| 100% | SFORZATO | 8 | Musical term indicating a note or chord is to be played with a dynamic accent |
| 47% | SLUR | 4 | Symbol of a curved line in Western musical notation indicating that two or more notes are to be played without separation |
| 37% | ALLEGRETTO | 10 | Musical direction indicating that a piece be played fairly quickly or briskly |
| 37% | SLUR | 4 | In music, a curved line indicating that a melody is to be played legato or as a single phrase |
| 33% | FERMATA | 7 | Musical sign indicating that a note should be held |
| 33% | DECRESCENDO | 11 | Musical term indicating that a passage is getting gradually softer |
| 32% | TACK | 4 | What a note is pinned to a bulletin board with |
| 31% | AIL | 3 | To catch a bug or be ill (rhymes with "snail") |
| 31% | GLOCKENSPIEL | 12 | Musical instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal plates that are played with a pair of small hammers |
| 31% | HARBORING | 9 | Giving a home or shelter to. When done with a fugitive, it is illegal |
| 31% | ARPEGGIO | 8 | Musical chord whose notes are played in rapid succession rather than simultaneously |
| 31% | TOY | 3 | Thing to play with or part of a Happy Meal |
| 30% | PIANO | 5 | Musical instrument with keys that one may learn to play as a hobby |
| 30% | BAR | 3 | Musical symbol shaped like a vertical line that is used to indicate sections in music |
| 30% | CHORD | 5 | Three or more musical notes played simultaneously, like A major or B minor |
| 29% | ONE | 3 | With 43-Across, something never to be repeated ... or a hint to the answers to the italicized clues |
| 29% | STACCATO | 8 | Musical direction whereby a dot placed above a note signifies that it should be played abruptly |
| 29% | BETWEENYOUANDME | 15 | "Let this be our little secret" ... with a hint to 18-, 23-, 50- or 54-Across |
| 29% | GIF | 3 | Internet term whose first letter is either pronounced with a hard or soft G |
| 29% | ETHER | 5 | Anesthetic that used to be used by dentists, or a term for the sky |
| 29% | TASK | 4 | A chore or a job to be done |
| 29% | RESONATE | 8 | To be filled with a deep, reverberating sound |
| 29% | GAMERTAGS | 9 | Handles made to be played with |
| 29% | ANGEL | 5 | Heavenly being with a halo or connect this to 14a to get a tasty treat |
| 29% | THELONG | 7 | With 63-Across, all that needs to be said, or a hint to what's found in each starred answer |
| 29% | ROLE | 4 | Part to be played (in a film) |
| 29% | SETLIST | 7 | Songs to be played at a concert |
| 29% | ALDA | 4 | Actor whose original name was D'Abruzzo and who went on to play a noted Captain |
| 29% | FORCE | 5 | A ___ to be reckoned with |
| 28% | APTAGRAM | 8 | Word or phrase whose letters can be rearranged to form another with a similar meaning, such as “moon starer” for “astronomer” |