sul tasto
Bowing near fingerboard
Sul tasto is a musical direction for string players to bow over the fingerboard rather than in the usual position near the bridge.
This produces a softer, more ethereal tone with fewer overtones: The violins play sul tasto here for a ghostly effect.
The Italian literally means "on the fingerboard." The opposite technique is sul ponticello, bowing near the bridge for a harsher, glassier sound.
- arcoPlay with bow
- fingerboardString instrument's pitch surface
- tone colorSonic character of instruments
- veiledConcealed or obscured
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
whispered · tenuto · timbre · hushed · harmonics · warm · cantabile · soft · overtones · muted · shimmering · viola · orchestral · delicate · gentle · airy · cello · notation