marcato
Play with emphasis
Marcato is a musical direction indicating notes should be played with strong emphasis or accent—each note distinctly stressed and detached.
It falls between ordinary accents and the heavier sforzando.
The term comes from Italian meaning "marked." In sheet music, marcato appears as an instruction or as accent marks (small wedges) above notes: Play the opening theme marcato.
Short, separated note style
- tenutoHold full value
- legatoUnbroken musical phrasing
- accentRegional speech pattern
- attackAggressive act against another
detached · weighted · stressed · punctuated · hammered · percussive · struck · separated
Very loud, musically
- forteArea of expertise
- crescendoGradual increase in loudness
- fortepianoEarly hammer-action keyboard
- forzandoSudden loud accent
Expressed with force
- forcefulExerting strong pressure
- assertiveConfidently self-assured
- boldCourageous and daring
- pronouncedSpoken aloud formally
vigorous · powerful · commanding · decisive · strong · accented · stressed · distinct
Stately musical direction
- con brioWith liveliness, musically
- animatoLively tempo marking
- appassionatoWith intense feeling
- grandiosoNoble and expansive style
Tapered splitting tool
staccato
Short, separated note style
attack · detached · weighted · stressed · punctuated · hammered · percussive · struck · separated · accentuated
fortissimo
Very loud, musically
- forteArea of expertise
- crescendoGradual increase in loudness
- fortepianoEarly hammer-action keyboard
emphatic
Expressed with force
pronounced · vigorous · powerful · commanding · decisive · strong · accented · stressed · distinct · deliberate
maestoso
Stately musical direction
- con brioWith liveliness, musically
- animatoLively tempo marking
- appassionatoWith intense feeling
wedge
Tapered splitting tool
- music notationtreble clef, bass clef, clef, clefs, staff
- musical notationforte, score, piano, sheet music, notation
- musical termsadagio, andante, allegro, lento, largo
- musical expressiondynamics, articulation, phrasing, rubato, expression
- playing techniquespicking, arpeggiated, fingerpicking, spiccato, block chords
- sheet musicsheet music, treble clef, score, notes, scores