Violin Advanced Fingering Chart

1st - 7th Positions

E String

A String

D String
G string

E String

A String

D String

G string

Although flats and sharps are not shown (accidentals), the same finger is generally used for raised or lowered
notes (e.g. on the E string, 1st finger is used for F & F#).

Fingerboard Chart

Violin Reading Music

A, B, C, D, E, F, G

Seven letters of the alphabet are used to name

notes in music.

Staff
Musical notes are written on and between five
parallel lines called a staff.
Treble Clef

The Treble clef or G clef is used for violin music. It

also is used by the viola and cello when the notes
are in a higher range than the tenor and bass
clefs.

Alto Clef

The Alto clef is the most frequently used clef in

viola music. Notice how the clef curves in the
middle to point to the note middle C.

Bass Clef

The Bass clef (or F clef) is the most frequently

used clef in cello music. The two dots surround the
line F.

Tenor Clef

The Tenor clef is used for cello music with notes in

a range higher than notes found in the bass clef.
The middle pointer of this clef points to middle C
(the second line from the top of the staff).

Notes on the lines:

Memory tip for notes written on the lines: use each
note as the first letter of the words in the sentence:
Every Good Boy Does Fine.
Notes in the spaces:
Memory tip for notes written in the spaces: these
letters spell the word: F A C E.
Notes which extend above and below the staff are written on ledger lines & spaces.
Notes below the staff:

Notes above the staff:

Consecutive letter names of notes using the Treble clef:

Violin Measures & Repeats

Staffs are divided by bars into measures.

A thick double bar is a final ending and indicates
the end of a section of music.
Time Signature

The top number in a time signature shows the

number of beats that are in each measure. The
bottom number shows what type of note gets
each beat. For example, a time signature of 3/4
indicates each measure contains three quarter
notes.
A double bar with two dots is a repeat marking,
and indicates the music in between the repeat
signs should be repeated.
If there is only one repeat sign with the dots
facing to the left, go back to the beginning and
play the entire section of music again.
First and second endings should be played as
follows: play the first ending the first time through
the music, repeat to the beginning of the section,
then skip over the first ending and play the
second ending.

D.C. al Fine

D.C. al Fine means go back to the beginning, and

end at theFine marking. (D.C. is an abbreviation
for da capo, and means from the beginning
and Fine means "end").
D.C. al Coda means go back to the beginning of

D.C. al Coda

D.S. al Fine

the piece, play to the Coda sign:

, then jump
to the Coda section to finish the piece.
D.S. al Fine means go back to the sign,
and
end at the Fine marking (D.S. is an abbreviation
for dal segno, and means the sign).

Rhythm
Violin Rhythmic Value Chart

NOTE

BEATS

Whole Note

4 beats

Dotted Half Note*

3 beats

Half Note

2 beats

Quarter Note

1 beat

Eighth Note

1/2 beat

Sixteenth Note

1/4 beat

REST

*A dot increases the value of a note by 1/2. Example:

Violin Equivalent Note Chart

Whole Note
Half Notes

Quarter Notes

Eighth Notes
Eighth Note
Triplets*
Sixteenth Notes
*A triplet is a group of three notes played in the time of 2 notes of the same value.

Violin Meter
Meter is the grouping of beats in stressed and unstressed patterns. For example, the musical form of a waltz
generally uses a rhythmic pattern of three beats, with the first note accented (ONE, two, three; ONE, two, three).
This is called triple meter. The most common meters are duple meters (a rhythmic pattern of two beats); triple
meter (three beats) or quadruple meter (four beats).
Time Signatures (sometimes known as meter signatures) are a sign or fraction placed at the beginning of a
piece to indicate the meter of the piece. Time signatures show how the beats are grouped in each measure, and
what the duration is of each note. The top number in a time signature indicates how many beats there are in a
measure, and the bottom number indicates the note value which represents one beat. For example, a time
signature of 3/4 indicates each measure contains three quarter notes. Since each measure is grouped into three
beats, 3/4 is in a triple meter.
Sample Time Signatures

2/4 Time Signature

3/4 Time Signature

The letter C for common time is often used to

indicate a 4/4 time signature.
6/8 Time Signature. Notice how in this time
signature, the eighth notes are grouped into two
groups of three notes each.
Sharps, Flats & Naturals

Sharp

Flat

Natural

Enharmonic
Notes

A sharp set before a note raises the pitch of the note a

half-step, and remains in effect for the rest of the
measure.
A flat set before a note lowers the pitch of the note a
half-step, and remains in effect for the rest of the
measure.
A natural set before a note restores the natural pitch of
a note, and is often used after a flat or sharp.
Enharmonic notes are two notes that sound the same,
but are spelled differently (e.g. A# and Bb).
Key Signatures

Sharps or flats placed at the beginning of each staff

are called key signatures. This key signature with an
F# indicates that all F notes in this piece should be
played as F#.
This key signature with a B and E flat indicates that
all B's and E's should be played as B flat and E flat.
Keys are used to organize a piece of music. For example, music written in the key of C would center around the
tone of C, and would use notes from the C scale (no sharps or flats).

