Sub Ponticello – playing behind the bridge

            Playing behind the bridge creates a high pitched, slightly scratchy sound. The interesting thing about this technique is that different violins will produce different pitches. This is because the length of the string between the tailpiece and the bridge would differ, the tension of the strings behind the bridge would also differ slightly from violin to violin. This means that using the technique with multiple violins would create a unique tone cluster.

It can also be noted that changing the tuning on the violin would change the tuning behind the bridge. This should be done with caution as time will be needed for the performer to retune if needed and frequent loosening and tightening of the strings will weaken them and make them prone to snapping. Also slackening all the strings too much will create less pressure on the bridge meaning that there could be a risk of the bridge slipping and possibly the sound post slipping.

            As the performer is bowing behind the bridge this frees up the L.H. to perform other techniques such as L.H. pizz, as in Thursday Afternoon by Alvin Vurran, or by tapping the body of the violin.  Crumb also uses a tremolo arpeggio of Sub Ponticello in Black Angels. 

Multiphonics

            Multiphonics are a phenomenon usually reserved for brass and wind instruments. It occurs when it is possible to alter the way of blowing to produce two or more tones at the same time. With the violin this is obviously possible by performing double stopping but it is also possible to perform a real multiphonic producing two notes whilst only bowing one string. It gives a slightly distorted sound and is the breaking up of the various other partials.

            This seems to be a relatively new technique as such I was not able to find notation for it, although Patricia Strange suggests a possible notation for it.

            Tracy Silverman describes how to play it:

“Start with the note E on the A string. I prefer to use my second finger (3^rd) position. If you play a harmonic at that node, you will hear a note one octave higher…. Now, increase your finger pressure just slightly. Not enough to lose the harmonic, but enough so that if you slide your finger down to a D you will still hear a note one octave above the normal note.”

I found this a little hard to understand but the way I managed to do it was to play the harmonic in 3^rd position and to slowly apply pressure with your finger until you hear the E at ‘normal’ pitch as well. I found that if you keep firm bow pressure it helps to keep a consistent tone.

It is important for the composers to work closely with the performers as the possible multiphonics will differ from performer to performer and instrument to instrument. 

Hammering

                                            Praxis for 12 Jani Christou
                                           Hammering notation          

            This is quite a delicate technique and evolves from guitar and banjo technique. The difference between the fingerboard on the violin and the banjo is obviously the fact that the banjo has frets, meaning that the sound of the L.H. can be heard much more easily. On the violin this is a much more delicate technique one which I feel that could benefit from amplification or would be extremely effective as an orchestral tool. 

            I found that hammering works best on the G and D strings as they are naturally louder and thicker meaning that it is possible to trap the string between the fingerboard and your finger. It gives a very percussive sound to the violin. 

Overpressuer

                                                       Rounds David Ernst
                                                      Bow pressure Graphic

Overpressure is one of the most commonly used extended techniques. It creates a loud scratchy white noise sound, which can be very effective to create a completely different sound. It is not a sound usually wanted from a violin as the sound is usually a sign of someone who has not developed proper technique as violinists usually strive to create a pleasant tone.

Overpressure can be used in two ways, one where the strings are dampened and the other where a pitch is wanted to be heard by the composer.  To dampen the strings the violinist simply clamps their L.H. on to the strings restricting their ability to vibrate properly. To create overpressure the violinist has to, as the name suggests, create large amounts of pressure. I found that the best way was to have a heavy right arm and really pull threw the bow stroke whilst pinching and pressing hard with the first finger on the R.H. remembering that if constant overpressure is wanted then more pressure will be needed nearer the tip of the bow.

                                                       

                                                  Crumb Black Angels (1970)

                                                  Overpressure

 There are various different symbols for overpressure to be notated with.  Crumb uses this technique in Black Angels, starting with a normal note at pp increasing in volume and pressure depicted by the zigzag line to fff. As a composer you would have to realise that this technique can only really be played loud as the more pressure created on the string then the more louder the volume created. Another way to depict differing amounts of overpressure is to create a graphic above the stave as in Rounds by David Ernst. Although written for cello the theory is still the same. The bigger the graphic the more pressure needed.

