Which technique involves playing with the wood of the bow on the strings rather than the hair?

• A. Arco
• B. Col Legno
• C. Pizzicato
• D. Tremolo

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how changing the contact point and material of the bow changes the sound you get from the strings. Using the wood of the bow against the strings creates a dry, percussive texture rather than the singing, sustained tone you get when the hair is drawn across the strings. This technique is called col legno. It directs you to use the wood portion of the bow on the strings, and you’ll sometimes see it specified as col legno battuto when the wood is struck against the strings, producing a pinging, percussion-like effect, or col legno tratto when the wood is drawn across the strings for a more whispering, eerie color. In contrast, arco keeps the hair on the strings for a normal bowed tone, pizzicato involves plucking the strings with the fingers, and tremolo refers to rapid, repeated bowing to create a pulsating texture. The description in the question aligns with col legno because it emphasizes wood-on-strings rather than hair-on-strings.