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  • + symbol for solo violin

    What does the + symbol over a note in solo violin notation indicate exactly? It sounds like pizzicato. Is it played with the pinky of the non-bowing hand? It seems to often be used on open strings.

    Thanks,
    Jay

  • Left hand pizzicato...

    DG

  • It means a "stopped" violin coz he moves way too much during the recording session and messes up the stereo image... [:D]

    No sorry, was joking, [:P] Daryl is right!

    Cheers,
    Frankie

  • Thanks, guys.

    Does the VSL solo violin have any pizzicato played on open strings? I would really like this!! Herb? Anyone?

    Best,
    Jay

  • If you don't have the real simulated thing, try using a normal pizzicato but make it shorter and quieter than normal -- the pinky pizz is always a weak one and sounds like a hint rather than an assertion.

  • last edited
    last edited

    @gugliel said:

    If you don't have the real simulated thing, try using a normal pizzicato but make it shorter and quieter than normal -- the pinky pizz is always a weak one and sounds like a hint rather than an assertion.

    I don't agree with the "quieter" point, but the "shorter" certainly (leaving open strings out of the equation for the moment).

    The snag with LH pizz is that the best pizz sound would be produced by plucking half way up the string. Obviously even for normal pizz this is not practical, so a compromise of about a third is used. For LH pizz the best that you can do is about a 5th (due to the size of the hand), so there is very little room for resonance.

    When playing virtuoso passages any one of the fingers can be used for LH pizz, the only stipulation being that the first finger can only play open strings. The sound is much more metallic, and is always played loudly.

    DG

  • Actually a sul pointicello pizz would be best to simulate it... if there is one! [:D]

    Cheers,
    Frankie

  • PaulP Paul moved this topic from Orchestration & Composition on