Legato - Understanding Musical Signs And Symbols - BBC

Home » What Does Legato Mean In Music » Legato - Understanding Musical Signs And Symbols - BBC

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In this guide

  1. Revise
  2. Test
  1. Introduction to musical signs and symbols
  2. Time signature
  3. Key signatures
  4. Repeat signs
  5. Pause
  6. Accent
  7. Staccato
  8. Legato
  9. Tie
  10. Dynamics
  11. Ornaments
  12. Signs and symbols

Legato

Legato symbol - a curved line above affected notes

A curved line above or below a group of notes tells you those notes should be played legato – smoothly, with no gaps between the notes.

A slur is a legato line over a few notes which means they should not be rearticulated. For example, all the notes are played with one bow movement on a string instrument or played without tonguing each note on a wind instrument.

Listen to the two examples below to hear how the same notes sound when played normally and played legato.

No legato

Legato

Next pageTiePrevious pageStaccato

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