Hi everyone,
I'm studying for a Teaching Diploma and one of the sample questions given for the viva voce is: Describe the different types of staccato and how you would teach them.

I've read quite a few books on piano technique and teaching, but haven't come across more than one way of playing staccato! Do you think they mean staccatissimo and portato as the other 'types', or do I have a serious gap in my knowledge?

Thanks for any help

Using an upward movement of the wrist (sorry about the quality):

That is a good video. The key is to start with the fingers resting on the keys, and then letting the key push the hand up. The wrist must be flexible here.

A great technique I learned (maybe someone on this forum told me about it...if so, speak up and take credit!):

Have your student hold their hands up against your hands as you face them. Then count to 3 and on 3, both of you push the hands away from each other from the fingers. Do this several times, working on getting it so that the wrist naturally bends away from your hands. Then translate to the keys.

Perhaps they mean finger finger staccato, wrist staccato and arm staccato.

The most difficult, IMO, is the wrist staccato, which I teach using a basketball dribbling motion (or waving good-bye)

Then there is 'sticky staccato'

Or is that just a phrase my early teacher made up?

Try playing staccato but pretend your finger is stuck to the key with peanut butter.

It is a separation of notes. Not legato and not crisp staccato.

I teach this:

1) as staccato as possible, staccatissimo, extremely staccato.

2) legato, connected, "bound together".

3) ANYTHING between those two extremes.

The problem for category "three" is that there are infinite gradations in between, and no one entirely agrees on terms. I might include a longer staccato under the definition "portato", while someone else will not.

"Sticky staccato" to me is just something "in between".

I don't teach wrist staccato, but I do teach mostly "push off" staccato. I guess that qualifies as "arm staccato." When I tell my students that I do staccatos with my elbow, they look at me funny.