String Instrument Techniques PDF

String Instrument Techniques & Terminology Tuning of String Instruments The four strings on string instruments are tuned as follows: Violin: G, D, A, E (lowest to highest) Viola: C, G, D, A (lowest to highest) Cello: C, G, D, A (lowest to highest) Double Bass: E, A, D, G (lowest...

String Instrument Techniques & Terminology Tuning of String Instruments The four strings on string instruments are tuned as follows: Violin: G, D, A, E (lowest to highest) Viola: C, G, D, A (lowest to highest) Cello: C, G, D, A (lowest to highest) Double Bass: E, A, D, G (lowest to highest) (Note: Double bass is tuned an octave lower than written notes.) Double Stops Double-stopping involves playing two notes simultaneously on adjacent strings. This can also extend to triple or quadruple stops, though these are typically not sustained with the bow. Divided Strings In orchestra settings, double notes may be divided between two players reading from the same desk. Divisi: Divided (Fr. divisés, Ger. geteilt) Unisoni: Unison (Fr. unis, Ger. nichtgeteilt) Div. in 3: Divided in 3 parts (Fr. div. à 3, Ger. dreifach geteilt) Half section: La metà (It.), La moitié (Fr.), Die Hälfte (Ger.) Vibrato Vibrato adds warmth to a note via oscillations in pitch. If the vibrato is to be suppressed, the term senza vibrato (It.), sans vibrato (Fr.), and ohne Vibrato (Ger.) is used. Bowing Techniques Down-bow: Tiré (Fr.), Poussée (Fr.), Arco giù (It.), Abwärtsbogen (Ger.) Up-bow: Poussé (Fr.), Tiré (Fr.), Arco su (It.), Aufwärtsbogen (Ger.) Bow Parts: Part of the bow English Italian French German Point Near the tip Alla punta À la pointe An der Spitze Heel Near the frog Al tallone Au talon Am Frosch Bowing Techniques Bow Placement: o Near the Bridge: For louder, brighter tones. o Near the Fingerboard: For softer tones. Down-Bow: Starting at the lower part of the bow and drawing towards the point. Up-Bow: Starting at the point and drawing back towards the heel. French terms: Down-bow = tiré (drawn) Up-bow = poussé (pushed) Parts of the Bow: Part of the bow English Italian French German Point Near the tip Alla punta À la pointe An der Spitze Heel Near the frog Al tallone Au talon Am Frosch Color and volume of sound Down vs. up bow is an important choice for string players. The concertmaster and section principals determine this so the whole section can have the same bow direction and play with a unified sound. The conductor can ask for changes to align with their musical vision. There are three basic things that affect string sound: Bow speed, bow weight, contact point (how close the bow is to the fingerboard or bridge). Which part of the bow is being used (frog, middle, tip) and how much bow hair (full hair or tilted bow) can also affect sound. String choice can also affect the quality of sound. You can pay the same notes higher up on a lower, thicker string. String players generally making their own fingering choices, but sometimes a conductor will ask to avoid using a higher string (E string in particular) to avoid an “edgy” sound. Articulation There are many ways to interpret dots. To create a staccato (shortened or separated note), one can simply stop the bow either gently or abruptly (martelé). One can also lift the bow off the string, which will produce a more ringy finish to the note (this works better on a down bow). There is a whole range of “off the string” bowings called either spiccato (for slower notes) or sautillé (for faster notes). When dots appear under a slur all the notes are played in the same bow direction. The bow is stopped slightly between each note or articulated with a wrist finger motion that “pinches” the string. The bow can also come off the string between the notes (saltato, ricochet, flying staccato). Dashes can mean either a longer staccato (play the note almost the full length but don’t connect it to the next note) or a dash can mean the note should get more emphasis like a gentler accent. When dashes appear under a slur (sometimes called louré bowing), there is slight separation between the notes, but they are all played in one bow. Accents mean you start the note with more energy. This can be done with a “bite” or by using faster bow speed at the beginning of the note. More terminology Non-Legato Bow Strokes Détaché: Clear separation between each note, with smooth transitions between strokes. Accented Détaché: Each note is more forcefully articulated, creating a stronger emphasis.  Accented Détaché with Bite: More aggressive articulation with a sharper attack. Grand Détaché: Expansive and broad articulation, often in large phrases. Finger Détaché: Separation achieved more through finger movement than bow changes. Détaché Porte (Porté): A slightly connected, flowing articulation with subtle separation. Détaché Lance: Sharp, more abrupt separation, creating an aggressive sound. Détaché Collé: A firm, cohesive articulation with slight separation. Tenuto: Sustaining a note with added pressure, slightly emphasizing it. Son Filé: Very light bow pressure for a soft, distant sound. Flautando: An airy, flute-like stroke with very light bow pressure near the fingerboard. Staccato Off-the-String (Spiccato): The bow bounces off the string, creating a detached, light sound. At slower tempos, it’s called spiccato, and at faster tempos, saltando. On-the-String (Martellato): A staccato played without the bow leaving the string, often with a very forceful attack. Solid Staccato / Slurred Staccato: Short, detached notes, played with quick bow strokes, either in a single stroke or linked within a slur. This creates a "choppy" articulation, where each note is crisply separated but smooth when slurred. Flying Staccato: A bouncing or "springing" stroke, often played off the string with a fast, light, and rhythmic motion. The bow is lifted and allowed to rebound quickly off the string. Down-Bow Staccato: A staccato stroke performed with a down-bow. This stroke is often more forceful and sharp, providing a strong emphasis at the start of the bow. Marcato: A stressed, accented staccato where each note is