spiccato
A bowing technique where the bow bounces lightly off the string.
In Depth
Spiccato is a bouncing bow stroke where the bow leaves the string between each note, producing a light, articulated sound. The bow's natural springiness does much of the work — the player controls the bounce through arm weight, bow speed, and contact point rather than actively lifting and dropping the bow. Spiccato sits between détaché (on the string) and sautillé (a faster, uncontrolled bounce) in the spectrum of off-string bowings. It is one of the most commonly used [bowing techniques](/term/bowing%20techniques) in orchestral playing, appearing in countless passages that require clarity and lightness. Mastering spiccato at various speeds and dynamics is a fundamental milestone in string technique development.
At high speeds, spiccato becomes sautillé — the bow bounces so fast that the player can no longer control each individual bounce. The transition between the two is one of the trickiest moments in string technique.