Staccato: detached notes
Staccato is an Italian word meaning detached. A note marked staccato is played short and separated from the notes around it. In a score it is a small dot placed above or below the notehead.
Staccato (say stah-KAH-toh) comes from the Italian staccare, which means to detach. A staccato note is played shorter than its written value, and the rest of its time is filled with a tiny silence. The result is a crisp, light, bouncing sound, the opposite of a smooth, connected line.
How is staccato written in a score?
The mark is a small dot. It goes right above or below the notehead, on whichever side is away from the stem, so it never gets tangled with the stem or the staff lines. The dot is not the same thing as the augmentation dot, which sits to the right of a note and makes it longer. A staccato dot sits directly over or under the note and makes it shorter.
Sometimes a composer writes the word staccato or the abbreviation stacc. above a passage instead of dotting every note. The word applies until the music says something else, such as legato or non legato.
How short is a staccato note?
There is no exact rule. A common guideline is that a staccato note sounds for about half of its written value, and the rest is silence. A staccato quarter note is then heard a little like an eighth note followed by an eighth rest. The right length depends on the tempo, the style and the room. Music from the Classical period often wants a lighter, shorter staccato than a slow, lyrical piece does. Ask your teacher or conductor if you are not sure, and listen to good recordings.
Practice tip: Say the syllable "tut" or "dit" on each staccato note. The sharp end of the syllable shows you how clean the stop should be.
How do you play staccato on different instruments?
- Piano: Play the key, then release it quickly by lifting the finger or letting the wrist bounce up. Keep the sound light, and do not hold the sustain pedal down, because it blurs the gaps.
- Strings: The bow stops each note. For fast, bouncy staccato many players use an off-the-string stroke, where the bow springs from the string. This is often called spiccato.
- Winds and brass: The tongue stops the air at the end of each note, as if saying "tuh". The note is cut off by the tongue, not by running out of breath.
- Voice: Use a quick, light release supported by the breath. Singers should not hit the throat to make the note short. Think of a small bounce from the belly.
What is the difference between staccato and staccatissimo?
Staccatissimo means very detached. It is written as a small wedge, either filled or pointed, above or below the note. It asks for a note that is even shorter and sharper than staccato. Dots and wedges are sometimes used in different ways by different composers, so look at the style of the piece. In modern editions the wedge is usually shorter and more pointed than the dot.
How is staccato different from other markings?
- Accent (>): The note is played louder at the start, but it keeps its length. Staccato is about length, not loudness.
- Tenuto (a short line): The note is held for its full value, often with a little weight. It is nearly the opposite of staccato.
- Marcato (^): A strong, accented note, often a little short. It is both emphatic and detached.
- Legato: Smoothly connected notes, the true opposite of staccato. See legato for details.
You can combine marks. A dot under a slur means portato: the notes are connected in one bow or breath but each is lightly separated. This is common in string and wind music.
Where will you meet staccato?
Staccato is everywhere. Playful tunes, marches, scherzos and dances use it to sound light, funny or quick. A steady pattern of staccato notes in the left hand of a piano piece can sound like footsteps or a plucked bass. When you see dots, think of the character the composer wants: lively, light, a little mischievous. Compare this with a forte chord, which is about loudness rather than length.
Check yourself
1. What does the Italian word staccato mean?
Answer: Detached. Staccato comes from staccare, to detach.
2. Where does a staccato dot go?
Answer: Above or below the notehead, away from the stem. A dot to the right would be an augmentation dot, which lengthens the note.
3. About how long is a staccato quarter note usually held?
Answer: About half its value. The rest of the time is a small silence, though the exact length depends on style.
4. Which marking asks for a note even shorter than staccato?
Answer: Staccatissimo. It is written as a small wedge.