5. Dotted Notes vs. Staccato Notes

Published by Jason Yang on

Dotted vs Staccato Notes - Jason Yang Pianist

Dotted Notes

We can have a dot to the right of all note and rest values. This dot to the right should not be confused with a dot underneath which would mean staccato (short).

Math and music often interlink. Here’s where our math skills come in. The dot after a note means that it is a dotted note. To figure out the length of a dotted note, we add on half of the value of the original note. The same applies to rests.

Dotted vs Staccato Notes - Jason Yang Pianist

Staccato Notes

The dot underneath or over means the note is played staccato or short. Although it is played shorter, the note will still take up the rest of its length. This way it only sounds shorter.

This is a very important concept that is difficult to explain on paper. To better understand this, check out the staccato technique post under the piano technique tag and category and give the exercises a go.

Categories: Music Theory

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