There are 15 Major & Minor Key Signatures. As illustrated below, each major key signature has a corresponding
minor key signature (e.g. both C Major and a minor do not have any sharps or flats).

C Major

G Major D Major

A Major

E Major

B Major

F# Major

C# Major

a minor

e minor

f# minor

c# minor

g# minor

d# minor

a# minor

b minor

F Major

Bb Major

Eb Major

Ab Major

Db Major

Gb Major

Cb Major

d minor

g minor

c minor

f minor

Bb minor

Eb minor

Ab minor

Circle of Fifths
A circle of fifths is an arrangement of keys by ascending fifths. It displays how many sharps or flats are in each
key. Major keys are noted in capital letters and are found on the outer part of the circle (C,G etc.), and minor
keys are in lower case letters on the inner part of the circle (a, e etc.).

Violin Dynamics Chart

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION
Dynamics is a term that indicates the degree of loudness or
softness in music. The following commonly used dynamic
terms are listed in the order of softest to loudest.*

Dynamics
Pianississimo
Pianissimo

As soft as possible
Very soft

Piano

soft

Mezzo piano

Moderately soft

Mezzo forte

Moderately loud

Forte

loud

Fortissimo

Very loud

Fortississimo

As loud as possible

*Although dynamics softer than ppp or louder than fff are theoretically possible, in actual practice, they are rarely
used.
Additional Dynamic Terms

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION

Crescendo

Crescendo (cresc.) means to gradually become louder.

Diminuendo

Diminuendo (dim.) means to gradually become softer. The

term decrescendo (decresc. or decr.) also means to become
softer.

Accent
Sforzando

Emphasize the note by playing forcefully.

Play loudly with a sudden, forced emphasis.
Violin Tempo & Expressive Terms

NAME
Accelerando

DEFINITION
Accelerate or gradually increase the tempo or speed of the music.

Adagio

A slow, leisurely tempo, often considered to be slower than andante, but not quite as slow
as largo. Slow movements of a piece are sometimes titled adagio.

Agitato

Agitated or restless. Direction to play in an agitated manner.

Allegretto

A lively and moderately fast tempo. Often considered to be slower than allegro, but faster
than andante.

Allegro

A quick, lively and brisk tempo (not quite as fast as presto).

Amore

Play with love, lovingly.

Andante
Andantino

A moderately slow tempo. Often considered to be a walking speed.

A slightly slower tempo than andante (andante is a moderately slow tempo).

Animato

"Animated" or spirited. Play in a lively, spirited manner.

Appassionato

Play passionately, or with intense emotion and feeling.

Assai

Means "very" in Italian. Modifies other terms when added to them, e.g. allegro assai means
very fast.

Assez

Means "enough" or "rather" in French. Modifies other terms when added to them, e.g. assez
vif means "rather lively" in French (vif means lively), or assez vite means "rather fast" (vite
means fast).

A tempo

"In tempo," meaning return to the original tempo or speed. Often used after some variation
in the tempo.

Bravura

Boldness. Play brilliantly with boldness and spirit. Sometimes used in passages where
virtuosic skill is required of the performer.

Brio

Spirited and lively. Con brio means play with spirit in a vivacious manner.

Cantabile

Play in a singing or vocal style; make the music sing in an expressive manner.

Comodo

Comodo is Italian for a comfortable, leisurely and convenient tempo or speed, neither too
fast or too slow.

Con

"With" or in a style expressive of a certain quality. Often used to modify another term such
as con spirito, meaning to play with a spirited style.

Dolce

Sweet, soft or gentle. Direction to play sweetly.

Fuoco

"Fire" meaning, play with fire in a fiery, spirited manner.

Grandioso
Grave
Larghetto

Play with majestic grandeur.

Play in a slow and solemn manner
Slightly faster than largo, with a similarly broad, large and stately tempo and style.

Largo

A broad, slow tempo that is dignified and stately in style. Largo is the slowest of tempo
markings.

Lento

Means slow in Italian (lent in French). Lento and lent mean a slow tempo in between largo
and andante.

Maestoso
Meno
Moderato
Mosso
Moto
Piu

Majestic and dignified.

Less. Often used with other terms such as meno mosso (less rapid or less motion)
Moderate. Play at a moderate tempo or speed. This term sometimes modifies others such
as Allegro moderato, which means moderately fast.
Moved. When used alone as a tempo term, the meaning is similar to con moto: with motion.
Mosso is sometimes used with other qualifying terms such as piu mosso, meaning a little
faster (more motion).
Motion. Often used with other terms such as con moto (with motion).
More.

Poco

"Little" or slightly. A poco a poco means little by little or gradually. Poco modifies other terms
when added to them such as poco diminuendo, meaning to become slightly softer.

Presto

A fast, rapid and lively tempo, faster than allegro.

Quasi

"As if," "almost" or "nearly." Often used to modify terms e.g. Allegretto quasi Andantino,
meaning an allegretto tempo almost at an andantino tempo.

Rallentando

Gradually becoming slower. Also abbreviated as rall.

Religioso

Play in a devotional or religious style.

Risoluto

Resolutely; play in a resolute, energetic and decisive manner.

