Violin Technique Dictionary

The foundational bow stroke. Each note gets a smooth, separate bow stroke alternating down-bow and up-bow without gaps or accents between notes. The bow stays in contact with the string throughout. Most orchestral playing uses detache as its default stroke.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Legato, Martele, Grand Detache, Down-bow, Up-bow

Playing multiple notes smoothly within a single, continuous bow stroke. The bow moves in one direction while the left hand fingers change notes. Indicated by a slur marking above or below the notes.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Slur, Detache, Portato, Cantabile

A heavily accented stroke where the bow pinches the string briefly before releasing with a fast, decisive motion. Creates a sharp, crisp attack on each note. Most effective in the upper half of the bow.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Detache, Accent, Colle, Staccato

A short articulated stroke initiated entirely by the fingers of the right hand. The bow pinches and springs off the string from a stopped position. Develops finger sensitivity and bow control.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Martele, Spiccato, Staccato

Pulsing the bow gently to separate notes that are played within a single, continuous bow stroke. Creates a gentle swell on each note. Indicated by slur markings with dots or dashes beneath each note head.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Legato, Tenuto, Slur

Bowing over or near the fingerboard. Produces a soft, airy, flute-like tone. Also called flautando. Used for ethereal, transparent passages.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Sul Ponticello, Contact Point, Fingerboard, Tone Color

Bowing extremely close to the bridge. Produces a glassy, nasal, high-frequency sound rich in upper overtones. Marked sul pont. in scores.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Sul Tasto, Contact Point, Bridge, Overtones

Rapidly moving the bow back and forth at the tip with small strokes to create a shimmering, continuous sheet of sound. Used for tension and atmosphere in orchestral writing.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Sul Ponticello, Tip, Bow Speed

A broad, full-bow stroke using the entire length of the bow for each note. Produces a full, resonant sound. Used for slow, singing passages.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Detache, Whole Bow, Cantabile

Using the complete length of the bow from frog to tip, or tip to frog, in a single stroke. Develops bow distribution and tone consistency.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Grand Detache, Frog, Tip, Bow Speed

A controlled bouncing stroke where the bow leaves the string between each note. Used at slow to medium tempos. The bow drops, bounces, and lifts naturally. Requires finding the natural balance point of the bow.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Sautille, Ricochet, Flying Staccato, Camber

A rapid self-propelled bouncing stroke at fast tempos. The natural elasticity of the bow hair causes it to jump off the string automatically. Unlike spiccato, the player does not consciously lift the bow.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Spiccato, Ricochet, Camber, Bow Hair

Dropping the bow onto the string and allowing it to bounce consecutively several times under its own momentum in a single down-bow direction. Used for rapid repeated note groups.

Bow direction: Down-bow

Related: Spiccato, Sautille, Flying Staccato, Down-bow

A controlled series of spiccato-like strokes played in one direction on a single bow. Each note bounces slightly off the string while the bow continues moving in the same direction.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Spiccato, Ricochet, Staccato

Short, detached notes separated by silence. Can be played on or slightly off the string. Indicated by a dot above or below the note head.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Staccatissimo, Spiccato, Martele, Tenuto

Drawing or striking the strings with the wooden stick of the bow rather than the hair. Creates a dry, skeletal, percussive ticking sound. Common in 20th-century scores.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Stick, Chopping, Contemporary Style

Rapidly alternating between a fingered note on one string and an open neighbouring string. Creates an undulating, shimmering acoustic effect from the alternating tone colours.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Open Strings, Tone Color, Resonance

A percussive technique common in jazz and bluegrass where the bow strikes the strings near the frog creating a drum-like scratching beat. Not standard classical technique.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Frog, Fiddle Style, Jazz Violin, Col Legno

A whipped, springy bow stroke where the bow bounces on the string with a flicking wrist motion. Creates a sharp, accented effect at the start of each stroke.

Bow direction: Either direction

Related: Martele, Spiccato, Accent

A rhythmic oscillation of pitch used to enrich tone and add expression. Generated by three mechanisms: arm vibrato driven by the forearm, wrist vibrato driven by a pivoting wrist, and finger vibrato driven by the finger joints alone. Wider and slower vibrato sounds more relaxed; narrower and faster sounds more intense.

Related: Arm Vibrato, Wrist Vibrato, Finger Vibrato, Intonation

Vibrato motion driven primarily from the forearm swinging toward and away from the body. Produces a broader, fuller sound. Common in romantic repertoire.

Related: Vibrato, Wrist Vibrato, Finger Vibrato, Romantic Style

Vibrato driven by a pivoting wrist motion. Produces a lighter, more flexible sound. Common in chamber music and lighter passages.

Related: Vibrato, Arm Vibrato, Finger Vibrato, String Quartet

A subtle vibrato impulse coming purely from the finger joints with minimal wrist or arm movement. Produces a delicate, intimate sound. Used in very soft, expressive passages.

