25 Idioms About Music: Awesome English Speaking Practice!

What do music to my ears, playing second fiddle, and facing the music all have in common? They are all idioms about music! Today we will look at 25! Not only that but we will also:

• Practice example sentences with these 25 music idioms
• Practice some English conversation questions with them
• Try a fill-the-gaps activity to see if you’ve remembered them all
• Look at a music paragraph that has some of today’s idioms in it.

Idioms about music

Here are today’s 25 idioms about music. Read and repeat them all out loud enough times so that you are comfortable with their pronunciations.

Music idiom	Definition
Face the music	Accept the consequences of one’s actions.
Music to my ears	Something that is pleasing to hear or learn.
Change one’s tune	Change one’s opinion or attitude.
Play second fiddle	To be in a subordinate position.
Jazz it up	Make something more lively or exciting.
March to the beat of your own drum	To do things in one’s own way.
Strike a chord	To resonate or appeal to someone.
For a song	Very cheaply.
Blow your own trumpet	To boast about your achievements.
Call the tune	To be in control or make decisions.
Fine tuning	Make small adjustments for improvement.
Offbeat	Unconventional; different from the usual.
Hit the right note	To be appropriate or correct.
Strike up a conversation	To start talking to someone.
It takes two to tango	Both parties are involved in a situation.
Sound like a broken record	To say the same thing repeatedly.
Play it by ear	To improvise or proceed without a plan.
In harmony	To be in agreement.
Sing a different tune	To change one’s attitude or opinion.
The show must go on	To continue despite difficulties.
Out of tune	Not in agreement or harmony.
Sing someone’s praises	To speak highly of someone or something.
Beat around the bush	To avoid talking about what is important.
Drum up	To generate support or interest.
Fiddling while Rome burns	To be concerned with trivial matters during a crisis.

Related: 20 Idioms About Excitement: Show Liveliness And Energy!

Idioms about music: example sentences

Here are example sentences with today’s music expressions – read and repeat them all to better envisage how to use them in natural English situations. The first couple of music idioms are highlighted for you!

1. Jane had to face the music after breaking the vase.
2. The news of a snow day was music to my ears!
3. He changed his tune when he saw the new evidence.
4. In the team, I play second fiddle to the captain.
5. Let’s jazz it up with some fun decorations!
6. Adam always likes to march to the beat of his own drum.
7. Her heartfelt speech struck a chord with everyone.
8. I bought this jacket for a song at the sale!
9. Don’t blow your own trumpet too much; it’s annoying!
10. As the leader, she calls the tune in most meetings.
11. The robot needed some fine-tuning before the competition.
12. His offbeat jokes always make us laugh.
13. His English speech really hit the right note with the judges.
14. I struck up a conversation with my new colleague in the office.
15. Remember, it takes two to tango in every argument.
16. You sound like a broken record talking about your irritating relative.
17. We didn’t have a plan; we just played it by ear.
18. The band played beautifully in harmony.
19. After seeing the results, he sang a different tune.
20. Even though it rained, the show must go on.
21. Their proposals were completely out of tune with each other.
22. The teacher sang Mary’s praises in front of the whole class.
23. Don’t beat around the bush; get to the point.
24. We need to drum up more interest for the event.
25. Worrying about minor details is like fiddling while Rome burns.

Music phrases and idioms: question practice

Now we shall practice some idiom questions. These are for English conversation practice, so even if you do not have experience with the question topic, try to make up answers, as always with full English sentences! Let’s go!

1. Have you ever had to face the music for something you did?
2. What news would be music to your ears right now?
3. Do you know someone who tends to change their tune often?
4. Have you ever felt like you were playing second fiddle to someone else?
5. How would you jazz up your room if you had unlimited cash?
6. Do you prefer to follow the crowd or march to the beat of your own drum?
7. Can you recall a movie or book that struck a chord with you?
8. What’s the best thing you’ve ever bought for a song?
9. Why do you think people shouldn’t blow their own trumpet too much?
10. Who usually calls the tune in your family?
11. What skill in your life needs some fine-tuning?
12. What’s the most offbeat hobby you know of?
13. Describe a time when you managed to hit the right note in a difficult situation.
14. How do you usually strike up a conversation with someone new?
15. Do you agree that it takes two to tango in most conflicts?
16. Who in your life sounds like a broken record sometimes?
17. Are you comfortable playing things by ear or do you prefer having a plan?
18. Is there a group or team you work in harmony with?
19. Have you ever seen someone sing a different tune after learning new information?
20. Can you share an experience where you had to continue despite obstacles because “the show must go on”?
21. Have you ever felt out of tune with someone’s ideas or opinions?
22. Who would you sing praises about for being always helpful?
23. Why do you think people often beat around the bush instead of being direct?
24. How would you drum up interest for a school event?
25. Can you give an example of someone fiddling while Rome burns?