Ritardando

Gradually becoming slower and slower (the same meaning as rallentando). Ritardando is
often abbreviated as rit.

Rubato

"Robbed." A temporary robbing of time by either slowing or speeding the tempo or rhythmic
value of notes in a passage of music.

Simile

In a similar manner. Often used to indicate a passage of music should be performed in the
same manner as a preceding section.

Semplice

Tempo

Tempo di valse

Simply. Perform in a simple, unadorned, natural manner.

The rate of speed or pace of the music. Also may be used with other qualifying words such
as "a tempo," meaning return to the original tempo or speed. Various tempo markings are
used to indicate directions for the rate of speed such as andante (moderately slow) and
allegro (fast). Metronome markings are another way to specify even more precisely the
tempo of music e.g. = 60 means each quarter note should be played at the speed of 60
quarter notes per minute.
Play the music at the rate of speed or pace of a waltz.

Troppo

Too much. Used to modify other terms such as adagio ma non troppo, meaning, slow but
not too slow.

Vivace

Lively and brisk. As a tempo marking, vivace is often considered slightly faster than allegro.

Violin Tuning

The four strings on the violin are tuned in perfect fifths to the following notes: G, D, A, E. An "A" tuning
fork, digital tuner, pitch pipe or a piano may be used to assist with tuning.
The violin is tuned to the following notated pitches:

G String

D String

A String

E String

Violin Care and Instrument Maintenance

Wondering how to take care of your violin? The following tips
provide guidelines for the proper care and maintenance of your violin.
Tighten your violin bow before playing by gently turning the tension screw. Avoid making the bow hairs
too taut---the separation between the bow stick and hair should be about the width of a pencil.
Whenever you handle your violin bow, try not to touch the bow hairs with your fingers or hand. The
natural oils on your skin will impact the ability of the bow to grip the string.
Put a small amount of rosin on your bow before playing. Hold the rosin in your left hand, place the bow
hairs flat on the rosin and slowly move the bow back and forth on the rosin. Rosin provides the bow hair
with friction in order to produce a sound when the bow is pulled across the violin strings.
If you do not have enough rosin on your bow, your bow will slide across the strings and produce very little
or no sound. Too much rosin can produce a raspy, scratching sound, and can result in rosin caking the
strings. Visit our rosin & sound page for directions on how to apply rosin
After playing the violin, gently clean it with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth to remove rosin build-up on the
strings.
Polish is rarely needed, and when necessary, only a commercial violin polish should be used. Cleaning
the violin with furniture polish and/or water could damage the varnish and acoustics of the violin (water
could also cause the violin seams to open).
When you are not using your violin and bow, always place them in your case. They can easily fall and
become damaged if you leave them on a chair or another surface, even temporarily.
If you use a shoulder rest or shoulder pad, always remove it from your violin before putting your violin
back in its case.
Loosen the hair on your bow before putting it back in the case.
Do not store your violin in extreme hot or cold locations.
If you live in a dry climate, you may want to consider using a humidifier made for violins (excessive
dryness can cause cracking or the seams of your violin to open).
If your violin ever has cracks or the seams begin to open, take it to a music store, violin maker or luthier
to be professionally repaired. Never use commercial glue to repair cracks on your violin. Instrument
makers use a special glue for violin seams and repairs.
If your violin bridge ever needs to be adjusted, it is important to note that the violin bridge is held in place
by pressure and proper placement, not glue (tension from the violin strings holds it in place). Visit our
violin bridge adjustment section for more information.
Sticking or Loose Violin Pegs

Humidity or temperature changes can sometimes cause wood pegs to stick or to have difficulty turning. If

you experience this, you may want to try an inexpensive product called peg compound(also called peg
dope). Peg compound will not only lubricate the peg, but it will also provide enough friction so the peg
will not slip. When using peg compound or any other product to help with sticking or loose pegs, use it
sparingly because a residue can build up over time (some violinists avoid these products).
To apply peg compound, remove the string from the peg, and slide the peg out of the pegbox. Apply a
small amount of peg compound to the part of the peg that contacts the pegbox and reinsert the peg. Turn
the peg a few times to make sure it turns smoothly. Wipe off any excess peg compound before
restringing the peg.
If your pegs are too loose and keep slipping, try pushing the peg in securely while turning the peg firmly.
If this doesnt work, some violinists use either peg compound or another product called peg drops to
stop pegs from slipping (peg drops, also known as peg grip are used solely for slipping pegs).
To apply peg drops, remove the string from the peg, slide the peg out of the pegbox, and apply one or
two drops to the part of the peg that contacts the pegbox. Reinsert the peg and try turning it to make sure
the peg sticks before restringing the peg.
If you need a temporary quick fix for slipping or tight pegs, some violin teachers use these tips: for
sticking pegs, pull the peg partially out, and rub pencil graphite on the sticking part of the peg. For loose
pegs, pull the peg partially out, and rub birthday candle wax on the peg to help it stick (some teachers
recommend chalk or rosin to help pegs stick, but these substances can be abrasive). If youre still having
problems with your pegs, you may need to take your violin to a violin maker or instrument repair person
to reshape or replace the pegs.
Bow Bugs

Has it been a while since youve played your violin? If you open your violin case and notice that many of
your violin bow hairs are falling off and look like they have been cut, you might have bow bugs.