Related: Vibrato, Arm Vibrato, Wrist Vibrato

Rapidly alternating between the written note and the note immediately above it in the scale. The speed and character of the trill varies by style period. Baroque trills typically start on the upper note; modern trills start on the written note.

Related: Mordent, Turn, Baroque Style

A single rapid alternation between the main note and the note above, called an upper mordent, or below, called a lower mordent. Shorter and simpler than a trill. A common ornament in baroque and classical repertoire.

Related: Trill, Turn, Grace note, Baroque Style

Sliding a finger continuously up or down a single string to connect two pitches. Creates an audible pitch slide. Used for expressive effect and in extended technique passages.

Related: Portamento, Shifting

An expressive romantic slide between two notes during a position shift, intentionally audible and meant to imitate the human voice. More controlled and musical than glissando. Common in late romantic and early 20th-century writing.

Related: Glissando, Shifting, Romantic Style, Cantabile

An ornament consisting of four notes that turn around the main note: the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again. Written as a curved symbol above or between notes.

Related: Trill, Mordent, Grace note

Moving the entire left hand up or down the neck to access higher or lower pitches. First position covers the lowest register; positions 2 through 7 access progressively higher pitches. Clean shifting requires guide fingers and smooth arm movement.

Related: Half Position, Third Position, Seventh Position, Portamento

A position slightly below first position where the first finger plays one half step lower than its normal first-position location. Used in specific passages and in some orchestral bowings.

Related: Shifting, Third Position, Extensions

The hand position where the first finger plays the same pitch the fourth finger would reach in first position. Expands the upper range of the instrument.

Related: Shifting, Half Position, Seventh Position

A high hand position approaching the upper bout of the instrument. Requires careful intonation and a relaxed left thumb. Accesses pitches above the staff in treble clef.

Related: Shifting, Thumb Position, Bouts, Intonation

Reaching a finger forward toward the scroll or backward toward the bridge, outside the standard closed hand frame, without shifting the entire hand. Avoids unnecessary position changes.

Related: Shifting, Half Position, Scroll

Used in the very high register where the thumb comes out from under the neck and rests on top of the string to anchor the hand. Essential for the highest passages and some harmonics.

Related: Seventh Position, Neck, Artificial Harmonic

Pressing two strings simultaneously to play two pitches at once. Requires careful intonation of both notes independently. Common in solo repertoire and fiddle music.

Related: Triple Stop, Quadruple Stop, Rolled Chord, Intonation

Pressing three strings simultaneously. Usually performed as a rolled chord in slower tempos. Requires careful voicing to balance all three pitches.

Related: Double Stop, Quadruple Stop, Rolled Chord

Pressing all four strings simultaneously. Always played as a rolled chord in practice. Creates a full, sonorous chordal effect.

Related: Double Stop, Triple Stop, Rolled Chord, Bridge

A chord of three or four notes where the bow quickly rolls across the strings from lowest to highest rather than sounding all notes simultaneously.

Related: Triple Stop, Quadruple Stop, Broken Chord

Playing the notes of a chord one after another in a specific pattern rather than simultaneously. Also called an arpeggiated chord.

Related: Rolled Chord, Chord, Double Stop

Lightly touching the string at a mathematical node point, at a half, third or quarter of the string length, without pressing it to the fingerboard. Produces a high, flute-like bell tone. Notated with a circle above the note head.

Related: Artificial Harmonic, Flageolet, Harmonic Series, Overtones

Pressing down a solid note with the first finger while lightly touching the string a perfect fourth above with the fourth finger. Produces a very high, ethereal pitch two octaves above the stopped note. Requires secure intonation.

Related: Natural Harmonic, Harmonic Series, Thumb Position

Another term for a harmonic tone produced by lightly touching the string at a node point. Common in French notation.

Related: Natural Harmonic, Artificial Harmonic

The natural series of overtones produced by a vibrating string. Understanding the harmonic series explains why natural harmonics exist at specific node points.

Related: Natural Harmonic, Overtones, Resonance

Plucking the string with the right-hand index finger instead of bowing. Abbreviated pizz. in scores. Return to bowing is marked arco.

Related: Left-Hand Pizzicato, Snap Pizzicato

Plucking a string with a free left-hand finger while bowing other notes. Notated with a plus symbol. Creates a different, more intimate tone than right-hand pizzicato.

Related: Pizzicato, Snap Pizzicato

Plucking the string so forcefully that it snaps back against the fingerboard, creating a percussive crack. Developed and popularised in early 20th-century writing, where it is often called Bartok pizzicato. Notated with a circled plus symbol.

Related: Pizzicato, Left-Hand Pizzicato, Fingerboard, Contemporary Style

A bow stroke moving from frog to tip. Notated with a square bracket symbol open at the bottom. Down-bow strokes naturally emphasise the beat.

Bow direction: Down-bow

Related: Up-bow, Frog, Tip, Detache

A bow stroke moving from tip to frog. Notated with a V symbol. Up-bow strokes are naturally lighter and work well for anacrusis figures.

