Exactly how much space there should be between staccato eighth notes, for example, depends on tempo as well as on whether you're playing Rossini or Sousa.
The descriptions have to be vague, because articulation, besides depending on the instrument, also depends on the style of the music. What you will find here is a short list of the most common articulations: their names, what they look like when notated, and a vague description of how they sound. So if you are wondering how to play slurs on your guitar or staccato on your clarinet, ask your music teacher or director.
In fact, the violinist will have some articulations available (such as pizzicato, or 'plucked') that a trumpet player will never see. In other words, the technique that a violin player uses to slur notes will be completely different from the technique used by a trumpet player, and a pianist and a vocalist will do different things to make a melody sound legato. Descriptions of how each articulation is done cannot be given here, because they depend too much on the particular instrument that is making the music.
