Staccato is defined as?

• A. Short and detached
• B. Very short and detached
• C. Detach the notes per bow stroke
• D. Bow plays two adjacent strings like a tremolo

Answer: (A)

Staccato indicates that a note should be played short and detached from the notes around it. A dot above or below the note signals this, prompting a quick release of the sound so each note has a crisp, separated feel. On piano you release the key promptly; on strings you use a light, separated bow stroke; on winds or brass you tongu e or snap the breath to interrupt the sound quickly. This contrast with legato, where notes flow together, helps shape rhythm and character in music. While staccato is generally just “short and detached,” there is a harsher edge called staccatissimo for an even shorter effect. The other options don’t fit because they describe either an exaggerated shortening, a specific bowing technique across strings, or a tremolo-like rapid repetition, none of which define staccato.