staccatissimo
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An extreme form of staccato, indicating notes should be played as short and detached as possible.
Staccatissimo is notated with a wedge-shaped mark above or below the note (as opposed to the dot used for regular staccato). The notes are reduced to the shortest possible duration, creating a sharp, pointed, pecking quality. This extreme detachment is used for special effects, percussive passages, and moments of high tension or agitation. Bartok and Prokofiev frequently employ staccatissimo in their rhythmically driven passages.