Col Legno

Col Legno means to play with the wood of the bow and is not as new a technique as some other extended techniques. It does however change the timbre that the violin can produce as the performer is not using the hair of the bow that produces a clean sound. The sound created by Col Legno is much more faint and whispery.  

            Col Legno Butatto means to bounce the wood of the bow and creates a much more percussive sound, this is used by Chopin in Piano Concerto no. 2 in the final movement. It gives a feel of wood being struck together sticking with the peasant dance theme that he had throughout the final movement.

            If it is to be bowed then Col Legno Tratto is to be used, its gives a whispery white noise effect. Crumb calls for this in Black Angels which is used in a section called ‘Sounds of Bones and Flutes’ using this technique gives it that haunting feeling that you would expect from bones and flutes.

            

            Care must be taken when writing Col Legno as this can be a destructive technique towards the bow, it may chip or scratch the varnish on the bow and serious players could have an extremely expensive one. For violinists that are thinking about performing extended techniques a lot then they should think about having a cheaper spare bow.

            When playing this technique I found that it was easier to have my thumb underneath the leather with the other fingers on top, as you may have done when you were first learning to play the violin. I found that it gave much more control and when playing Butatto it gives a good pivot point to help keep a striking rhythm.

Circular bowing

This technique gives an intermittent tone, some people describe the sound that this makes as a sighing sound. The idea being to move the bow in a circular motion across the string, as shown in the diagram below. This means that as the bow passes in a vertical motion to the string then a clear tone is produced, when the bow is on a horizontal motion to the string then a scratchy ‘non’ tone is produced. The frequency of the intermittent tone can be increased and decreased depending on the size and speed of the circle.

            I found when I started playing this technique it to be quite tricky as you are doing something quite unnatural with you R.H. I found that the best way was to make sure that you have a firm bow hold as when you are making the ‘scratch’ noise you have to push the bow away from you and the towards you  and you want to be in full control of the bow. You want to start off thinking that you are making a square and gradually smooth out the corners until you have created a circle.

            This technique can be used on all strings and, as with a lot of these techniques, they can be used in conjunction with others for example bowing behind the bridge or, as in Cadenzas and Variations, I & II br Richard Wernick (1995) he calls for the violinist to “make circular motion (with wood of bow) from bridge to nut to bridge on open D and A strings; allow only sufficient weight of bow to produce upper partials .“ There are many different ways to notate this technique but they all seem to have a circle above the note being played as in the examples below. 

Bowing behind L.H. fingers

This technique is used by composers to create a muted and haunting tone, it also gives a great visual component to a performance. George Crumb uses this technique in Black Angels where he tells the performers to hold the violins between their knees to give the appearance of playing a viol.  The other version that can be used is in the normal playing position where the performer has to reach their right arm round. I found playing the second a lot more difficult, surprisingly, than the ‘viol’ version. I feel that this is because whilst you are concentrating on bowing in a position that is completely different the performer also has to consider the fact that the fingers are going in reverse. Say you go from a D to an E in third position on the G string, the pitch gets higher as the vibrating section of the string is decreasing in length whereas if you play behind the fingerboard then if you play the same notes it comes out as an A to a G on the E string.

            Composers should also take note that the only strings that this technique is suited for is the G and the E string on the violin. It should also be noted that there will be a rosin build up on the strings where it would be usual for the fingers to go meaning that there should be adequate time for the performers to wipe away any rosin. If it is a substantially long passage then a second violin may be needed.

            For performing this technique in the ‘viol’ position I found that playing about 1cm away from the nut gave the optimum sound. As a performer you also have to be wary of clipping the D and A strings, as they will resonate more it is very noticeable. Playing this technique in the normal position I found that having a very strait bow was very useful so that other strings were not touched accidentally.  With both of the positions I found that using quite a fair amount of bow pressure helped to create a pleasant tone. It should also be noted that fingers have to be lifted after each note so that the next one can be heard.

           A written instruction above the music is usual for this technique