staccato
Crisp, disconnected playing
Staccato describes sounds that are short, sharp, and detached from one another.
In music, staccato notes are played crisply, with clear separation between them—the opposite of legato.
The term extends to any clipped, abrupt manner of speaking or any rapid succession of distinct sounds: staccato bursts of gunfire, She spoke in staccato sentences.
Cut or trimmed briefly
halting · punctuated · enunciation · diction · pronunciation · articulation · delivery · utterance
Rhythmic pulse or strike
- pulseArterial blood throb
- tempoRate of musical performance
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
rat-a-tat · pattern · meter · timing · groove · punctuated · clipped · choppy
Cured meat snack
- abruptSharp and unexpected
- haltingMarked by hesitation
- choppyBroken into waves
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
punctuated · quick · sharp · fitful · spasmodic · disconnected · angular · robotic
String-plucking technique
- legatoUnbroken musical phrasing
- marcatoEmphasized, detached playing
- spiccatoDetached bowing technique
- tenutoHold full value
crescendo · decrescendo · fortissimo · pianissimo · allegro · vivace · presto · adagio
clipped
Cut or trimmed briefly
choppy · halting · punctuated · enunciation · diction · pronunciation · articulation · delivery · utterance · phrasing
beat
Rhythmic pulse or strike
syncopation · rat-a-tat · pattern · meter · timing · groove · punctuated · clipped · choppy · measured
jerky
Cured meat snack
sudden · punctuated · quick · sharp · fitful · spasmodic · disconnected · angular · robotic · mechanical
pizzicato
String-plucking technique
tenuto · crescendo · decrescendo · fortissimo · pianissimo · allegro · vivace · presto · adagio · andante
sharp
Fine-edged, or astute
popping · snapping · pinging · crackling · rattling · pattering · drumming · rapping · knocking · pecking
- vocal musicsong, vocals, soprano, tenor, alto
- classical music termspiano concerto, violin concerto, concerto, sonata, tone poem
- musicmusic, song, songs, singing, singer
- classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
- dance qualitiesfluidity, graceful, musicality, rhythmic, grace
- musicianshipsinging, playing, performing, practicing, harmonizing