Bow direction: Up-bow

Related: Down-bow, Anacrusis, Frog, Tip

A sudden emphasis on a single note, written as a horizontal wedge above or below the note head. The bow increases speed and pressure at the beginning of the stroke.

Related: Sforzando, Marcato, Martele, Tenuto

Hold the note for its full value with slight emphasis, marked with a short horizontal line above or below the note head. Indicates a note should not be cut short.

Related: Staccato, Accent, Portato, Legato

Very short and detached, shorter than staccato. Notated with a small wedge above the note.

Related: Staccato, Spiccato, Marcato

A sudden, strong accent on a single note, stronger than a standard accent. Abbreviated sfz or sf in scores.

Related: Accent, Marcato, fp

A strong accent with a slight separation after the note. Notated with a vertical wedge above the note head.

Related: Accent, Sforzando, Staccatissimo

A pause of indeterminate length above a note or rest. The player holds the note until the conductor or the ensemble leader releases it.

Related: Rest, Concertmaster, Rubato

How notes are played: their attack, duration and release. Includes staccato, legato, accent, tenuto and marcato. Articulation markings sit directly above or below the note head.

Related: Staccato, Legato, Accent, Tenuto

Extremely soft, the softest dynamic marking in common use. On the violin it calls for a slow bow near the fingerboard with very little weight.

Related: Pianissimo (pp), Piano (p), Crescendo

Very soft, one level louder than ppp and one softer than piano. A pianissimo that still speaks needs bow speed, not just less pressure.

Related: ppp, Piano (p), Mezzo-piano (mp)

Soft, the basic quiet dynamic marking, abbreviated p. Played with a lighter bow arm and usually a contact point further from the bridge.

Related: Pianissimo (pp), Mezzo-piano (mp), Forte (f)

Moderately soft, sitting between piano and mezzo-forte. Abbreviated mp, it is the working quiet level of most accompaniment writing.

Related: Piano (p), Mezzo-forte (mf), Pianissimo (pp)

Moderately loud, abbreviated mf. The most commonly heard dynamic level in everyday playing, and the default when no marking is given.

Related: Mezzo-piano (mp), Forte (f), Piano (p)

Loud, the basic strong dynamic marking, abbreviated f. Produced with more bow speed and weight, and a contact point closer to the bridge.

Related: Mezzo-forte (mf), Fortissimo (ff), Piano (p)

Very loud, one level above forte, abbreviated ff. On a violin the limit is the point where extra pressure chokes the string rather than adding volume.

Related: Forte (f), fff, Mezzo-forte (mf)

Extremely loud, the loudest dynamic marking in common use. Reached with full bow speed and weight close to the bridge rather than by force alone.

Related: Fortissimo (ff), Forte (f)

Forte immediately followed by piano. A sudden dynamic drop within a single note.

Related: Forte (f), Piano (p), Sforzando, Subito

Gradually getting louder. Notated with a hairpin opening to the right, or the abbreviation cresc.

Related: Decrescendo, Forte (f), Piano (p)

Gradually getting softer. Notated with a hairpin closing to the right. Also called diminuendo.

Related: Crescendo, Piano (p), Pianissimo (pp)

A controlled swell and fade on a single sustained note: starting quietly, growing to a peak, and diminishing back to quiet.

Related: Crescendo, Decrescendo, Bow Speed

Suddenly. Used with dynamic markings: subito piano means suddenly soft, subito forte means suddenly loud.

Related: fp, Sforzando, Piano (p), Forte (f)

Very slow and broad, approximately 40 to 60 BPM. The slowest common tempo marking, and the one that demands the most bow control per note.

Related: Adagio, Andante, Tempo

Slow and stately, approximately 66 to 76 BPM. The tempo of most slow movements, where tone and intonation are fully exposed.

Related: Largo, Andante, Tempo

Walking pace, approximately 76 to 108 BPM. The name comes from the Italian for going, and the pulse should feel like unhurried steps.

Related: Adagio, Moderato, Tempo

Moderate speed, approximately 108 to 120 BPM. Sits between andante and allegro and is often paired with another word, as in allegro moderato.

Related: Andante, Allegro, Tempo

Moderately fast, slightly slower and lighter than allegro, approximately 98 to 109 BPM. Often used for graceful rather than driving movements.

Related: Allegro, Moderato, Tempo

Fast and lively, approximately 120 to 156 BPM. The most common fast marking in the repertoire, and usually played detache in the middle of the bow.

Related: Allegretto, Vivace, Tempo

Very lively and fast, approximately 156 to 176 BPM. More animated than allegro, and often the point where a stroke moves off the string.

Related: Allegro, Presto, Vivacissimo

Very lively indeed, faster than vivace. A superlative marking used when the composer wants more energy than vivace alone conveys.

Related: Vivace, Presto

Very fast, approximately 168 to 200 BPM. At this speed bow strokes shorten toward the middle of the bow and often become sautille.

