Legato - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Legato

Legato
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In music performance and notation, legato [leˈɡaːto] (Italian for

"tied together"; French lié; German gebunden) indicates that
musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That
is, the player makes a transition from note to note with no
intervening silence. Legato technique is required for slurred Diatonic scale on C, legato.
performance, but unlike slurring (as that term is interpreted for Play
some instruments), legato does not forbid rearticulation.
Standard notation indicates legato either with the word legato, or by a slur (a curved line) under
notes that form one legato group. Legato, like staccato, is a kind of articulation. There is an
intermediate articulation called either mezzo staccato or non-legato (sometimes referred to as
"portato").

Contents
1 Classical stringed instruments
2 Guitar
3 Synthesizers
4 Vocal music
5 Audio examples
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading

Classical stringed instruments

In music for classical stringed instruments, legato is an articulation that often refers to notes played
with a full bow, and played with the shortest silence, often barely perceptible, between notes. The
player achieves this through controlled wrist movements of the bowing hand, often masked or
enhanced with vibrato. Such a legato style of playing can also be associated with portamento.

Guitar
In guitar playing (apart from classical guitar) legato is used interchangeably as a label for both
musical articulation and a particular application of technique—playing musical phrases with
predominantly hammer-ons or pull-offs instead of picking. Legato technique to provide legato
articulation on electric guitar generally requires playing notes that are close and on the same string,

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following the first note with others that are played by hammer-ons and pull-offs. Some guitar
virtuosos (notably Allan Holdsworth and Shawn Lane) developed their legato technique to the
extent that they could perform extremely complex passages involving any permutation of notes on
a string at extreme tempos, and particularly in the case of Holdsworth, tend to eschew pull-offs
entirely for what some feel is a detrimental effect on guitar tone as the string is pulled slightly
sideways. The term "hammer-ons from nowhere" is commonly employed when crossing strings and
relying solely on fretting hand strength to produce a note but on a plucked string. Many guitar
virtuosos are well-versed in the legato technique, as it allows for rapid and "clean" runs. Multiple
hammer-ons and pull-offs together are sometimes also referred to colloquially as "rolls," a
reference to the fluid sound of the technique. A rapid series of hammer-ons and pull-offs between a
single pair of notes is called a trill.

Legato on guitar is commonly associated with playing more notes within a beat than the stated
timing, i.e., playing 5 (a quintuplet) or 7 (a septuplet) notes against a quarter-note instead of the
usual even number or triplet. This gives the passage an unusual timing and when played slowly an
unusual sound. However, this is less noticeable by ear when played fast, as legato usually is. There
is a fine line between legato and two-hand finger tapping, in some cases making the two techniques
harder to distinguish by ear. Generally, legato adds a more fluid, smooth sound to a passage.

Synthesizers
In synthesizers legato is a type of monophonic operation. In contrast to the typical monophonic
mode where every new note rearticulates the sound by restarting the envelope generators, in legato
mode the envelopes are not re-triggered if the new note is played "legato" (with the previous note
still depressed). This causes the initial transient from the attack and decay phases to sound only
once for an entire legato sequence of notes. Envelopes reaching the sustain stage remain there until
the final note is released.

Vocal music
In classical singing, legato means a string of sustained vowels with minimal interruption from
consonants. It is a key characteristic of the bel canto singing style that prevailed among voice
teachers and singers during the 18th century and the first four decades of the 19th century. Usually
referred to as the line, a good, smooth legato is still necessary for successful classical singers. In
Western Classical vocal music, singers generally use it on any phrase without explicit articulation
marks. Usually the most prevalent issue with vocal legato is maintaining the "line" across registers.

Audio examples

See also Bassoon articulations

0:00 MENU

Slur (music) A bassoon played staccato, legato,

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Staccato legato + vibrato, and slurred.

Portato
Problems playing this file? See media help.
References
‹See Tfd›

Further reading
Wharram, Barbara (2005). Wood, Kathleen, ed. Elementary Rudiments of Music (Revised
ed.). Mississauga: Frederick Harris Music. ISBN 1-55440-011-2.

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Categories: Guitar performance techniques Articulations Italian opera terminology

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