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Staccato

Short, detached notes

Category
articulation
Pronunciation
stah-KAH-toh
Origin

Italian

Length
126 words · 1 min read

About Staccato

Staccato is indicated by a dot placed above or below the notehead, instructing the performer to shorten each note to roughly half its written value whilst leaving a small silence before the next. The effect ranges from gently clipped to sharply percussive depending on context, tempo, and the composer's intent.
v1 · 09/04/2026Browse all terms →