Related: Vivace, Prestissimo, Tempo

As fast as possible, the fastest standard tempo marking. In practice it means the fastest speed at which the passage still stays clean.

Related: Presto, Vivace

Gradually increasing in tempo, abbreviated accel. in scores. The increase should be even across the whole marked passage, not saved for the end.

Related: Ritardando, Rallentando, A tempo

Gradually slowing down, abbreviated rit. or ritard. One of the most common tempo modifications, usually followed by a return to the original tempo.

Related: Rallentando, Accelerando, A tempo

Gradually slowing down, very close in meaning to ritardando. Abbreviated rall. and often used near the end of a phrase or piece.

Related: Ritardando, Accelerando, A tempo

Flexible tempo. Notes may be stretched or compressed expressively while maintaining an overall pulse.

Related: A tempo, Espressivo, Romantic Style

Return to the original tempo after a ritardando, accelerando or a passage of rubato. It cancels the previous tempo instruction outright.

Related: Ritardando, Accelerando, Rubato

The speed of the music, measured in beats per minute. Indicated by a tempo marking such as allegro or andante, or by a specific metronome number.

Related: BPM, Allegro, Adagio, A tempo

Sweetly. Play with a gentle, singing tone: moderate bow speed, light weight, and a narrow warm vibrato rather than an intense one.

Related: Cantabile, Grazioso, Tranquillo

In a singing style. Long, flowing bow strokes that imitate a vocal line, with the bow changes hidden so the phrase sounds unbroken.

Related: Dolce, Legato, Grand Detache, Espressivo

With expression. The player is invited to shape the line with flexible dynamics, vibrato and a degree of rubato beyond what is written.

Related: Rubato, Cantabile, Vibrato

Gracefully. Light bow contact and elegant phrasing, with a lift at the end of each figure rather than a heavy landing.

Related: Dolce, Tranquillo, Cantabile

Agitated. Faster bow speed and a tighter, more tense sound, often with a contact point closer to the bridge and a quicker vibrato.

Related: Con fuoco, Bow Speed, Espressivo

Majestic. Full bow strokes and a confident, weighted sound, usually with a broader tempo than the same passage would otherwise take.

Related: Grand Detache, Con brio, Whole Bow

Tranquil and calm. A smooth bow with even distribution and restrained vibrato, letting the line settle rather than pushing it forward.

Related: Dolce, Grazioso, Sul Tasto

With vigour and spirit. A character marking rather than a tempo: the same notes played with more attack, energy and forward drive.

Related: Con fuoco, Maestoso, Allegro

With fire and passion. Calls for intensity of attack and vibrato rather than simply more volume or a faster tempo.

Related: Con brio, Agitato, Presto

With motion. Attached to another marking, as in andante con moto, to ask for a little more forward movement than that marking alone implies.

Related: Con brio, Tempo, Allegretto

Go back to the beginning of the piece and play again, abbreviated D.C. Usually paired with al fine or al coda to say where to stop.

Related: Dal Segno, Fine, Al Coda

Go back to the sign placed earlier in the score and repeat from that point, abbreviated D.S. Often written as D.S. al coda or D.S. al fine.

Related: Da Capo, Al Coda, Fine

After taking the repeat, jump from the coda sign to the coda section at the end. Written as al coda following a D.C. or D.S. instruction.

Related: Coda, Dal Segno, Da Capo

The end of the piece. Often used together with a Da Capo or Dal Segno instruction.

Related: Da Capo, Dal Segno, Coda

A closing section added after the main body of a movement, reached from a coda sign. It rounds the movement off rather than developing new material.

Related: Al Coda, Fine, Da Capo

Bracketed sections showing different endings for repeated sections, usually numbered first ending and second ending.

Related: Da Capo, Dal Segno, Coda

A symbol that raises or lowers a note by a half step for the rest of the measure. Includes sharps, flats and naturals.

Related: Sharp, Flat, Natural, Key Signature

A symbol that raises a note by a half step. F sharp is one half step higher than F.

Related: Flat, Natural, Accidental, Half step

A symbol that lowers a note by a half step. B flat is one half step lower than B.

Related: Sharp, Natural, Accidental, Half step

A symbol that cancels a previous sharp or flat, returning a note to its unaltered pitch.

Related: Sharp, Flat, Accidental

A symbol at the beginning of a staff that fixes which notes correspond to which lines and spaces. Common clefs are treble, bass and alto.

Related: Treble clef, Bass clef, Alto clef, Staff

The G clef. The curling symbol wraps around the G line of the staff. Violin reads treble clef, as do guitar, flute, voice and the piano right hand.

Related: Clef, Bass clef, Alto clef, Staff

The F clef, used for lower-pitched instruments and voices, including cello, bass guitar, trombone and the piano left hand.

Related: Clef, Treble clef, Grand staff

The C clef centred on the middle line of the staff, where that line is middle C. Viola reads alto clef, which is the main notation difference a violinist meets when switching to viola.

