How does one pluck and play?
Which finger do you use and where on the strings do you pluck, which spot?
I just played with plucking for the first time I even recorded this first time.
Am I sounding right?
I should do this the way it is supposed to be done I guess.
I believe it is in my online course but lost a desktop pc and a laptop and have to type on my smartphone now
I need a laptop to plug my usb stick with passwords in so that I can log in to the course. Luckily I can cast to my tv screen.
Anyway this is what it sounded like
I prevented this practice to appear in the list hope I succeeded it feels awkward I only found out years after hanging out on FHO.
Please just pay attention to the way I try to integrate the plucking.
Edited by - Quincy on 05/07/2024 23:20:23
For me it's a tricky thing to do. I guess using the pinky is probably the best way to get the string (others here probably know better than I do), but for me, I find myself having to use the ring finger...pinky often has trouble getting a perky enough pluck. But it's tricky...when I play with plucks, my mind has to sorta plan way out ahead of the spot where I'm going to try to get the pluck in there and be ready to jump on that string in time...otherwise I just feel like I'm not ready to do it.
I've been messin' with Bear Creek Hop, when I get the chance, which has regular plucks going on in the A part, just to try to get it going easier for me. I guess it's just a matter of practicing getting to it on time, and with enough spunk to make it good an audible. Yours sounds pretty good to me.
It depends on whether it’s right hand or left hand pizzicato. If it’s left hand, the finger above the note is typically used to pluck (with some exceptions). For right hand, the predominant technique is to play at the bridge end of the fingerboard, resting the right thumb on the left side of the fingerboard. Some players use the middle finger, although the pointer finger is more common; in some cases, both fingers can be used. This position is useful because it allows the strings the greatest amount of freedom to ring, being the point where the strings are highest from the playing surface of the fingerboard. Playing toward the nut is more problematic because unwanted buzzing is more likely to occur when playing fingered notes. If you’re alternating between bowing and playing, the bow remains in the hand and you may not be able to anchor the thumb, in which case precision makes a big difference in getting a clean pizzicato. During long pizzicato passages the bow is commonly set aside. Bass players often have quivers attached to their tailpieces to facilitate quick changes from arco to pizzicato and vice versa.
Keep your nails trimmed, though (if you don’t already)! A lot of players have put nicks and dents into the tops of their instruments when they got too carried away playing pizzicato.
Thanks for this explanation, when trying out I was using ... My ring finger .
I am going to dive into some instructional videos.
I love this example:
youtu.be/bvwxEOoF1UM?feature=shared
Edited by - Quincy on 05/08/2024 19:51:17
I meant to edit my post earlier but didn’t have time to do so before the time ran out:
The right thumb can be anchored on the sides or end of the fingerboard if desired, and the position may change depending on the string being played. But anchoring the thumb is not a necessity, and many players don’t do it.
Here is an example of a player doing both left hand and right hand pizzicato:
Edited by - The Violin Beautiful on 05/08/2024 20:11:55
I am trying but I now keep my bow in right hand and use right hand to pluck while left hand fingers are on the right notes. I started off simple this time with Mary had a little lamb.
Edited by - Quincy on 05/08/2024 21:38:43
Quincy - As you probably know by now, this is called "pizzicato" (Italian for "plucking"), and is a standard classical technique. It can be done with either hand, and there's plenty of instruction online, like this: trala.com/resources/what-is-pizzicato
Most traditional players I've seen use the fingers of their left hand, and usually in an open tuning (and not very often, either). There are a few tunes, like "Drunkard's Hiccups," "Black Mountain Rag," and the old favorite "Pop Goes the Weasel" where its a common trick. Have you seen this one of Tommy Jarrell? youtu.be/CLsAn5-ym4E?feature=shared
Here's a well known pop/light classical piece where there's lots of it, I assume done with the right hand: youtu.be/f2u0BvyDxdM?feature=shared
Good explanation!
Quincy - I seldom crosstune, and hardly ever pluck a string, but I do sometimes use it as a variation in "Mason's Apron," which has similar A part to this tune. It's very brief, which is mostly how I've heard it used: youtu.be/sUxTaX_mxm4?feature=shared
I am trying Clyde Davenport's version of Bonaparte's Retreat now.
The funny thing is suddenly someone rings the doorbell.A guy introduces himself as someone who creates dance music and he was looking for a violinist.He heard me playing while he was at my neighbour's place and showed me what he was looking for. He needs a classical player with vibrato skills. Hehe.
Leroy Anderson made a lot of use of pizzicato in several of his popular pieces. Those are probably the most recognizable examples. Paganini used pizzicato extensively and the virtuoso player/composers who followed in his footsteps did so as well.
Fiddlers use it far less frequently. Old Time players tend to use left hand pizzicato more frequently than right hand.
That is good to know... I feel more comfortable playing it left handed.
This is what I am doing here, I am slowly getting the feel of it!
Ok thus is a cool thing to do... Make one fiddle sound two !
I think I got this, plucking while playing.
Very nice, that's what Tommy Jarrell does.
Love the way Clark Kissinger does it on what he calls Poca River Blues. (Actually East Tennessee Blues)
That's the idea Anja. I'd never thought of it sounding like two fiddles, but I hear what you mean.
