educators for performance and practice. Songbooks have been an essential tool in music education and can vary in format from large printed volumes to digital formats accessible on various devices.
Synonyms
lyric book, music anthology, song collection.
Examples of usage
- I bought a songbook of classic rock hits.
- The choir rehearsed from their new songbook.
- He published a songbook featuring his original compositions.
Translations
Translations of the word "songbook" in other languages:
🇵🇹 cancioneiro
🇮🇳 गान पुस्तक
🇩🇪 Liederbuch
🇮🇩 buku lagu
🇺🇦 пісенник
🇵🇱 śpiewnik
🇯🇵 歌集
🇫🇷 recueil de chansons
🇪🇸 cancionero
🇹🇷 şarkı kitabı
🇰🇷 노래책
🇸🇦 كتاب الأغاني
🇨🇿 zpěvník
🇸🇰 spevník
🇨🇳 歌曲集
🇸🇮 pesmarica
🇮🇸 lagabók
🇰🇿 әндер кітабы
🇬🇪 სიმღერების წიგნი
🇦🇿 mahnı kitabı
🇲🇽 cancionero
Etymology
The word 'songbook' is derived from the combination of 'song' and 'book'. The term 'song' is from the Old English 'sang', which comes from Proto-Germanic '*songwaz', related to words in various languages that denote vocal music or a piece of music performed by singing. The term 'book', on the other hand, comes from the Old English 'bōc', which has roots in Germanic languages, signifying a written or printed work. Songbooks have been used historically to preserve musical works, especially before the widespread availability of recording technologies. They played a significant role in the dissemination of music during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, as musicians needed resources to collaborate and perform together. Today, songbooks remain popular in both printed and digital formats, supporting diverse musical genres and the sharing of musical culture.