Related: Clef, Treble clef, Bass clef

The five horizontal lines on which music is written. Notes sit on lines and in spaces to show pitch.

Related: Clef, Ledger line, Grand staff, Note

Two staves joined by a brace, treble clef on top and bass clef below. Used for piano, harp and other keyboard instruments.

Related: Staff, Treble clef, Bass clef

A short line added above or below the staff for notes outside its range. Middle C sits on a ledger line between the treble and bass staves.

Related: Staff, Clef, Note

A symbol representing a musical sound of specific pitch and duration. The fundamental unit of written music.

Related: Rest, Staff, Whole note, Quarter note

A symbol indicating silence for a specific duration. Rests have the same time values as notes: whole, half, quarter, eighth and so on.

Related: Note, Fermata, Measure

The longest common note value, worth four beats in 4/4 time. Also called a semibreve. An open oval with no stem.

Related: Half note, Quarter note, Note, Time Signature

A note worth two beats in 4/4 time. Also called a minim. Two half notes fill one measure of 4/4.

Related: Whole note, Quarter note, Note

The basic unit of one beat in 4/4 time. Also called a crotchet. Four quarter notes fill one measure of 4/4.

Related: Half note, Eighth note, Beat, Note

A note worth half a beat in 4/4 time. Also called a quaver. Eight eighth notes fill one measure of 4/4.

Related: Quarter note, Note, Triplet

A note followed by a dot, which adds half its value again. A dotted quarter note lasts one and a half beats; a dotted half note lasts three.

Related: Quarter note, Half note, Note

A very short ornamental note played quickly before the main note. Written small, usually with a slash through the stem.

Related: Mordent, Trill, Turn

A curved line connecting notes of different pitches, indicating they should be played smoothly in one bow without separation. On a violin the slur is a bowing instruction as well as a phrasing one.

Related: Legato, Tie, Portato

A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, indicating they should be held as one continuous note rather than played again.

Related: Slur, Note, Measure

A segment of music between two bar lines. Also called a bar. Contains a fixed number of beats as defined by the time signature.

Related: Bar line, Time Signature, Beat

A vertical line drawn across the staff to divide music into measures. A double bar line marks a section end; a thick double bar marks the end of the piece.

Related: Measure, Staff, Volta brackets

Sharps or flats at the beginning of each staff line indicating the home key of the piece. Affects which notes are raised or lowered throughout.

Related: Key, Accidental, Major Scale, Minor Scale

Two numbers at the start of a piece. The top number shows beats per measure; the bottom shows which note value gets one beat.

Related: Measure, Meter, Compound time, Beat

The distance between two pitches. Named by the number of staff positions they span, such as unison, second or third, and by their quality: major, minor, perfect, augmented or diminished.

Related: Octave, Half step, Whole step, Intonation

The interval spanning eight notes, where the frequency of the higher note is exactly double the lower. The violin spans approximately three and a half octaves.

Related: Interval, Harmonic Series, Unison

A scale using all twelve pitches within an octave, moving entirely by half steps. On the violin it is the core exercise for finger spacing and shifting accuracy.

Related: Major Scale, Minor Scale, Half step

A seven-note scale with a specific pattern of whole and half steps: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. Has a bright, stable character.

Related: Minor Scale, Mode, Key Signature, Scale

A seven-note scale with a pattern producing a darker, more melancholic character. It has three forms: natural, harmonic and melodic minor.

Related: Major Scale, Mode, Key Signature, Scale

A scale built on a specific starting note of the major scale, producing a characteristic sound. Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian are the main modes.

Related: Major Scale, Minor Scale, Scale, Jazz Violin

Placing emphasis on a weak beat or between beats, creating rhythmic tension. Central to jazz, funk and much folk fiddling.

Related: Hemiola, Anacrusis, Jazz Violin, Rhythm

Three notes played in the time of two of the same value. Indicated by a bracket with the number 3 above or below the group.

Related: Hemiola, Eighth note, Compound time

A rhythmic pattern where two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two, creating a temporary shift in metric emphasis.

Related: Syncopation, Triplet, Meter

One or more notes before the first full measure. Also called an upbeat or pickup. On the violin an anacrusis is usually taken up-bow.

Related: Up-bow, Downbeat, Measure, Syncopation

Playing in tune: correct pitch accuracy on the fingerboard. The most essential skill in string playing, because the violin has no frets to place the note for you.

Related: Temperament, Resonance, Open Strings, Double Stop

A system of tuning intervals. Equal temperament divides the octave into twelve equal semitones. Just intonation uses pure mathematical ratios. String players often use expressive intonation that varies between these systems.

Related: Intonation, Interval, Harmonic Series

A sequence of notes arranged in ascending or descending order by pitch. Scales define the tonal material of a key and are the daily technical work of every violinist.

Related: Major Scale, Minor Scale, Chromatic Scale, Mode

The tonal centre of a piece of music: the major or minor scale that establishes its harmonic framework. Shown by the key signature at the beginning of the score.

