If notes are played smoothly and connected with no gaps, which articulation is used?

• A. Legato
• B. Staccato
• C. Marcato
• D. Tenuto

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how notes are connected in a sequence. When notes are played smoothly and without gaps, the line is said to be legato. Legato means the tones blend into each other so there’s no audible separation between notes—the phrasing feels continuous, as if the music is one seamless gesture. This is often achieved by sustaining the sound through the hand or breath and minimizing any space between attacks and releases, sometimes aided by a slur marking that signals to connect the notes.

Staccato contrasts with legato by making notes short and detached, which creates space between attacks. Marcato adds emphasis with a strong, accented attack, generating a more separated, percussive feel. Tenuto asks you to hold each note for its full value, or slightly longer, which can still feel connected but isn’t defined by a continuous, seamless line in the same way legato is.

So, when the goal is a smooth, unbroken flow from one note to the next, legato is the correct choice.