Staccato
Notes played short and detached, marked by a dot above or below the notehead, with silence left before the next note.
Also called: staccato notes, staccato dot
Staccato marks notes that are played short and detached, with a clear gap before the next. The mark is a dot placed above or below the notehead. Staccato does not set an exact duration. A quarter note marked staccato is commonly played for about half of its written value, though the exact length depends on style and tempo. A passage of staccato quarters at 120 beats per minute therefore sounds as notes lasting about 250 milliseconds, each followed by silence. Staccato is distinct from legato, which joins notes smoothly, and from marcato, which adds weight. On string instruments a staccato note may be produced by a short bow stroke, and on piano the key is released quickly.
Related terms
- LegatoNotes played smoothly and connected, with no silence between them, often marked by a slur over the group.
- ArticulationHow a note begins, sounds and ends, controlled by marks such as staccato, accent, tenuto and legato.
- DynamicsThe relative loudness of music, shown by markings such as p for soft and f for loud, and by hairpins for gradual change.