articulation (music)

In music, articulation refers to the direction or performance technique which affects the transition or continuity on single, or between multiple notes or sounds. There are many different forms of articulation, each having a different effect on how the note is played, whether short or long, hard or soft, or varying. Some articulation marks include the slur, phrase mark, staccato, staccatissimo, accent, sforzando, rinforzando, and legato. (Cooper 1985, glossary) In this image, the articulations shown are staccato, stacatissimo, accent, sforzando, and tenuto, respectively.
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