It is also worth noticing that each string has a different thickness, and therefore we need to adjust the amount of force we exerted in plucking. In a 2010 article with the Strings Magazine, violinist Paul Stein said that "while some bows are a lot better than others, your index finger is as good as anyone else's." To do a good pizzicato, Stein recommended that the fleshy part of the finger must engage the string rather than trying to pluck the string too fast. Left-hand pizzicato are usually notated with a "plus" sign above or below the note. In Mimi Zweig's teaching, young violin students are taught to practice plucking the string with the left-hand fingers to promote a quick "lifting" action that originates from the base joint. Plucking with the left-hand helps to build good technique as well. Composers mainly use this technique to showcase virtuosity by combining it with the bowed notes, one good example is the 9th variation of Paganini's Caprice No.24. Pizzicato can be performed by the left hand as well. In a rapid pizzicato passage, players may pluck the strings with alternating fingers as there is a limit to how fast one can play pizzicato with the same finger. In a long pizzicato passage, or an entire movement of pizzicato, string players may put away their bows to focus on the plucking. Some violinists and violists may choose to anchor their thumbs on the edge of the fingerboard while doing pizzicato. Typically, the string is plucked with the index finger while the bow is held in hand. The word pizzicare in Italian means 'to pinch.' The earliest known use of pizzicato can be traced back to Monterverdi's Madrigal - Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda. This is one technique you can use to play piano, but if you’re aiming for a mezzo-forte sound or louder, be sure your bow is flat on the string. The musical term pizzicato is a direction for the players of bowed string instruments (i.e., violin, viola, cello, and double bass) to pluck the strings with their fingers instead of using the bow. When we tilt the bow with our right arm, this creates a smaller sound. My last tip for your bow is to be sure that you’re playing with “flat hair”: in order to get the full sound, the bow hair should have full contact with the string. Using too much bow per note, however, can bog you down. A quick bow speed helps keep higher notes sounding light and usually works well for detaché notes. A slower bow speed is great for long slurs and notes on the lower strings. The E string in particular requires a pretty light touch to produce a clear, singing sound.Ĭheck your bow grip at the frog-I have a guide that will help you optimize your bow hold! Your bow grip will help you play with the right amount of pressure and weight.īow speed is another important factor to produce the exact sound you’re looking for. The A and E strings are the thinnest, so you’ll want to keep bow pressure light to avoid scratchy sounds. The D string is a little thinner and higher, so a little less weight will procure a nice sound. The G string is the thickest and lowest sounding, and it helps to keep your arm feeling fairly heavy when you play on this string. The optimal bow pressure (or bow weight) is a bit different for each violin string.
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