Let’s explore the expressive potential of different articulations by playing the same phrase using three different “touches” — legato, staccato, and portato…
Legato, indicated by sweeping curved line that connects the notes, means to play a string of notes so that they sound smoothly connected and flowing, as if they were all sung with a single breathe. Furthermore, it is not enough for the notes to simply sound “connected”. They must also sound as if they are played with the same character.
Staccato, indicated by a dot above or below the note head, means to play a string of notes in a short, crisp manner, unconnected and very distinct from each other, as if they are sung with separate quick, impulsive breaths. As such, a staccato phrase should be played as a series of individual impulses superimposed on a larger unifying impulse.
Portato, indicated as shown below, means to play a string of notes in a slightly unconnected manner. Portato is not as short and sharp as staccato. The duration of each note is typically shortened only slightly from its full written value. A portato phrase should be played as a series of distinct individual impulses superimposed on a larger unifying impulse.
Of course, one can mix and match articulations in order to achieve a variety of musical effects. For example, here is a mix of legato and staccato…
