How does your pizzicato speed compare to your bowed speed?
If you played a line at your maximum speed with the bow, could you pluck the same line a) at the same speed; b) faster c) about half-speed d) one-quarter speed or slower? Just trying to find out what is normal. Are there any pieces you know of that call for very fast pizzicato passages?

Wow! U`re really interested in this topic...I`ve seen it in all string forums. I dun think anyone can pluck as fast as they can bow. Hmmm... whop up a neat 16 in one bow?...Okie, no sweat! Plucking a sweet 16 in the same speed? Not quite possible. Since at least 3 of yr fingers are occupied trying to secure the bow.

A fast pizzicato can be played using left hand fingers (usually fourth) as well as the right hand fingers. You don`t obviously play trills with pizz., but you can stretch your limits concerning technicality, although not as much as compared to bowing a lot of notes.

As for musicality, there is Caprice 24. 9th variation, Paganini of course, which is to be played decently fast enough to impress a fellow violinist.


Jay

We actually just played a piece called "Playful pizzicato" by Britten (sp?) which is part of his "Simple Symphony". The temp indicated was "Presto possible". It is quite difficult to get that fast, we just took more of an allegretto approach. I`d say you pluck a line slower, but depending on how fast the notes with the bow are, the pizz`s could be a little slower or a lot slower.

-Tim

Everyone is right..it is rather hard to pluck at the same speed you can bow...wow...that would be like if you played a 64th notes from a open D to a 3rd position D and for me its rather hard to pluck that fast...so my answer is a little slower than I can bow...interesting topic.