Legato music

1. What does it mean to play music legato?
2. What does staccato and legato mean in music?
3. What does a legato marking look like?

What does it mean to play music legato?

Answer by Curtis Lindsay, classical pianist and composer: The word legato literally means “connected” or “bound together.” It means that notes follow one another smoothly—legato is the unimpeded constancy of sound and tone.

What does staccato and legato mean in music?

Staccato. Signifies a note of shortened duration or detached (not legato) Legato. Indicates musical notes are to be played or sung smoothly and connected.

What does a legato marking look like?

In music performance and notation, legato ([leˈɡaːto]; Italian for "tied together"; French lié; German gebunden) indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. ... Standard notation indicates legato either with the word legato, or by a slur (a curved line) under notes that form one legato group.