In bowed string technique, which term literally means 'with the wood'?

In bowed string technique, which term literally means 'with the wood'?

• A. Col legno
• B. Loure
• C. Arco
• D. Spiccato

Answer: (A)

Col legno describes using the wood of the bow to produce sound. It literally means “with the wood,” signaling you to strike or draw the strings with the wooden part rather than the hair. This creates a distinct percussive or eerie timbre, depending on whether you strike the strings (col legno battuto) or draw the wood along them (col legno tratto). The other terms describe different bowing approaches: arco indicates playing with the bow on the strings with the hair, spiccato is a light, detached bouncing stroke, and loure is a smooth, slightly detached legato under one bow stroke.

Col legno describes using the wood of the bow to produce sound. It literally means “with the wood,” signaling you to strike or draw the strings with the wooden part rather than the hair. This creates a distinct percussive or eerie timbre, depending on whether you strike the strings (col legno battuto) or draw the wood along them (col legno tratto). The other terms describe different bowing approaches: arco indicates playing with the bow on the strings with the hair, spiccato is a light, detached bouncing stroke, and loure is a smooth, slightly detached legato under one bow stroke.