 Bow bugs, also known as bow mites or museum beetles, come from the dermestidae family of beetles.
They thrive in dark, dry places such as closed violin cases, and feed on substances such as bow hair.
If you think you have bow bugs, remove your violin and bow from the violin case, thoroughly vacuum the
case (especially the cracks and crevices), and leave the case open in indirect sunlight for a few days
(leave your violin and bow out of the case during this process). Some individuals have found it helpful to
put a small bag of moth balls or a cotton ball with rosemary oil or camphor oil in their violin case
compartment to help eradicate the bow bugs.
If your bow hairs are heavily damaged, you may need to have your bow rehaired, and if your case seems
heavily infested, you may need to buy a new violin case.
The easiest way to avoid bow bugs, is to play your violin often. If you know you wont be playing your
violin for an extended period of time, another way to avoid bow bugs is to periodically open your violin
case and expose your violin bow and case to indirect sunlight for brief periods of time.
Rosin & Sound
Why Rosin?
New violin bows often do not produce any sound because they need rosin.
Rosin is extremely important because it provides the bow hair with friction in order to produce a sound
when the bow is pulled across the violin strings.
Without rosin, the bow will slide across the violin strings and produce a faint whispery sound (or no sound
at all).
Rosin comes in hard, round or oblong "cakes" of resin.
Rosin instructions:
Before applying rosin, tighten the bow hairs by gently turning the tension screw (avoid over tightening).
Place the bow hairs flat on the rosin at the "frog" of the bow (near the bottom where the tension screw is),
and gently rub the bow hairs up and down a few times (as if scrubbing a small spot on the floor).
Then, draw the bow hairs straight across the rosin until the tip of the bow is reached. Repeat the same
gentle scrubbing motion at the tip of the bow, and pull the flat bow hairs back to the frog again.
Repeat this process across the full length of the bow several times.
After each playing session, use a soft, dry cloth to remove rosin dust from the strings and body of the
instrument.
Rosin test:
There aren't specific requirements for how often or how long to rosin a bow, but there is a simple test to
determine if the bow has enough rosin: using the back of your thumbnail, pull it sideways across the hair
of the bow (under the bow hair, near the frog).
If a small puff of rosin can be seen, the bow has enough rosin. Never use your fingers to test if the bow
has enough rosin or the natural oil from your fingers will get on the hair of the bow and cause the bow to
slide even more.
Too much rosin can produce a raspy, scratching sound, and can result in rosin caking the strings.
Additional sound guidelines:
Key elements in producing a good, solid tone on the violin are:
Sufficient pressure while drawing the bow across the string.
Proper placement of the bow in relation to the bridge.
Speed of the bow.
A violin teacher is the best person to help violinists know how to produce a good sound when beginning
the violin.

Changing Violin Strings Tips:

Scroll

Tailpiece & fine tuner

When replacing all of the violin strings or stringing a violin for the first time, violinists generally replace
one violin string at a time. Do not remove all of the violin strings at the same time, or the soundpost or
fingerboard could collapse.
Although the order you replace violin strings isn't critical, many violinists start with the G string, and work
their way up to the E string.
If the violin string youre installing has a fine tuner, insert the ball or loop end of the string over the tuner
cartridge in the tailpiece, and pull the violin string toward the bridge.
If the violin string does not have a fine tuner, insert the ball or knotted end of the string through the
tailpiece string hole, tug firmly to make sure the knot or ball is securely in the slot, and pull the violin
string toward the bridge. You may need to hold the ball or knot in place with your finger while increasing
the tension of the violin string as you turn the peg.
Slightly pull out the peg the violin string will go in until the peg hole is just inside of the pegbox. Thread
the end of the violin string through the peg hole (let the violin string slightly protrude), and evenly begin
winding it.
Push the peg in as you're turning the violin string to keep the peg from slipping.
Generally, fine tuners are used only on the E string, but beginning violinists often find it useful to have
tuners for each violin string.
When replacing all of the violin strings, violinists often tune all of the strings to an approximate correct
pitch, then do the fine tuning to get each pitch precisely in tune.
Be aware that when you put on all new violin strings, it will take more adjusting than usual to tune the
violin.
For tuning assistance, visit our violin tuning section.

If your pegs are slipping or are too tight to securely adjust the strings, you may want to purchasepeg
compound (also called peg dope), an inexpensive commercial product.
If you dont have peg compound and need a temporary quick fix for slipping or tight pegs, you may want
to try tips some violin teachers use: for sticking pegs, pull the peg partially out, and rub pencil graphite on
the sticking part of the peg. For loose pegs, pull the violin peg partially out, and rub birthday candle wax
on the peg to help it stick (some teachers recommend chalk to help pegs stick, but it's abrasive).
Many violinists find it helpful to have extra set of violin strings on hand in case a string breaks.
Violin strings can significantly affect the sound of your instrument. You may want to experiment with
different brands to determine the sound you like best on your violin.

