Spiccato
What is spiccato?
Spiccato is a violin bow stroke where the bow bounces off the string between each note.
When is spiccato used?
Spiccato is notated by dots over and/or under the notes (as seen below). However, dots can indicate other bow strokes such as staccato and sautille, so in order to determine which to use, the tempo (or speed) of the passage must be taken into consideration. Spiccato works best in medium to fast tempos, anywhere from 80-132 BPM (beats per minute).
When should I start learning spiccato?
Spiccato is recommended for upper intermediate players in Suzuki Violin Book 4 and above. If the student has worked on developing a balanced, relaxed bow hand, it is highly likely that spiccato will develop naturally.
Here is a checklist of skills to master before working on spiccato:
-Proper posture (including a comfortable, relaxed bow hold)
-A full, pleasing tone
-Accurate intonation
-Comfortable shifting to/from and playing in 3rd position
-Vibrato
Key points about spiccato
Spiccato is done by moving the wrist and the fingers in a horizontal plane of motion. The elbow and shoulder should be completely still.
In order to successfully perform spiccato, the bow hand must be extremely relaxed. The violin bow was created to bounce, and in order for it to do so, the player must not be holding it back with unnecessary tension. Check out this video for exercises to help loosen up your bow hand.
Spiccato works best in the lower middle part of the bow. That being said, every bow is slightly different, so I recommend experimenting with different placements in the bow to see where yours bounces the easiest.
When practicing spiccato, if the sound is too harsh, tilt the bow hair. On the other hand, if you’re having trouble getting the bow hair to bounce, make sure the bow hair is flat.
What are some practice techniques for spiccato?
There are many, but here are three of my favorites:
Start with the bow above the string. Drop the bow onto the string and allow it to bounce off naturally. Notice how the bow wants to bounce! Gradually increase the tempo (speed) until you are performing spiccato.
Start with your bow on the string and play detache (smooth, connected bow strokes). Gradually increase the speed and shorten the amount of bow you’re using until your bow bounces off the string.
Sevick Op. 3 No. 2, found here.
Check out the video below for a demonstration spiccato and each of these exercises.
