accent
A stress or emphasis placed on a particular note.
In Depth
An accent tells the performer to give a particular note more weight or force than the notes around it. Different accent types exist: the standard accent (>), the marcato (^), and the sforzando (sfz), each calling for a different degree of emphasis.
Accents are essential for shaping musical phrases and creating rhythmic interest. Without them, music would sound flat and mechanical. Jazz musicians use accents to create swing, while classical composers place them to highlight important harmonic changes or melodic peaks.
Jazz drummer Max Roach could place accents so precisely that other musicians said he could make a single snare hit tell a story.