Violin Bridge Adjustment

Violin Bridge Placement Tips:
The violin bridge is held in place by pressure and proper placement, not glue (tension from
the violin strings holds it in place).
The bridge is evenly lined up with the fingerboard, and stands straight up, perpendicular to
the violin.
The feet of the bridge should be aligned with the interior notches of the F-holes. The lower
side of the bridge should be placed under the E string (the string with the highest pitch).
When adjusting or putting a bridge on the violin, it's very important to slightly loosen the
violin strings before the bridge is placed, centered, and kept perfectly straight (perpendicular
to the violin).
To adjust a tilting bridge, first slightly loosen the violin strings, then grasp the top of the
bridge at its upper corners with the thumb and index fingers of each hand and gently pull or
push the top of the bridge until a 90 angle is achieved.
If your bridge has become warped (or you feel uncomfortable adjusting it), take your violin to
your local violin shop or instrument dealer for professional assistance.
Choosing a Violin

Should I rent or buy?

Renting or purchasing are both good options for those who are beginning the violin. If youre buying a violin, it is
essential to find and use a reputable dealer, music store or violin maker. It is strongly recommended that you
enlist the help of your violin teacher or an advanced violinist to help you choose a violin that is well-made, has a
good tone and is worth buying. There are many poorly made violins out there, and price isn't the best way to
determine the quality or sound of an instrument.
Before purchasing an instrument, it's a good idea to test and compare several violins before making a final
decision. If you do decide to purchase online or through mail order, carefully investigate the companys return
policy to make sure you're able to return the instrument if you aren't satisfied with it.
What size violin should I get?
Violins are available in many sizes, and a knowledgeable violin maker, music dealer or violin teacher will be able
to help you find the right size for you or your child. Generally, the smaller sizes (1/16; 1/8; 1/4; 1/2; 3/4) are for
children, and most adults and teenagers use full size (4/4) violins.
As a general sizing guideline, when you hold the violin (placing the chin rest under your left jaw), you should be
able to extend your left arm under the violin and be able to curve the tips of your left fingers around the end of
the scroll, including a slight bend in your left elbow. If your fingers can't reach the end of the scroll, a smaller
sized violin might be appropriate. Again, a violinist or knowledgeable music dealer should be able to assist you in
finding the correct size.
I have an old violin. Whats my violin worth?
The best (and only) way to really determine the value of a violin is to take it to one or more reputable violin
makers (or violin dealers) and have an expert look at it in person. They should be able to tell you in a matter of
moments if it's worth much. Many inexpensive, machine made instruments have fake Stradivarius labels
inserted in them, so a label often has little meaning.
Just a few of the many factors used in determining the value of an instrument include: whether or not the
instrument is machine or handmade; who made the instrument (if it's handmade); the country or region the violin
was made in; age of the instrument; sound quality, condition of the instrument; and previous repair jobs.
Numerous other factors are also utilized, but again, only an expert can properly evaluate the worth of your
instrument.
If the instrument does appear to be valuable, you may want to get several opinions (there are unscrupulous
dealers out there). Music dealers generally charge for written appraisals (often used for insurance purposes), but
they should be able to give you a rough verbal estimate if you're interested in selling or "trading up" (similar to
buying a car---the value of your violin is applied to the purchase price of one of their violins).

Violin Bow Hold Tips:

Relax hand, slightly turn wrist to the left, and let the fingers drop into place.
The tip of the bent thumb touches the frog contact point.
Fingers gently curve over the top of the violin bow stick.
The middle finger is opposite from the thumb.

Violin Bow Placement Tips:

Good tone quality is achieved through proper bow placement, bow speed and bow pressure.
Slightly tilt the wood of the violin bow towards the fingerboard.
Place the bow on the string at the middle point between the bridge and the fingerboard.
Draw the violin bow in a straight line so the bow remains parallel to the bridge.
Loud sounds can be achieved with heavy bow pressure and by drawing the bow close to the bridge.
Soft sounds can be achieved with light bow pressure and by drawing the bow close to the fingerboard.
Keep the level of the arm and bow constant while playing on different strings.

How to Hold the Violin

Violin Placement:
The violin is held horizontally (parallel with the floor) and is angled to the left of a straight forward
position.
Place the violin on your left collar bone (some violinists prefer the soft spot just behind the collar bone),
and rest the left side of your jaw on the chin rest.
Many violinists find shoulder rests helpful to hold up the violin, and there are a variety of shoulder rests
available. Some violinists use round make-up sponges (attached with rubber bands), and others use
shoulder rests that feel most comfortable to them. Visit our Music Store - Violin Shoulder Rests for
sample styles.
Left Hand Tips:
The elbow should be under the center of the violin.
Keep the wrist gently rounded.
Avoid resting the wrist against the violin neck.
The thumb should be opposite the first or second finger.
Maintain a curved, open space between the thumb and index finger (a backwards "C").
Posture:
When standing, stand straight with feet shoulder width apart, and with relaxed knees. Some violinists
recommend sliding the left foot slightly forward.
When seated, use a chair with a firm base, and sit up straight (soft sofas arent recommended). Some
violinists sit towards the front of the chair, and prefer placing the left foot slightly forward.

