Staccato. If a note carries that mark it should be played shorter than its original value. Normally half the value long. For easier understanding just play the note very short and sharp.

Staccatissimo or Spiccato. It is supposed to be an even more extreme played staccato.

Tenuto. This sign indicates that the note should be played slightly longer than its original value. You could imagine it as playing the note widely.

Fermata. If this sign is above a note or a chord it is hold as long as the musician or conductor wants it to be.

Accent. This sign indicates that the note should be played louder with quickly decreasing volume.

Marcato. A sign that indicates that the note should be played like it has an accent but even more extreme.

This is called a Trill. It is produced by playing the marked note and the note one higher in rapid speed. The Trill is also called “shaky note”. You can hear a trill quite clearly if you listen to opera singers that sing very high notes. The trill makes it easier for them to reach the higher notes.

Upper mordent. Rapidly play the principal note and after that the note one higher. After that go back to the principal note. You could look at it as an one time trill at the beginning of the trail. It always needs to start with the principal note.

Lower mordent (inverted). Again rapidly play the principal note. After that play the note one lower. After that play the principal note again. It is basically the same as the upper mordent but in the other direction.

Gruppetto or Turn. This sign means that you first play and upper mordent and than and lower mordent afterwards. If there is a vertical lines through the sign it means that you first play an lower mordent and than afterwards an upper mordent. It is the same but reversed.

This is called an Appoggiatura. The first half of the principal note’s duration is the pitch of the small note shown before the note.

This is an Acciaccatura. In comparison to the Appoggiatura the duration of the small note is very short and rapid. It is not supposed to cut the length of the principal not. It more pushes it self a little bit in the way of the note before.

Ottava (ottava alta). This sign is placed above the staff. It signals the musician to play the marked phrase one octave higher. If the sign is placed below the staff it means the marked passage is played one octave lower.

Quindicesima. This sign indicates that the phrase is played two octaves higher. If it is placed below the stuff it is supposed to be payed two octaves lower, just the same as with the Ottava.