Related: Key Signature, Tonic, Modulation, Major Scale

The first and most stable degree of a scale: the home note of a key. A piece in C major has C as its tonic.

Related: Dominant, Key, Cadence, Scale

The fifth degree of a scale. The chord built on it creates the strongest harmonic tension, which resolves to the tonic.

Related: Tonic, Cadence, Chord, Harmony

Three or more notes sounded together in harmony. On the violin a chord is played as a triple or quadruple stop, usually rolled.

Related: Harmony, Triple Stop, Rolled Chord, Broken Chord

The combination of simultaneously sounded notes to produce chords and chord progressions. The vertical aspect of music.

Related: Chord, Dissonance, Counterpoint, Dominant

A combination of notes that creates tension or an unstable sound. Dissonance usually resolves to consonance.

Related: Harmony, Cadence, Chord

A harmonic progression that brings a phrase or section to a close. Common types are authentic, half, plagal and deceptive.

Related: Tonic, Dominant, Harmony

Changing from one key to another within a piece. Creates variety and emotional contrast.

Related: Key, Key Signature, Harmony

Moving all notes of a piece up or down by the same interval. Used to change key or to suit a different instrument or voice.

Related: Interval, Key, Modulation

Two notes that sound the same but are written differently, such as C sharp and D flat. On a violin the two are not always played at exactly the same spot, because expressive intonation leans them in different directions.

Related: Accidental, Temperament, Intonation

Using only the notes of a particular key or scale, without chromatic alterations.

Related: Chromatic Scale, Major Scale, Key

The smallest interval in Western music: the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano. Also called a semitone.

Related: Whole step, Interval, Chromatic Scale

An interval of two half steps, such as C to D. Also called a whole tone, it is the wider of the two spacings that build a major scale.

Related: Half step, Interval, Major Scale

The basic unit of time in music: the steady pulse you tap your foot to. Tempo describes how fast the beat goes.

Related: Tempo, Meter, BPM, Downbeat

Beats per minute, the standard measure of tempo. 60 BPM is one beat per second; 120 BPM is two.

Related: Tempo, Beat, Allegro

The recurring pattern of strong and weak beats in music, defined by the time signature. Common meters are duple, triple and quadruple.

Related: Time Signature, Beat, Compound time, Hemiola

A time signature where each beat divides into three equal parts, such as 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8.

Related: Meter, Time Signature, Triplet

The pattern of long and short sounds in music. Rhythm organises sound in time and is the skeleton that everything else in a performance hangs on.

Related: Beat, Meter, Syncopation, Tempo

The first beat of a measure, usually the strongest. Named for the downward motion of a conductor at the start of the bar, and usually taken down-bow.

Related: Anacrusis, Down-bow, Beat, Measure

A sequence of single notes that forms a recognisable musical line: the part you would sing or whistle.

Related: Motif, Theme, Harmony, Counterpoint

A short, recurring musical idea: a fragment of melody, rhythm or harmony. The building block of larger themes.

Related: Theme, Melody, Leitmotif

A recurring melodic or harmonic idea that forms the basis of a musical work. Themes are developed, varied and transformed across a composition.

Related: Motif, Melody, Leitmotif

A recurring musical theme tied to a specific character, place or idea. Common in opera and widely used in film scores.

Related: Theme, Motif, Romantic Style

The art of combining two or more independent melodic lines at the same time. Central to baroque music, and to the solo violin repertoire built on it.

Related: Polyphony, Fugue, Baroque Style, Harmony

Musical texture with two or more independent melodic lines. Renaissance vocal music and baroque fugues are the clearest examples.

Related: Counterpoint, Homophony, Fugue

A musical texture where one melody is supported by chordal accompaniment. Most pop and much classical music is homophonic.

Related: Polyphony, Harmony, Melody

A compositional form where a subject is introduced and then imitated by successive voices in counterpoint. The solo violin fugues of the baroque repertoire are among the hardest music written for the instrument.

Related: Counterpoint, Polyphony, Baroque Style

A composition where a melody is imitated by one or more voices at fixed intervals of time. The simplest form is the round.

Related: Counterpoint, Fugue, Polyphony

A continually repeated rhythmic or melodic pattern held under changing material above it.

Related: Pedal point, Motif, Rhythm

A sustained or repeated note, usually in the bass, held while harmonies change above it. On the violin an open string often serves as the pedal.

Related: Ostinato, Open Strings, Bariolage, Drone

A five-note scale. The major and minor pentatonic scales are used heavily in folk, blues, rock and jazz, and they are the fastest route into fiddle improvisation.

Related: Scale, Mode, Fiddle Style, Jazz Violin

Music that has no tonal centre or key. Associated with early 20th-century composition and often paired with extended string techniques.

Related: Contemporary Style, Key, Dissonance

Two or more instruments or voices playing the same note or melody at the same pitch. A whole violin section playing in unison is the sound the orchestral repertoire is built on.

