Topmusicanswers
Legato and staccato are articulation opposites. Legato means to play the notes as smoothly connected as possible. Staccato means to play the notes as short and crisp and detached as possible. A slur connects two notes of different pitch.
What is legato and staccato in piano?
Legato means to play long notes and Staccato means to play short notes. Think of them as opposites. It's also easy if you correlate the first letter of each one to help you remember which is which: legato = long and then staccato = short.
What does it mean to play 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.