Idioms about music in English: fill-the-gaps activity

Have you managed to understand and remember any (or all!) of today’s music idioms? Don’t worry if you haven’t, and if this fill-in-the-blanks activity is too tricky, as the answers will be at the bottom! Some of them might need to be adjusted to fit the grammar of the particular sentence.

1. When you do something wrong, you have to ________________.
2. His compliments were __________________.
3. After the accident, he had to ________________.
4. In the group project, I played ________________ to the leader.
5. Let’s ________________ this presentation with some graphics.
6. She likes to ________________ and think outside the box.
7. The novel’s plot really ________________ with me.
8. I bought that rare record ________________ at the auction.
9. Don’t ________________ about your achievements.
10. The manager will ________________ in making the final decision.
11. My speech needs some ________________ before the big event.
12. He’s known for his ________________ sense of humor.
13. Her words ________________ with the audience.
14. At the party, try to ________________ with someone new.
15. Remember, __________________ . You should both apologize to the teacher.
16. She ________________ every day, talking about her new job.
17. Since we had no plans, we had to ________________ for the evening.
18. The team worked ________________ to win the game.
19. After the meeting, he began to ________________ about the project.
20. Despite the chaos backstage, __________________.
21. The instruments sounded completely ________________.
22. The manager was ________________ about his efforts drawing up the contract.
23. Don’t ________________; just answer the question.
24. We need to ________________ more interest in our fundraiser.
25. They were __________________ while their assignments piled up.

Answers

1. face the music, 2. music to my ears, 3. change his tune, 4. play second fiddle, 5. jazz up, 6. march to the beat of her own drum, 7. struck a chord, 8. for a song, 9. blow your own trumpet, 10. call the tune, 11. fine tuning, 12. offbeat, 13. hit the right note, 14. strike up a conversation, 15. it takes two to tango, 16. sounds like a broken record, 17. play it by ear, 18. in harmony, 19. sing a different tune, 20. the show must go on, 21. out of tune, 22. sing someone’s praises, 23. beat around the bush, 24. drum up, 25. fiddling while Rome burns

Idioms about music: music paragraph

Here is a paragraph that features some of today’s idioms about music. How many can you spot?

Music has always been a huge part of my life. Whenever I hear my favorite song, it feels like music to my ears. There’s nothing quite as soothing. Sometimes, a new song will strike a chord with me. It might remind me of a special moment or a cherished memory. My friends and I love sharing music that hits the right note. We make playlists for different moods and events. Last summer, we found a song that perfectly captured our adventures. We played it on repeat during our road trips. Music has a way of bringing people together. At school events, the right song can make everyone cheer. It creates an instant connection. In class, our teacher once played a tune that helped us understand a difficult concept. Music truly enriches our lives in so many ways. It’s always there, striking chords and hitting the right notes.

Idioms about music: great for not only talking about music but…

I hope you have enjoyed reading through and saying out loud all of today’s idioms about music, along with the questions for speaking practice, and the fill-in-the-blanks activity, and the music paragraph! I hope that you have seen that some of these music expressions can also be used sometimes for non-music topics – here are some examples of when we can use them outside of the topic of music:

Music idiom	Example Sentence for when not talking about music
Face the music	He cheated on the test and now he has to face the music.
Music to my ears	Finding out I didn’t have any homework was music to my ears!
Change one’s tune	She changed her tune when she realized the project was due tomorrow.
Play second fiddle	In the meeting, he had to play second fiddle to his boss.
March to the beat of your own drum	She always dresses uniquely because she marches to the beat of her own drum.