Strings - Bowing, etc

Question 1

How to make a good tone on a string instrument

Answer 1

• consistent contact point
• bow on the road, parallel to bridge, between bridge and fingerboard
• tilt bow towards the scroll
• the more weight, the more speed, and the less weight, the less speed

Question 2

arco

Answer 2

with the bow

Question 3

down bow

Answer 3

pull the bow from frog to tip

Question 4

up bow

Answer 4

push the bow from tip to frog

Question 5

pizzicato

Answer 5

pluck the string. If there is a plus over the note, pluck with the left hand

Question 6

slur

Answer 6

change notes without changing direction of the bow

Question 7

legato

Answer 7

smoothly change bow directions/notes

Question 8

staccato

Answer 8

stop the bow between notes, short articulation

Question 9

detache

Answer 9

separate bows, no length of note implied, one note per bow stroke. Notes are detached in direction, not sound

Question 10

spiccato

Answer 10

bounce the bow for a short sounding articulation, let the bow bounce at its balance point

Question 11

brush stroke

Answer 11

like spiccato, but more on the string, nearer the frog

Question 12

hooked bows

Answer 12

staccato stop between notes, but continue in the same bow direction

Question 13

bow lift

Answer 13

reset bow for new repeated down bow or up bow

Question 14

tremolo

Answer 14

shivery bow at the tip

Question 15

col legno

Answer 15

with the wood of the bow

Question 16

ricochet

Answer 16

repeated bounces of the bow in the same direction, at and above the balance point

Question 17

sautille

Answer 17

rapidly bouncing bow, fast tempo

Question 18

colle

Answer 18

moving the bow entirely with the fingers of the bow hand, greatly exercise for bow hold flexibility

Question 19

bow hair angle

Answer 19

on violin/viola, bow hair should be flat on the string, except at the turn around at the frog, at which time hair faces slightly toward you as you change bows

Question 20

ondulé

Answer 20

bow stroke in which the bow plays two adjacent strings like a tremolo

Question 21

sul ponticello

Answer 21

use of the bow close to the bridge in which a harsh grating sound is produced

Question 22

sul tasto

Answer 22

use of the bow over the end of the fingerboard to produce a light, airy sound

Question 23

martelé

Answer 23

abrupt release of a stroke in a forceful manner

Question 24

louré

Answer 24

slight detachment of the notes without changing the direction of the bow