Staccatissimo
Staccatissimo is the intensification of staccato: the note is played extremely short and sharply detached. It is usually written as a wedge above or below the notehead, in some editions as a small vertical stroke; the signs are not uniform.
- Meaning
- extremely short, more sharply detached than staccato
- Sign
- wedge (pointed triangle) or small vertical stroke
- Level below
- staccato
- Use of the signs
- not uniform, changing historically
Even shorter
Staccato (Italian “detached”) means playing a note shorter than written and clearly separating it from the next. Staccatissimo goes beyond that: the tone is as short as possible without losing its character, and sounds dry and sharp. The word is the Italian superlative. How much shorter than in staccato is played is not fixed but depends on style, instrument and tempo.
Staccato and staccatissimo compared (treble clef)
In the first bar the notes carry dots, in the second wedges. The notes of the second bar are clearly shorter and drier, the gaps in between longer.
Staccatissimo in the bass clef
At the end, for contrast, there is a note with a tenuto dash, held out in full.
Signs and use of signs
Staccatissimo is usually written as a wedge, a small pointed triangle above or below the notehead, and in some editions as a small vertical stroke. The signs are not used uniformly in all editions: dot, stroke and wedge were not consistently distinguished up to the 19th century. Where nothing special is noted, style and context therefore decide how sharply to play.
Where staccatissimo helps
Staccatissimo gives a passage sparkle and lightness: in fast, soft passages it seems fleeting, in loud ones cutting. It often appears on single notes or short groups to set them apart from their surroundings.
Common mistakes
- Playing staccatissimo loudly: Shortness does not mean hardness; the tone stays controlled.
- Not distinguishing staccato and staccatissimo: The wedge usually asks for a shorter note than the dot.
- Following the sign blindly: When in doubt style and context decide how short to play.
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Related terms
StaccatoTenutoPortatoAccentLegatoArticulation
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
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