Which of the following is a wood-based bowing technique?

• A. Pizzicato
• B. Arco
• C. Col legno
• D. Spiccato

Answer: (C)

Using the wood of the bow to strike the strings is a wood-based bowing technique. This approach, called col legno, creates a distinct percussive sound by contacting the strings with the bow’s wood rather than its hair. Pizzicato involves plucking the strings with the fingers, so no bow is used at all. Arco means playing with the bow normally, using the hair on the strings. Spiccato is a bouncing bow technique where the hair lightly contacts the strings, not the wood. So the wood-based bowing technique is col legno.