Scordatura tuning
Retuning the strings. Notated with a verbal instruction to retune, possibly with an additional staff to show new tunings. Do not retune more than a tone, and in general it is better to lower than raise the pitch of the string. Retuning takes time and care.
Mahler 'Symphony No. 4' Movement 2:
Tap instrument
Tapping the body of the instrument with fingers or with the bow. Notated with a verbal instruction, with x-shaped noteheads for extended passages. Finger taps are common, but bow taps are to be used with care: no player would want to risk damaging the violin. If a bow tap is called for, the safest place to tap is the chinrest.
Tapping:
Play behind bridge
Playing the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece. Notated with a verbal instruction, with x-shaped noteheads if necessary. The standard bowing and plucking techniques may be used for this effect.
Playing behind the bridge:
Bow on bridge
Bowing the strings directly on the bridge. Notated with a verbal instruction, with x-shaped noteheads if necessary. This is not the same as sul ponticello which plays near the bridge.
Bowing on the bridge:
Bow tailpiece
Bowing the tailpiece. Notated with a verbal instruction. Extremely quiet!
Bowing the tailpiece:
Strike strings
Striking the strings with the hand. Notated with a verbal instruction. Pitches may also be fingered with the left hand.
Striking strings:
Scratch note
Pressing down hard on the string with the bow to produce a rasping. Notated with a verbal instruction, with x-shaped noteheads. As an obvious sign of bad technique, this sound is not flattering to the player.
Scratch note:
'Silent' fingering
Fingering pitches with the left hand without bowing or plucking the strings. Notated with a verbal instruction. Very quiet.
