Articulation Marks

The mordent is a musical ornament that indicates a rapid alternation between a written note and the note immediately below (lower mordent) or above (upper mordent) it. Notated as a short squiggle above the staff, its execution varies by historical period and performance practice, typically starting on the main note and moving to the auxiliary note before returning. This article explores its definition, notation, historical evolution, and performance conventions across Western classical music.

Tenuto in jazz lead sheets instructs the performer to sustain a note for its full value, often with a slight emphasis. Its interpretation varies by context—swing, Latin, or ballad—and demands attention to articulation, dynamics, and rhythmic feel. This article explores notation, performance practice, historical evolution, and common misconceptions to help jazz musicians apply tenuto effectively.

Appoggiatura and acciaccatura are two distinct musical ornaments that appear as small grace notes but differ in duration, rhythmic function, and expressive effect. The appoggiatura is a longer, sustained non-chord tone that leans into the main note, while the acciaccatura is a very short, crushed note that occurs almost simultaneously with the main note. Understanding their notation and performance practice is essential for authentic interpretation across Baroque, Classical, and Romantic repertoire.

Staccatissimo, notated as a vertical wedge above or below a note, is one of the most extreme of articulation marks, demanding an ultra-short, sharply detached sound. This article explores its notation, performance practice, historical origins, and its role across musical genres, from Baroque to contemporary music.

The tenuto mark is a musical articulation symbol indicating that a note should be held for its full written value, often with a slight emphasis. It is written as a horizontal line placed above or below a note head and is common in classical and contemporary scores.

In music notation, an accent is an articulation mark indicating that a note should be emphasized more strongly than surrounding notes. It affects dynamics, attack, and sometimes duration, giving the passage a sharper, more pronounced character.

A slur is a curved line placed over or under a group of notes in musical notation, indicating that they should be played smoothly and connected, typically as a single phrase or legato passage.

A breath mark is a small notation symbol that indicates where a performer should take a brief breath or pause, helping to shape phrasing without affecting the measured rhythm.

The legato mark, commonly rendered as a curved line (slur) connecting two or more notes, indicates that they should be played smoothly without perceptible separation. It is a fundamental articulation symbol used across a wide range of musical styles.

A tie is a curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, indicating that they should be sounded as a single sustained tone whose duration equals the combined values of the tied notes. Unlike a slur, a tie does not affect articulation, only length.