stacca

Stacca is a musical articulation term derived from the Italian verb staccare, meaning to detach. In musical notation, stacca (often written as staccato in English contexts) directs the performer to play notes in a detached, shortened manner with a brief separation between successive notes. The instruction emphasizes a crisp, separated sound rather than a smooth connection.

In modern scores, stacca is typically understood to indicate the same general effect as staccato, and it is commonly paired with a dot above or below notes, or with other signs such as wedges that convey varying degrees of shortness. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with staccato in Italian editions, although staccatissimo or other symbols may specify increasingly abrupt articulation.

Performance practice varies by instrument. For string players, stacca implies a detached bow stroke with a short duration of each note. For keyboard instruments, it involves a rapid release of the key and a quick, crisp attack. Wind and brass players may achieve stacca through a short, separated articulation often aided by tongueing or a quick release of air. In all cases, the aim is to produce a perceptible separation between notes while maintaining musical coherence within the phrase.

Stacca appears in various historical and modern scores, sometimes alongside other Italian terms or editorial markings. It is part of a broader spectrum of detaché articulations that distinguish notions such as legato and portato.