forcefully articulated, often with sharp emphasis on the beginning of each note, making it more pronounced than typical staccato. Jeté Lent: A slow, bouncing bow stroke used to create a detached, spiky effect, with the bow allowed to bounce lightly and steadily at a slower tempo. Jeté Vite: A fast, bouncing stroke, similar to jeté lent, but executed at a quicker tempo. The bow moves in a light, bouncing manner to create a rapid, crisp articulation. Fouetté: A highly energetic and quick staccato stroke involving a whip-like motion of the bow. This technique is used for sharp, sudden accents, often producing a percussive effect. Slap Stroke: A very percussive bow stroke where the bow is either slapped onto the string or strikes the string in a very sharp, sudden motion. Often used for dramatic, explosive effects. Accents Accents can be created by varying bow pressure, speed, and the use of the left hand, sometimes through quicker vibrato or a more forceful finger stroke. Simple Martelé: A "hammered" stroke where the bow hits the string with a sharp, forceful attack, creating a sudden, distinct accent. The sound is short, crisp, and clearly articulated.  Accented Martelé: Similar to simple martelé, but with an added emphasis or stronger attack at the start of the stroke. The note is even more forcefully articulated, producing a more pronounced accent. Collé: A smooth, yet firm bow stroke that starts with the bow "glued" to the string. It creates a short, crisp note with clear articulation but a more connected sound than martelé. The stroke is often described as having a "stick-to-the-string" quality. Martelé Collé: A combination of martelé and collé techniques. The bow strikes the string with a sharp, hammered attack but is immediately followed by a smooth, connected continuation, resulting in a crisp accent followed by a more fluid, legato-like sound. Martelé Porté: A martelé stroke with a slightly sustained and flowing quality, as the accent is followed by a brief continuation of the note. It blends the sharpness of martelé with a smoother, carried-over effect. Martelé Lance: A more aggressive and abrupt version of martelé, creating a sharply accentuated sound. The attack is forceful, followed by a sudden stop or quick change in bow direction, making the accent very pronounced. Viotti: A bow stroke associated with Giovanni Viotti, combining elements of martelé and collé. It has a strong accent at the beginning of each note, followed by a slightly smooth continuation. Often used for expressive phrasing and dramatic effects. Kreutzer: A bow stroke named after Rodolphe Kreutzer, known for its emphatic, energetic accents. It is a more vigorous version of martelé with a rapid, sharp attack and a more pronounced accent. This technique is used in virtuosic passages for dramatic, highly articulated effects. Playing on Specific Strings (Sul X) Sul G: Play on the G string (It. Sul G, Fr. Sur le sol, Ger. Auf der G-Saite). Sul D: Play on the D string (It. Sul D, Fr. Sur le ré, Ger. Auf der D-Saite). (Can also be written with a roman numeral) Effects of Tone Color Sul Ponticello: Playing near the bridge for a metallic sound (Fr. Au chevalet, It. Sul ponticello, Ger. Am Steg). Sul Tasto: Playing near the fingerboard for a softer, flutier sound (Fr. Sur la touche, It. Sulla tastiera/sul tasto, Ger. An Griffbrett). Col Legno: Playing with the wood of the bow (It. Col legno, Fr. Col legno, Ger. Mit dem Bogenholz). Pizzicato Pizzicato refers to plucking the strings instead of bowing them. It can be performed in various ways: Standard Pizzicato: Plucking with the fingers (It. Pizzicato, Fr. Pizzicato, Ger. Pizzicato). Left-Hand Pizzicato: Indicated by a cross above or below the note, plucked with the left hand (It. Pizzicato con la mano sinistra). Bartók Pizzicato: Plucking so violently that the string strikes the fingerboard (It. Pizzicato Bartók).  Pizzicato Harmonics: Playing harmonics by plucking the string in a specific manner. Nail Pizzicato: Plucking the string with the fingernail, often producing a sharper, more percussive sound. Chords are often arpeggiated in pizzicato from the bottom up unless marked otherwise. Harmonics are high-pitched overtones created by lightly touching the string, producing a bell- like sound. There are two main types of harmonics: Natural Harmonics These are produced by lightly touching specific points on the string, allowing the string to vibrate in divisions that produce higher pitches: 1st Harmonic: One octave above the open string – Touch the string halfway between the nut and the bridge. 2nd Harmonic: An octave and a fifth above the open string – Touch at the 1/3 point of the string. 3rd Harmonic: Two octaves above the open string – Touch at the 1/4 point of the string. 4th Harmonic: Two octaves and a fifth above the open string – Touch at the 1/5 point of the string. Notation: the Roman numeral denotes the string (IV = G, III = D, II = A, I = E) the small circle shows that it is a harmonic the note itself is the sounding pitch (not where you touch the string) Artificial Harmonics These are produced by placing one finger on a stopped note and lightly touching another finger higher on the string: A minor third above a stopped pitch: Produces a tone two octaves and a fifth higher. A major third above a stopped pitch: Produces a tone two octaves and a third higher. Notation: Artificial harmonics are indicated in notation by (a) placing a small circle above the note to be heard as a harmonic, or (b) writing the fundamental to be stopped by the first finger as a normal note and the node a fourth above as a diamond-shaped note. The actual pitch of the tone intended is often added above. Trills and Tremolo Bowed Tremolo: Fast repetition of a single note with the bow. Fingered Tremolo: Rapid alternation between two notes using the fingers. Measured Tremolo: Specific note values (e.g., sixteenth notes). Unmeasured Tremolo: As fast as possible. Mutes With Mute: Con sordina (It.), Avec sourdine (Fr.), Mit Dämpfer (Ger.). Without Mute: Senza sordina (It.), Sans sourdine (Fr.), Ohne Dämpfer (Ger.).