Related: Octave, Interval, Section Player

Singing without instrumental accompaniment. The term literally means in the chapel style, from the unaccompanied vocal music of the Renaissance.

Related: Unison, Polyphony

The four unfingered strings of the violin, tuned G, D, A and E from lowest to highest. Each serves as an intonation reference for the fingered notes around it.

Related: G String, D String, A String, E String

The lowest, thickest string. Produces a dark, rich, powerful tone. Wound with silver or tungsten.

Related: Open Strings, D String, Tone Color

The second lowest string, tuned a fifth above the G string. Warm and versatile in character, and the string most first-position melodies live on.

Related: Open Strings, G String, A String

The second highest string. Clear and singing in quality. The principal reference string for tuning.

Related: Open Strings, E String, Intonation

The highest, thinnest string. Brilliant and penetrating. Usually made of steel.

Related: Open Strings, A String, Tone Color

A note that produces an unstable, wavering sound because the resonant frequency of the instrument matches the played pitch. More common on cello but it can occur on violin.

Related: Resonance, Body, Soundpost

The sympathetic vibration of open strings and the body of the instrument when certain pitches are played. Creates a fuller, richer sound. Playing in tune maximises resonance, which is why a well-tuned note feels louder for the same effort.

Related: Intonation, Overtones, Open Strings, Body

The series of higher-frequency vibrations that sound simultaneously above the fundamental pitch. The character and richness of the tone depends on which overtones are strongest.

Related: Harmonic Series, Tone Color, Resonance, Sul Ponticello

The characteristic quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or bow technique from another, also called timbre. Controlled by bow speed, pressure, contact point and bow placement.

Related: Contact Point, Bow Speed, Bow Pressure, Overtones

The location where the bow hair meets the string, between the bridge and the fingerboard. Moving it closer to the bridge produces more volume and more overtones. Moving it toward the fingerboard produces a softer, airier sound.

Related: Sul Tasto, Sul Ponticello, Bow Speed, Tone Color

The rate at which the bow moves across the string. Faster bow speed produces more volume. Slower bow speed with more weight produces a full, concentrated tone.

Related: Bow Pressure, Contact Point, Whole Bow, Tone Color

The weight applied through the bow to the string. More weight produces volume and depth. Excessive pressure produces a scratchy, choked sound.

Related: Bow Speed, Contact Point, Tone Color

How high or low a sound is, determined by its frequency. A4 at 440 Hz is the standard tuning reference, though some orchestras tune slightly higher.

Related: Intonation, A String, Temperament

A sustained pitch held under a melody, used in practice to check intonation against a fixed reference and in folk playing as an accompaniment.

Related: Pedal point, Intonation, Open Strings, Fiddle Style

The part of the bow that the player holds. Made of ebony, horn or carbon fibre. Contains the screw mechanism that tightens the bow hair.

Related: Screw, Stick, Bow Hair, Tip

The opposite end of the bow from the frog. Playing near the tip produces a lighter, more delicate sound.

Related: Frog, Stick, Whole Bow, Tremolo

The wooden shaft of the bow, traditionally made from pernambuco or brazilwood. Carbon fibre sticks are increasingly common.

Related: Camber, Frog, Tip, Col Legno

The white horsehair stretched between frog and tip. Rosin is applied to create the friction that sets the string vibrating.

Related: Rosin, Frog, Screw, Sautille

The slight curve or bend of the bow stick. Affects the natural bounce of the bow and the weight distribution along it.

Related: Stick, Spiccato, Sautille

The mechanism at the bottom of the frog used to tighten or loosen the bow hair.

Related: Frog, Bow Hair

A hardened tree resin applied to bow hair to create the friction needed to set the string vibrating. Different grades of rosin suit different instruments and climates.

Related: Bow Hair, Contact Point, Tone Color

The decorative carved spiral at the top of the pegbox. It serves no acoustic purpose but is a signature of the maker who carved it.

Related: Pegbox, Pegs, Neck

The hollow box below the scroll that houses the four tuning pegs. The strings wind here, and a peg that slips or sticks is usually a pegbox fitting issue.

Related: Scroll, Pegs, Nut

The four wooden pins used to tune the strings. Turned to tighten, raising pitch, or loosen, lowering pitch.

Related: Pegbox, Fine Tuners, Pitch

The small raised piece of ebony at the top of the fingerboard where the strings pass before entering the pegbox. Sets the string height and spacing at the top of the instrument.

Related: Fingerboard, Pegbox, Bridge

The long projecting piece attached to the body, along which the fingerboard is mounted. The left hand positions itself along the neck.

Related: Fingerboard, Shifting, Thumb Position, Scroll

The dark wooden strip on top of the neck where the left-hand fingers press the strings. Made of ebony. It has no frets, so pitch is determined entirely by finger placement.

Related: Neck, Intonation, Sul Tasto, Nut

The main resonating chamber of the violin, made up of the top in spruce and the back and sides in maple.

