Staccato vs Legato: What’s the Difference?

The difference at a glance

Staccato instructs the musician to play notes in a short, detached manner. Conversely, legato indicates that notes should be played smoothly and connected, without any interruption.

What does Staccato mean?

adverb · /stəˈkɑː.toʊ/

A musical articulation in which each note is played briefly and crisply, detached from neighboring notes. The opposite of legato. More broadly, any speech or movement that is abrupt and clipped.

Staccato in a sentence

The violins played a staccato figure beneath the melody — each note a small, controlled exclamation.

She spoke in staccato bursts when she was angry — short sentences, no connecting tissue.

What does Legato mean?

adverb · /lɪˈɡɑː.toʊ/

A musical direction indicating that notes should be played smoothly and connected, flowing from one to the next without any perceptible gap — the opposite of staccato. Represents the longest, most connected form of musical articulation.

Legato in a sentence

The cellist played the melody with deep legato phrasing — each note leaning into the next like words in a whispered sentence.

Legato playing on the flute requires careful breath management across register breaks.

Frequently asked questions