- Definition
Articulation is how a musician plays notes, making them sound connected and smooth, or short and separated.
Playing a series of notes on a piano without lifting your fingers between them creates a smooth, connected articulation called legato.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Articulation is like deciding if you're drawing a smooth, connected line or a line made of separate little dots.
Ask your child: When you listen to this song, do the notes sound connected or bouncy?
Common mix-up: Kids might think articulation is about how loud or fast the music is. Articulation is actually about how notes are connected to each other, whether they are smooth or detached.
Examples
- Playing notes on a violin with short, separate bow strokes creates a choppy, detached articulation called staccato.
- Singing 'la-la-la' with a little space between each 'la' is a detached articulation.
articulation is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