BOW STROKES: On the String*

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION

Coll means glued. It is a very short stroke, and begins with

the bow lightly contacting the string with a distinct and short,
sharp pinch. The bow is then lifted to prepare for the next
Coll
stroke. The resulting sound was described by Galamian as
being similar to pizzicato with the bow. Although coll usually
has no articulation markings, dots are sometimes used.
Dtach indicates smooth, separate bow strokes should be
used for each note (it does not mean detached or
Dtach
disconnected). Notes are of equal value, and are produced
with an even, seamless stroke with no variation in pressure.
Dtach lanc is a variation of the dtach bow stroke. A
slightly separated bow stroke is used to gently articulate the
Dtach lanc notes with an unaccented, distinct break between each note.
It is often used in combination with the lour or port stroke to
perform several separated notes in the same bow.
Legato indicates the notes should be smoothly connected,
Legato
played either in one or several bows (slurs are often used
with the legato bow stroke).
Lour strokes are a short series of gently pulsed legato notes
executed in one bow stroke (it is also known as portato). A
slight swelling at the beginning of the note should be applied,
followed by a gradual lightening of the sound. Strokes are
Lour
distinctly separate, yet unaccented, and the expressive swell
is produced by applying pressure and speed to the bow at the
beginning of the note. Although a slur and horizontal dashes
are generally used to indicate this effect, dots with slurs are
occasionally used.
Martel is a French term meaning hammered. Each note is
percussive, and commences with a sharp accent or "pinch" at
the beginning of the note, followed by a quick release. Before
Martel
the bow is set in motion, the index finger applies this "pinch"
or "bite" for articulation. Martel may be notated in more than
one way: with dots, hammer heads or accents.
Staccato indicates the bow should remain on the string to
play shortened and detached notes, distinctly separate from
successive notes. Staccato is sometimes used with slurs
Staccato
(slurred staccato) for a series of short, stopped notes played
in the same up or down bow (many violinists perform slurred
staccato as a series of slurred martel strokes).
*Articulation markings often mean different things. For example, a dot means shorten the note and can indicate
bow strokes such as spiccato (off the string) and staccato (on the string). It is important to understand the
context of the music and the purpose for the articulation in order to properly interpret the markings and
corresponding bow strokes. It should also be noted that bowing terminology and markings are not always
precise. Different bow strokes are often used in combination with other bow strokes to achieve the desired
musical effect. Musicians sometimes disagree about how to interpret bowing terminology and markings, so use
your best judgment, and enjoy the music!

BOW STROKES: Off the String

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION

Jet

Jet means "thrown" in French. In this bow stroke, the bow is

thrown on the string, and then bounces for several notes in
the same bow direction. The height and speed of the bounce
are regulated through factors such as the amount of pressure
used by the index finger, and where the bow is initially thrown

Ricochet

Sautill

Spiccato

or placed.
Ricochet is a bow stroke where the bow is dropped on the
string and rebounds (bounces) on the string for several notes
in the same bow direction. The natural resiliency of the string
helps the bow to bounce. As in the jet bow stroke, the height
and speed of the bounce are regulated through factors such
as additional pressure used by the index finger, and where
the bow is initially thrown or placed. Although ricochet and
jet are similar, some violinists consider jet to be more of a
controlled bounce than ricochet (there are some violinists who
use these terms interchangeably).
Sautill is a fast, bouncing or springing stroke in which the
bow naturally bounces off of the string, producing a lighter,
more rapid, and less percussive sound than spiccato. The
natural resiliency of the bow is utilized to produce this light,
fast stroke, and it is often played in the middle of the bow.
Spiccato is an off-the-string, controlled bouncing bow stroke
which produces a crisp sound and very short notes. It is the
slowest of the bouncing strokes.

Violin Bowing Directions & Special Effects

NOTATION

NAME

DEFINITION

Accent

An accent placed over or under a note means the note should

be emphasized by playing forcefully.

Arco
Au talon

Bariolage

Bow lift

Col legno

Play with the bow (bowing directions such as arco are often
used after a plucked, pizzicato section).
Talon is French for frog, and this term means a particular
section of music should be played with the bow at the frog
(other terms for frog are nut or heel).
Bariolage is a French term which means an odd mixture of
colors, and directs the string player to achieve a contrast in
tone colors by playing on different strings. An example of
barriolage is when the same note is played, alternating
between open strings and stopped strings, or by playing a
repeated passage, oscillating between two, three, or four
strings. Fingering is often used to indicate bariolage.
Lift the bow, and return to its starting point.
With the wood. Col legno means to strike the string with the
stick of the bow rather than the hair (it is also called col legno
battuto) When there are extended col legno passages in
music, some professional violinists use inexpensive bows for
these sections in order to avoid damaging their expensive
bows.
Col legno tratto is less commonly used, and indicates the
wood of the bow should be drawn across the string (use with
caution, this can damage the wood of the bow).

Down Bow
Flautando

Begin the bow at the frog, and pull the bow from the frog to
the tip.
Bow slightly over the fingerboard.

