Short

As Printed on a Score

Printed as an articulation word above or below notes (short, very short) or as a qualifier of a pause (short pause). As articulation it holds until a contrasting word appears; over a pause it applies to that hold only.

How Composers Use It

Plain-English staccato, but adaptable: short can apply to a single chord or to a passage, and short and accented gives a clear attack. Over a fermata it tells the performer to keep the hold brief, which the sign alone does not. Use it in modern parts where the exact length matters more than a dot can show.

Related Terms