Related: Top, Back, Bouts, Resonance

The front face of the body, traditionally carved from spruce. Also called the belly. The stiffness and flexibility of this wood critically affect tone.

Related: Back, Body, Bass Bar, F-holes

The rear face of the body, usually carved from figured maple in one or two pieces. Its stiffness works with the top to shape the tone.

Related: Top, Body, Soundpost

The upper and lower curves of the violin body. The upper bout is near the neck, the lower bout near the tailpiece. The waist between them lets the bow reach the outer strings.

Related: Body, Seventh Position, Tailpiece

The two f-shaped sound openings on the top of the body. Their shape and placement affect how sound radiates from the instrument.

Related: Top, Body, Label, Resonance

The carved maple piece that stands on the top of the body and supports the strings. Transmits string vibration into the body. Extremely sensitive to position and carving.

Related: Soundpost, Sul Ponticello, Top, Tailpiece

The component at the bottom of the body that anchors the strings. Usually holds the fine tuners for precise pitch adjustment.

Related: Fine Tuners, Bridge, Endpin Button

Small screw mechanisms on the tailpiece that allow precise micro-adjustment of string pitch without turning the pegs.

Related: Tailpiece, Pegs, Pitch

The fitted rest attached near the tailpiece that the player rests the jaw on. Varies in height, shape and placement to fit different jaw structures.

Related: Shoulder Rest, Tailpiece

A removable support attached to the back of the instrument that rests on the shoulder, filling the space between the shoulder and the chinrest.

Related: Chinrest, Back

The small decorative button at the bottom of the body where the back and sides join, and where the tailgut anchors.

Related: Tailpiece, Body, Blocks

A small cylindrical wooden post inside the body, standing between the top and back directly behind the treble foot of the bridge. Transmits vibration between front and back and critically affects tone.

Related: Bass Bar, Bridge, Body, Wolf Note

A long narrow strip of spruce glued inside the top, running lengthwise under the bass foot of the bridge. Distributes bass vibration across the top.

Related: Soundpost, Top, Bridge

Thin strips of willow or spruce glued to the inside of the ribs to reinforce the joints with the top and back.

Related: Blocks, Body, Back

Internal corner and end blocks that provide structural strength at the corners and ends of the body.

Related: Linings, Body, Endpin Button

A paper label inside the body, visible through the f-hole, identifying the maker, date and place of manufacture.

Related: F-holes, Body

The leader of the first violin section in an orchestra, seated first chair, first stand. Responsible for bowing decisions for the whole string section and for tuning the orchestra.

Related: Principal, Section Player, Down-bow

The leader of any orchestral section, responsible for the bowing and articulation style of that section.

Related: Concertmaster, Section Player, Articulation

A member of an orchestral section who plays in unison with the rest of that section.

Related: Principal, Concertmaster, Unison

A performer who plays alone or in a featured role with orchestra or piano accompaniment.

Related: Concertmaster, String Quartet, Sight-reading

An ensemble of four string players: two violins, one viola and one cello. The fundamental chamber music ensemble.

Related: Ensemble, Sinfonietta, Wrist Vibrato

A small orchestra, typically strings only or with a limited wind section. Parts are more exposed than in a full orchestra, so each player carries more.

Related: String Quartet, Ensemble, Section Player

A group of musicians performing together, from duets and trios up to a full orchestra.

Related: String Quartet, Sinfonietta, Section Player

Music from approximately 1600 to 1750. Features lighter bow strokes, vibrato used as an ornament rather than by default, ornaments starting on the upper note, and gut strings at a lower pitch than modern tuning.

Related: Classical Style, Trill, Counterpoint, Fugue

Music from approximately 1750 to 1820. Clearer phrase structure, restrained vibrato and a singing tone.

Related: Baroque Style, Romantic Style, Cantabile

Music from approximately 1820 to 1900. Rich vibrato on all long notes, expressive portamento and a wide dynamic range.

Related: Classical Style, Portamento, Arm Vibrato, Rubato

Music written after 1900. May include extended techniques such as col legno, sul ponticello, harmonics and non-standard notation.

Related: Col Legno, Sul Ponticello, Snap Pizzicato, Atonality

Folk and traditional violin playing that emphasises improvisation, ornamentation, rhythmic drive and regional character. Includes Irish, Appalachian, Cajun, bluegrass, Scandinavian and many other traditions.

Related: Jazz Violin, Chopping, Drone, Pentatonic scale

Violin improvisation over jazz harmony and rhythm. Features swing articulation, a distinct vibrato and blues inflections.

Related: Fiddle Style, Syncopation, Mode, Chopping

Reading and performing music at first sight, without prior preparation. The skill that decides most orchestra auditions and chair placements.

Related: Ear training, Section Player, Staff, Rhythm

Practising the recognition of intervals, chords, rhythms and scales by ear rather than by reading. For a string player it is the skill that makes intonation self-correcting.

Related: Intonation, Interval, Sight-reading, Temperament