PIZZICATO Meaning and
Definition
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Pizzicato is a musical term that refers to a technique used in playing string instruments, particularly the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Derived from the Italian word "pizzicare," meaning "to pinch," pizzicato involves plucking the strings with the fingers instead of using a bow.
Pizzicato produces a distinct and percussive sound, setting it apart from the sustained and resonant tones created by bowing. By plucking the strings, the musician is able to create a short, staccato sound that can be either gentle and delicate or sharp and forceful, depending on the desired effect. Pizzicato can be used to lend a playful or whimsical character to a piece of music, or to add emphasis and color to specific passages.
As a notation, pizzicato is often indicated by the abbreviation "pizz." or "+," placed above the relevant notes in the sheet music. This indicates to the performer that they should switch from using the bow to plucking the strings.
The term pizzicato can also be used as a noun or adjective. As a noun, it refers to a short passage or an entire piece of music that features this technique. As an adjective, it describes music that is specifically written or played using pizzicato.
Overall, pizzicato is a versatile and widely-used technique in string playing, offering a contrasting texture to bowed sounds, bringing a unique musical character, and adding expressive possibilities to compositions.
Top Common Misspellings for PIZZICATO *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for PIZZICATO
- pizicato
- oizzicato
- lizzicato
- -izzicato
- 0izzicato
- puzzicato
- pjzzicato
- pkzzicato
- pozzicato
- p9zzicato
- p8zzicato
- pixzicato
- pizzicreto
Etymology of PIZZICATO
The word "pizzicato" originates from the Italian language. It comes from the verb "pizzicare", which means to pluck or pinch. In the context of music, "pizzicato" refers to a technique in which the strings of a musical instrument, usually a violin, viola, cello, or double bass, are plucked with the fingers instead of being bowed.
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