Punta
darco
Sforzando

Slur

Sul
ponticello
Sul tasto
Tenuto
Tie

Bow at the point or tip of the bow.

Sforzando means forced or accented, and is usually attached
to a single note or chord. It generally indicates the note
should be played loudly with a sudden accented emphasis.
A curved line grouping notes together, indicating the notes
included in the slur should be played in the same bow. Unless
otherwise indicated, notes in the slur should be played legato.
When slurs are used with dots over or under the notes, this
indicates a slight separation should be used between the
notes (the terms slurred staccato or dotted slurs are often
used to describe this technique). When a slur is placed
between two notes with the same pitch, this is called a tie
and the two notes are played in one bow for the duration of
both notes.
Play with the bow near the bridge. The result is a glassy,
whispery sound.
Bow over the fingerboard. This produces a soft, flutelike
sound.
Play sustained or broadly, and hold the note for its whole
value.
Connect two or more notes of the same pitch with one bow.
Bowed tremolo indicates the note should be played with very
short, rapid and unaccented bow strokes, moving the bow
back and forth for the duration of the note value (tremolos are
usually played in the upper third of the bow, and a light wrist
motion is used to achieve them.)

Tremolos are either measured (a clear subdivision of the

Tremolo
notes rhythmic value) or unmeasured (play the note as fast
(bowed tremolo)
as possible). Tremolo signs are indicated by short slanted
lines through note stems. For example, one line through a
stem indicates eighth note tremolos, 2 lines mean sixteenth
note tremolos, and 3 lines indicate unmeasured tremolo. If
tremolos are placed on a beamed note, the beam counts as
one of the lines.

Tremolo
(fingered
tremolo)

Up bow
WB, LH, UH, MB

Whole bow

Tremolos may also be played between more than one note,

and this is called fingered tremolo (it is also known as slurred
tremolo). Instead of the bow rapidly moving, the fingers
rapidly alternate between the two notes of the interval, while
the bow smoothly plays. Fingered tremolo is generally
notated by incomplete beams being placed between two
notes of an interval to indicate the rhythmic value of the
tremolo.
Begin the bow at the point or tip, and pull the bow from the
point to the frog.
These terms are sometimes used to indicate what part of the
bow should be used:
WB = Whole Bow; LH = Lower Half; UH = Upper Half; MB =
Middle of the Bow.

Violin Additional Skills

NOTATION

NAME

Glissando

Grace note
Harmonics
(natural
harmonics)

DEFINITION
An ornamental effect notated as two notes connected by a
wavy or straight line, indicating a continuous slide in pitch.
Instead of playing the two notes separately, the finger should
smoothly slide along the string between the two notes,
playing all of the notes along the line in a subtle or
pronounced manner (including the two notated notes). The
context of the glissando should determine its interpretation.
Used to ornament a note, a grace note is written in a small
font indicating the musician should quickly play the grace
note, then the note it is attached to (the grace note is not part
of the rhythmic value of the measure).
Harmonics are overtones of the string and produce soft
flutelike sounds when the string is lightly touched at specific
fractional divisions (nodal points). Natural harmonics are
produced on open strings, and artificial or stopped harmonics
are produced on stopped strings. Composers often indicate
which string should be used for the harmonic by notating
above or below the note markings such as sul D, D string, or
III (meaning, play the harmonic on the D string, the third string
on the violin).
Natural harmonics are indicated in two ways: by a small "o"
written above the note to be lightly touched, and by a small
diamond shape at a specific point on the string where the
finger should be lightly placed. The most commonly used
natural harmonics are described below, with notated
examples on the D string.
1. The string is divided in half (two equal parts).
When the string is lightly touched in the middle, the
resulting pitch sounds one octave above the open
string. This particular harmonic is generally notated
at the actual pitch with a small circle above it. Ex. 1
is an example of a natural harmonic dividing the
string into one half on the D string. To play it, find
the middle point of the D string (the indicated note
D), and lightly touch this note with your finger. As
you use your bow to play this note, the resulting
pitch should be one octave above the open string
D.

2. The string is divided in thirds (three equal parts). If

the string is lightly touched at one third of the string
length from either end, the resulting pitch should
be an octave and a perfect fifth above the open
note. Ex. 2 is an example of a natural harmonic
dividing the string into thirds.

3. The string is divided into fourths (four equal parts).

If the string is lightly touched at one of the nodes
dividing the string in fourths, the resulting pitch
should be two octaves above the open string. Ex.
3 is an example of this harmonic:

4. The string is divided into fifths (five equal parts). If

the string is lightly touched at one of the nodes
dividing the string in fifths, the resulting pitch
should be two octaves and a third above the open
string. Ex. 4 is an example of this harmonic:

Artificial or stopped harmonics are produced by firmly

pressing the first finger down on a note two octaves below the
desired pitch, and then lightly touching the fourth finger a
perfect fourth above the notated pitch. This divides the string
into fourths, similar to example 3 in natural harmonics. The
resulting sound is two octaves above the stopped pitch. Less
commonly used, are artificial harmonics with a lightly touched
finger a third or fifth above the stopped notes.
Harmonics
(artificial
harmonics)

When artificial harmonics are notated, a small diamond shape

is used to indicate the note that should be lightly touched. Ex.
5 is an example of an artificial harmonic on the D string, with
the artificial harmonic a fourth above the notated pitch. To
play it, firmly press your first finger down on the notated E,
and lightly touch your fourth finger on the pitch A indicated by
the diamond shape. The resulting sound should be two
octaves above the stopped first finger E.

