Détaché = separate strokes.
Martelé = involves putting pressure on the bow, and then releasing this pressure rapidly, generally resulting in intense notes with full attack and pauses between them. The notes are performed between the middle of the bow and the tip, or the middle of the bow and the heel. Lift bow away from string when jumping from the tip to the heel. This bowing is the basis of the flying détaché. The martelé accent feels like a kind of pressure in the hand, like squeezing a lemon. After the fast initial stroke, the relaxed stroke is détaché. As with staccato, the technique is characterised by impulses from the wrist or first finger (fast reflex movements).
Collé = according to Ozim, this is the only fingerstroke in right-hand technique. Collé is a stroke that a player should be able to perform at all points of the bow, that is, heel, middle and tip. Collé is primarily used in slow spiccato along with an elbow and forearm movement. The bow returns to the string at the end of every note in collé when practising. Ozim teaches that collé comes from the shoulder. The player comes down on to the string with the bow in a fast movement, then a slower movement just before touching the string. The fingers become involved when the player touches the string, the length of sound in relation to the stroke of the fingers. One should mind the balance between the thumb and little finger as this is intrinsically important to the whole stroke. On completing the stroke, the player “pulls” the bow up again, straight, as if there were a spring underneath the elbow. This “pulling” up of the bow is a very quick movement as if a rubber ball had suddenly knocked the elbow from underneath, and is a very fluid movement as soon as the stroke of the fingers and the relating sound on the string has finished. The little finger can only fall from the bow if one does not stroke parallel to the bridge. The thumb on the down-bow should always be naturally — therefore slightly — rounded, and not extremely straight, so as to contrast with the roundness of the thumb on the up-bow. To get a feel of the movement of the fingers and, especially, the thumb, practise the finger movement vertically, that is, alongside the edge of a music stand.
Like this one can see that the thumb has to move “down” and not “out” and that the bow has to move in straight lines parallel to those of the music stand. Another way to get a feel of the stroking movement is to pactise the stroke of the fingers on the string. In practice, the stroking movement is lifted from the string as soon as the action is finished. When trying to feel the movement, stroke continuously along a string, both up and down-bow, to realise how long the fingers alone can create a sound without the use of the rest of the arm and how much the thumb must bend in on the up-bow, and to be aware that the bow must move parallel to the bridge. Another idea for getting the feel of the fingers and thumb movement is to use a credit card instead of the bow on the strings. A further suggestion for getting the feel of the thumb movement is to practise letting the thumb slide straight down a pencil or the side of the heel of the bow in an up and down movement whilst the other fingers remain steady, as if holding the bow in the usual position. In general, and in collé as well, the thumb should always be held more in the corner of the leather of the heel of the bow, not hooked too deep between leather and wood at the curve. One has much more control of the bow if it is held correctly. The point of lifting the arm (from the shoulder) in collé, especially exaggerated when practising one note at a time in a slow tempo, is so that the pupil is aware that the arm lifs in on the axis, not out, that is, the bow moves parallel to the bridge as it leaves and comes back down on the string and not all over the place in the air, often the result of an uncontrolled arm, or, in the worst case, uncontrolled wrist action. As collé is practised faster, this movement gets smaller. Another reason that the bow is lifted from the string as soon as the fingerstroke is completed is so that the fingers, as they do the stroke, have freedom of movement and do not stay locked. As stated before, to get the fingerstroke concept right, pull the bow on the string with the fingers alone, not involving the wrist. The student will see that the fingers move in a parallel movement to the bridge and not in or out in an uncontrolled manner. A short list of reminders when practising collé includes:
- remembering to stroke parallel to the bridge, not throwing the bow haphazardly - lifting the bow with the arm, stroking with the fingers
- collé should feel like one is playing an elegant version of ping-pong - fingers are fast, arm movement is slow
- practise stroking the bow with just the fingers while the bow remains glued to the string
- the sound of collé can be compared to that of pizzicato, the difference being that collé is performed with the bow
- prepare collé with the fingers. The bow leaves the string when the fingers bend up and down
Spiccato = in slow form, this stroke is created by forearm movements. When played fast, the wrist is included in the movement, leading on to …
Sautillé = “knocking” the violin with the movement of the knuckles. A supple wrist movement is included.
Ricochet = comes from spiccato. Is a controlled movement, originating however from “throwing” the bow on to the string. All the hair of the bow should be used to execute the stroke.
Staccato = a very defined sound, can be performed up or down-bow. Comes from martelé. The wrist or index finger can be used to help to initiate the movement. The stroke comes from the natural possibility to jump with the bow. Sticking to the string with the bow is imperative for optimal control. Lean on the bow, otherwise the bow will not stick to the strings.
When changing strings, use more bow and do not let the right arm angle the bow, that is, the bow should not be skew to the bridge or too close to it. If the bow comes too close to the bridge it can result in an unwanted ponticello sound. Aim to perform a crescendo on staccato notes, particularly at the end of a slur, and not a diminuendo. The impulse of the staccato (be that active in the ring finger or the index and middle finger) must not get smaller, as this creates a “shaking” of the bow instead of a staccato. Let go of the impulse, that is, the finger or fingers responsible for the impulse should relax between notes, otherwise there is no air between notes, resulting in the sound becoming “sticky” and too much in the string.
Flying staccato = Instead of throwing the bow, stay on the string. When performed slowly, the movement is akin to collé performed on up-bows. When performed fast, the bow is “thrown” on the string and the resulting staccato flies through the air, over the string. Ozim angles the bow for better results.