Which of the following terms is not a wood-based bowing technique?

• A. Col legno
• B. Loure
• C. Spiccato
• D. Sforzando

Answer: (D)

This question tests the distinction between bowing methods that use the wood or specific bow actions versus general articulation marks. Sforzando is an articulation indicating a strong, sudden accent on a note; it isn’t a defined way of moving the bow or using the wood. It describes how the note should be attacked rather than prescribing a particular bow stroke.

Col legno, by contrast, directs you to use the wood of the bow to strike the strings, a clear wood-based technique. Loure refers to a smooth, connected legato bowing across several notes, a specific bowing approach with the hair still in contact. Spiccato is a bouncing bow technique that creates short, detached notes, again a particular way of bowing with the hair and string interaction.

So the term that isn’t a wood-based bowing technique is the one that denotes articulation rather than a specific bowing method.