Legato

The musical performance instruction legato ( Italian for " tied " ) indicates that the tones of a melody sequence without interruption acoustic sound to. The marking is done by a slur over the notes or - with longer passages - by the full statement legato.

A similar function has the tie (also: ligature ). It connects consecutive tones of the same pitch to a long tone.

The opposite of legato is staccato.

Game art

Keyboard Instruments

The Legato is implemented on keyboard instruments in general, that when playing a voice, a sound is released only when the next one is already depressed. For this, the playing techniques of the super- and sub- setting as well as the silent finger changes are necessary.

Piano

In piano, there are also the so-called " pedal linkage". This can be achieved a legato even when the hand has to change position or because of excessive votes a " finger binding " is no longer possible. When the pedal binding the right pedal is held together with the keystroke or entered immediately thereafter and until the next stop. Instead of the right pedal can also - if available - the (average ) sustain pedal to be depressed. This does not sound enrichment occurs in contrast to the use of the right pedal on by resonance excitation of other strings, so that this technique is recommended when a particularly clear or " dry" sound is desired.

The Legato developed ( above all by the influence of Beethoven ) in 1800 to a common manner of articulation when playing the piano.

Organ

During the 19th century, the organ, the strict, that is, constant legato playing the rule. Here, the techniques described for legato playing keyboard instruments had to be adhered to particularly accurate because the sound does not fade away slowly and therefore the settling between two tones is heard more clearly than, for example on the piano. Depending on the type of key action, the holding of a tone necessary finger force on the organ to be significantly higher than for other keyboards.

As a special rule finally entered the note commune ( " common touch " ) added: A note, which moves from one voice to another, was played as tied with a tie to avoid the Neuanschlag and thus the previous minimum release the key.

When pedaling the heel of the foot, silent change of foot and sliding the foot from one key to the next amplified must be used.

The technique described here is not more widespread today, even if it is occasionally still so taught. In particular, for the organ music of the Romantic knowledge of this technique is provided.

Since some sounds take a long time to sound stable, it is playing the organ also happens that the Folgeton must already be struck before the previous key is released.

String Instruments

On stringed instruments, the legato is realized in that the relevant notes without stopping, stopping or changing direction of the arc, ie a single " line" to be played.

Wind Instruments

The Legato on wind instruments is achieved by is not interrupted between the binding tones to the air flow.

Plucked

When plucked instruments it is possible using the legato technique, liquid to play a series of notes without the attack of each note can be heard with the plectrum or by plucking. With the guitar, there are two techniques:

• Premium bond or hammer-on: This one fails with a finger of the gripping hand the note to be played on the fretboard, while keeping the other fingers on the previous note, so that the sound does not break off.
• Abziehbindung or Pull Off: The sound is produced by the rapid pulling of a string. The gripping hand pulling the finger while usually at a slight angle away, so a clean sound is produced. When pulling the string should possibly not be struck again.

These two techniques work easiest if the string has been struck by a previous sound. The legato techniques on the guitar require a lot of exercise because the muscles are strongly claimed herein.