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Composing for Strings:

  • Make use of its diversity in timbre through a range of different techniques: pizz, sul point/tasto, col lego, double stopping, harmonics, etc. Do your research!

  • Be specific about the different types of bowing - legato, detache, loure, spiccato, jete, etc. 

  • Mark in specific bowings (there is a difference in timbre between starting on up-bow vs starting on down bow)

  • Avoid large intervallic leaps. Stringed instruments are based on hand positions. (it may not be possible to play a note at one end of the fingerboard and shift the hand to the other end of the fingerboard within half a second)

  • Know your pitch range. Eg. a violin cannot play any note lower then G3 (note below Middle C)

© 2020 by Veronica Tsang

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