Dynamics & Expression
Fortissimo (ff)
Pronounced for-TEES-see-mohWritten as ff
Fortissimo, written ff, means very loud. It is the superlative of forte, one step above f on the dynamic scale; fff and beyond ask for even more.
Fortissimo is the superlative of forte: "very loud", or literally "very strong". Its sign is ff. It sits one step above f, and composers who want even more write fff or beyond.
Save it for the moments that deserve it
Fortissimo works by contrast. A piece that is loud all the time has no loud left for its climax. Our Dynamic Ladder handout puts it as a golden rule: save ff for the moments that deserve it. When you see ff in a score, look back to find where the music started to build, and pace yourself so the fortissimo is the arrival.
Playing fortissimo on the piano
- Weight, not force. The loudest healthy sound comes from the whole arm, even the shoulders and back, dropping into the keys with a relaxed wrist. Hitting from stiff fingers makes the sound harsh and can hurt.
- Keep the tone round. Listen for ringing, not banging. Use the sustain pedal to let loud chords resonate.
- Mind the bass. Very loud low notes can swamp everything else; balance the hands so the melody stays on top.
How loud is ff?
Like every dynamic, it depends on the instrument, the piece and the room. For a solo piano in a living room, ff is the top of a comfortable, beautiful sound. For an orchestra in a concert hall, it is a great deal more. There is no fixed decibel level for any marking.
Test yourself with Dynamics & Tempo Ladders, Match the terms: level 3 and the Musical terms & signs chart.
Common questions
What does ff mean in music?
ff stands for fortissimo, "very loud": one step louder than f (forte).
Practice it: free worksheets
The Dynamic Laddersix volumes from pp to ff — the full family of loud and soft
Dynamics & tempo laddersLoudness and speed each climb a ladder: pp up to ff, and Largo up to Presto. Put both ladders in order, then read them in music (Handouts 63, 55 and 64).
Match the terms: level 3Draw a line from each term to its meaning. All-new words — rounds one and up are Exercises 08–11. The colors tell you what kind of word it is, but each color has several meanings on the right, so read carefully.
Musical terms & signsThe words and symbols a piano score uses to tell you how loud, how fast and how to play each note. Most of the words are Italian. The colors match the term-matching exercises (Exercises 08–11, 74 and 75).