A collective term used to describe chords played on a

stringed instruments. Specific terms for each chord include:
Multiple stops

1. double stops (a chord using two strings; play notes

simultaneously on two strings);

2. triple stops (play the chord using three strings);

3. quadruple stop (play the chord using four strings).

When performing triple stops and quadruple stops,

the chords are often played either two at a time
(bottom two notes of the chord, then the top two
notes of the chord), or the notes are arpeggiated
and played one note at a time as in the following
example of an arpeggiated quadruple stop:

con sordino

ordinario

pizz.

quasi guitar

Play with a mute. Mutes are small clamps of wood, metal,

rubber, leather or plastic, which fit onto the bridge and result
in a softer, muted sound with a veiled quality. Muted sections
of music are also indicated by the German termmit dampfer.
Muted
The terms arco (bow), via sordini (take off mute), or senza
sordino (without mute), are used to indicate when the muted
section ends and the musician should resume playing with a
bow.
Ordinario or ord. means ordinary, and is used to indicate a
ord.
return to ordinary playing after playing a special effect such
as col legno or sul ponticello.
Indicates notes should be plucked rather than bowed.
Violinists usually play pizzicato with their right index finger. To
do this, they often place their thumb against the corner or side
Pizzicato (pizz.)
of the fingerboard to support the hand while plucking. A return
to bowing is often indicated by the term arco. Less commonly
used pizzicato effects are listed below.
Left hand pizzicato is indicated by the + sign placed over or
Left hand
under the note, and is sometimes used while the right hand
pizz.
continues to use the bow (it is generally played by plucking
with the 4th finger of the left hand).
Nail pizz. indicates the player should use their fingernail
instead of the fleshy part of their finger to pluck the string. The
Nail pizz.
result is a metallic sounding pizzicato (this form of pizz. is
difficult for violinists since they generally keep their fingernails
short).
Guitar pizzicato is indicated by the term quasi guitar, meaning
Guitar Pizzicato
the violin is held like a guitar and strummed.

Pizzicato
tremolo
Snap
pizzicato

Scordatura

Sul G
Sul D
Sul A
Sul E

Trill

Turn

Tremolo notation along with the term pizzicato, indicates the

player should use pizzicato tremolo. To do this, the finger
moves up and down, rapidly plucking the notes for a tremolo
effect.
In snap pizzicato, the string is plucked with such force that it
snaps against the fingerboard when released. Snap pizz. is
often called "Bartok" pizzicato, since the composer Bartok
frequently used it in his string music.
Scordatura means abnormal tuning, and indicates one or
more strings should be tuned higher or lower than usual
(specific tuning directions for the new pitches are generally
provided).
Sul G means play on the G string and only the G string until
otherwise indicated. In violin music, it is sometimes notated
Sul IV or simply the numeral IV over or under the music, since
G is the fourth string on the violin. Sul D (or III, the third string
on the violin), Sul A (or II, the second string on the violin) and
sul E (or I, the first string on the violin) also mean to play the
notes on the single string indicated.
A trill ornaments a note, and is a rapid alternation between
two pitches, usually a major or minor second above the note.
An accidental is often used to indicate whether the trill is a
major or minor trill.
Turns are ornaments mainly used in music from the 17th-19th century. A
turn generally indicates four notes should be played, encircling the notated
note such as in the example provided:

Violin vibrato is similar to vocal vibratoit is a slight and rapid fluctuation

in pitch, and is used to add warmth and expression to music. There are
three types of vibrato: finger, hand, arm or a combination of all three.
Many violinists use a combination of finger and hand vibrato. This type of
vibrato is produced by a back and forth rolling motion of the finger and
hand on the string, resulting in the pitch being lowered and raised.
Variations in the width and speed of the vibrato can produce a wide range
of expression. The following definitions are excerpts from the renowned
violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian's book Principles of Violin Playing and
Teaching, pages 38-40, and explain the three types of vibrato in more
detail:

Vibrato

Hand Vibrato: "In this type of vibrato, the hand swings from a more-or-less
immobilized arm. The finger elongates itself as the hand swings
backwards toward the scroll and then resumes its original curved position
as the hand returns to its starting point."
Arm Vibrato: "The impulse, instead of coming from the hand, now comes
from the forearm, and, in this case also, the finger has to yield passively.
The finger should be firm enough to hold the string down and to retain its
place on the string, but flexible enough to submit to the motion of the arm.
It must stretch and recurve with the backward and forward swing of the
vibrato cycle."
Finger Vibrato: "The impulse comes from the finger itself, which swings
from its base knuckle with the hand slightly yielding and moving passively
in flexible response to the finger action. This vibrato is smaller in width
than the other types.