What is a Marcato?

Marcato is a musical articulation marking that instructs performers to play a note with strong emphasis. The word marcato comes from Italian and means “marked.” When musicians see this marking, they should give the note extra force or intensity so that it clearly stands out from the surrounding notes.

In written music, marcato is usually indicated by a symbol that looks like an upward-pointing wedge or caret placed above or below a note. This symbol tells the performer to accent the note more strongly than a normal accent, often with a sharper and more powerful attack.

Marcato is used to add energy and emphasis to important notes or rhythms in a piece of music. It is common in orchestral music, marching music, jazz, and many modern styles. By highlighting specific notes with strong emphasis, marcato helps create rhythmic clarity and dramatic musical expression.