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String Basics

This document provides definitions and explanations of basic string instrument terminology: It defines various bowing techniques like arco, pizzicato, divisi, and sul tasto. It also defines musical terms like normale, Bartok pizzicato, and special effects like tremolo. It explains the open string tunings of common string instruments like the violin, viola, cello, and bass and how their tunings relate to each other in terms of intervals and shared pitches. It provides a trick for remembering note names in the alto clef by relating it visually to the treble and bass clefs.

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2K views7 pages

String Basics

This document provides definitions and explanations of basic string instrument terminology: It defines various bowing techniques like arco, pizzicato, divisi, and sul tasto. It also defines musical terms like normale, Bartok pizzicato, and special effects like tremolo. It explains the open string tunings of common string instruments like the violin, viola, cello, and bass and how their tunings relate to each other in terms of intervals and shared pitches. It provides a trick for remembering note names in the alto clef by relating it visually to the treble and bass clefs.

Uploaded by

locrian54
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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3b

NORMAN LUDWIN

BASIC STRING
TERMINOLOGY
2

Arco: playing with the bow


Pizzicato or pizz: playing with the fingers
Divisi or div.: divide the section on a specific part, could also
half section or divide in 3 etc.
Unison or unis: section playing in unison
Ponticello or pont: bowing near or on top of the bridge
Sul tasto or tasto: bowing over the fingerboard
Sordino or sord: with the mute
Senza sord: remove mute
Normale: normal playing, undoing any special effects asked
for previously
Bartok pizz or snap pizz: pulling the string back so it snaps
against the fingerboard loudly
On the string bowings: legato, detach, martel, slurred
staccato, brush strokes
Off the string bowings: spiccato, ricochet, flying staccato
Special effects: tremolos: measured and unmeasured,
fingered tremolos,
Simile: the same idea continuing
Sul G or D : play the following passage on the G string
(violin) or D string (cello)
Tutti: all together

The top three strings are tuned in fifths, while the bass is
tuned in fourths. Most professional bassists have their low E
string tuned to a C1, a full octave below the cello.

When we change the violas clef, it is easier to understand the


connections between the open strings: the violin and viola share
three strings; the notes with the arrows are the same pitch; also
note the one pitch that the cello and bass share.

If we view the viola in bass clef, you can see that the
viola and cello open strings are exactly one octave
apart.

An easy way to remember the note names of the


violin and bass is to realize the violin and bass are
the reverse of one another.

Alto Clef
Learning the alto clef isnt really difficult; the problem is that most of us
dont use it very often. It can be difficult to remember the lines and spaces,
but here is a little trick:
First look at the notes in alto clef, for example, the open strings of the viola:

Then picture those same notes being in the treble clef, and alto clef is one
note name ABOVE where the notes would be in the treble clef:

Or picture those same notes being in the bass clef, and alto clef is one note
name BELOW where the notes would be in the bass clef:

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