Staccato

Staccato is the violin bow stroke that I feel is the most misunderstood by beginner violin players. In this article, you’ll learn how to play staccato and how to recognize the staccato sheet music notation (so you won’t be scared of it anymore! 😜)

Staccato means short, detached, or separated. When performing violin staccato, there should be a bit of space or silence between each note. In the video below, I play Song of the Wind, which primarily uses a staccato bow stroke.

Staccato is notated by dots over or under the notes.

Staccato is best performed in the middle to lower middle part of the bow. The amount of bow you use on each note will depend on the speed of the piece, but in general, staccato calls for short bows.

To perform staccato, stop the bow between each note. Yes, it really is that simple! Staccato does not indicate an accent, therefore, no additional weight or bow speed is needed.

If your staccato bow strokes are sounding crunchy rather than resonant, you have too much tension in your right hand. Consider adding some bow hand flexibility exercises into your practice routine.