pizzicato
Plucking the string, as opposed to bowing (arco). Notated pizz. Players may put the bow down for extended pizzicato passages.
piano
Pizzicato:
Pizzicato chords:
soft
loud
snap pizz. (Bartok pizz.)
Pulling the string upwards and allowing it to 'snap' sharply against the fingerboard. Notated snap pizz. Often used by Béla Bartók, hence the nickname.
Snap:
snap pizz
nail pizzicato
Plucking with the fingernail. Notated nail pizz. Can
be painful for the player. Use with caution..
Nail pizz:
pizzicato tremolo
Rapid motion of the finger against the string. Notated pizz trem. Possible, but not particularly effective on the cello.
glissando
Plucked glissando, notated gliss pizz. Note
that it is possible to make a gliss away from an open
string.
Pizzicato glissando:
Strumming
Strummed chords. Notated as normal pizz. Make sure the chord
shapes are simple!
strumming
Strumming:
left hand pizz
Plucked with left hand rather than bowing hand. Notated with a + over the note. Rare
on the cello, but may be combined with arco. The fingerings
need to be carefully considered.
Left hand pizz:
