39
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Notation - when to use staccato vs rests
I endorse Aaron's and Richard's answers, regarding what staccato means conceptually.
This answer is mostly to provide some examples and details as to how staccato will typically come out in the case ...
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23
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Notation - when to use staccato vs rests
The core difference is that eighth notes/rests and quarter notes/rests (etc.) are durations; whereas, staccato marks are articulations. While it's true that staccato affects the duration of the note, ...
- 95k
16
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What is the technical term for gap between notes
There is no standard technical term. In addition to the words mentioned in the other answers, I frequently hear metaphorical terms such as "space" or even "air." Depending on the ...
- 26.4k
14
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Fermata tie confusion
The notes are not tied. This is relatively conventional notation for portato, which is rather like a "sticky" staccato with longer but still detached notes.
- 14.3k
13
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Help understanding staccato notation
Just the first note of each bar of the notated bassline is staccato. The slurs over the rest of the notes in the bassline mark that they should be played legato instead.
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12
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How to notate going from staccato to "normal"
If you want to stick to the traditional Italian:
then you should use sempre stacc. (sempre staccato) for the staccato section. (Some prefer the words in the other order i.e. staccato sempre)
and ...
- 14.9k
12
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Tenuto, legato and staccato on the same note
The combination of a staccato dot with a tenuto marking would normally indicate the that the chords are to be played portato, with a small gap between them. The slurs clearly contradict this.
When ...
- 22k
11
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Is staccato implied in the bass on this Burgmuller Arabesque?
The first edition (published 1852) had staccatissimo dashes on the first two bars, not staccato dots. You can find it on IMSLP.
Old music editions usually assume that the performer had some musical ...
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Why are there many types of staccato?
Usually, there is three types of staccato's, namely a dot (staccato), a wedge (staccatissimo), and a dot under a slur (portato).
The general idea is that staccatissimo is the shortest, staccato ...
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10
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Are the terms "stab" and "staccato" synonyms?
No. "Staccato" is a more general term than "stab."
A stab usually describes an accented note surrounded by rests. Stabs are often used in film scores to add drama and highlight individual actions. An ...
- 6,496
9
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Notation - when to use staccato vs rests
I'll chime in as a violinist. Keep in mind that notation is partly about psychologically manipulating the musicians to produce the effect that you have in mind.
The first example would be appropriate ...
- 19.2k
8
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Are the terms "stab" and "staccato" synonyms?
No. A Stab chord may well be staccato. It's not going to be a long note, but it might have a measured length. But its main characteristic is sudden impact.
Conversely, staccato notes very often ...
- 95.6k
8
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What's the proper notation for holding one note of a chord while playing the other notes staccato?
This is where using more than one voice comes into play.Split the bass clef into two voices one with stems pointing downwards, the others pointing upwards.
It's a common thing to do, when ...
- 198k
8
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Series of semiquavers vs staccato quavers
Staccato quavers aren't necessarily the length of semiquavers (they could be in more of a 40:60 ratio with the rests right afterward, for instance). Semiquavers with semiquaver rests in between are ...
- 14.3k
8
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Notation - when to use staccato vs rests
I only have a half answer, but I think there's an important thing to clarify: the literal definition of staccato.
It's a past-tense form of the Italian staccare, meaning "to detach." While ...
- 85.1k
8
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What is the technical term for gap between notes
With most instruments, and where they're played, there's actually some reverberation sound in between short notes. Not all strings are damped on pianos, the body of guitars continue to vibrate in ...
- 198k
7
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Accepted
What's the proper notation for holding one note of a chord while playing the other notes staccato?
OI vopiSeveral posts down, there is an example of correct notation.
I copied it from that post. One notates the sound as two voices (thus the quarter rest) with a dotted half in one voice and a ...
- 25.8k
7
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Why are there many types of staccato?
Because musical notation is a language.
Words in English have many meanings. You determine the meaning based on context, your experience, facial expression, etcetera. Words even change meaning over ...
- 9,689
6
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In violin, how do you know if you should play staccato or spiccato?
You certainly do not need a fast speed in order to play with spiccato.
If it is very fast the spiccato stroke transforms into sautille but there is no limit as to how slow spiccato can be.
Regarding ...
- 4,823
6
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Should staccatissimo be observed in Bach's Fugue in D Minor in WTC 1 BWV 851
In an autograph copy of the fugue, staccato markings are present, though somewhat inconsistent.
(SOURCE: above link to autograph)
The Henle Urtext edition1 places a staccato dot on every instance of ...
- 95k
6
votes
What is the technical term for gap between notes
I guess, there is just the process producing that "gaps", which has a name: articulation, the most frequent ones are:
legato
portato
tenuto
staccato
Update: some kinds of articulation ...
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6
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How to notate going from staccato to "normal"
It's simpler, and clearer, to write the dots. Doesn't matter if it goes on for 20 pages, write the dots. They're part of the notes. You want 100 notes, write 100 notes. They're all staccato, ...
- 95.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Duration of a note in Moldau score
The circled notes are an accented (loud) staccato, so the sound of the note will not fill the entire time allotted to those eighth notes. However, the silent part of the sound is built into the ...
- 95k
5
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Series of semiquavers vs staccato quavers
The staccato sign means make the note about half as long as it originally was. The 'about' is the criterion here. It's down to the discretion of the player as to how long 'about' is.
Writing semis, ...
- 198k
5
votes
Is staccato implied in the bass on this Burgmuller Arabesque?
Are the first four staccato marked based chords an implication to play the rest as such?
Yes. Your intuition is correct. The accompaniment's texture shouldn't change drastically when the melody ...
- 5,908
5
votes
Accepted
Notation of staccato rhythm
I would suggest the first instance, if only because it makes the notation more clear. On the other end of the spectrum, I recommend against using option 3; the eighth rest in the middle of the beat ...
- 85.1k
5
votes
Tenuto, legato and staccato on the same note
The notation, to the best of my knowledge, is idiosyncratic, and clearly the score doesn't offer its meaning. Since it appears in both the piano (as shown in the question) and flute (below, m. 17), it ...
- 95k
4
votes
Are the terms "stab" and "staccato" synonyms?
I want to clarify something that the current answers haven't yet addressed: staccato doesn't mean short.
Rather, staccato means "separated" or "detached." Albeit rare, you can have a staccato whole ...
- 85.1k
4
votes
How to represent the staccato in the piano score?
given that the eighth notes are so short anyway(tempo is quarter note = 138 BPM)
"Staccato" literally means "separated," not "short." A staccato eighth note at 138 BPM will still need to be shorter ...
- 6,496
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