# classical music notation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2002, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706 "2002-04-26T02:55:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/1 "2002-04-26T02:55:27Z")
I’ve never read sheet music written for strings, so I don’t know how this is noted. When attending some classical music performances, you occaisionally see the string section plucking their instruments. Is there a special notation for this or does the composer just write a very short note, e.g., a 32nd note or something? ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/2 "2002-04-26T03:53:04Z")
_Pizzicato_ is usually indicted by a " over the notes. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/3 "2002-04-26T04:33:45Z")
Or a _Pizz_ written on the piece, and an _Arco_ when bowing is to be resumed. ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/4 "2002-04-26T21:07:27Z")
Simple enough. Thanks to you both. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/5 "2002-04-26T21:14:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hawthorne \* > \*\*_Pizzicato_ is usually indicted by a " over the notes. \*\* Maybe in Australia… 😉 I have a degree in music composition, and the last time I checked, it was a small ‘v’ over the notes to be plucked. However, it’s correct that a long section of pizzicato is indicated by _pizz_ at the beginning and _arco_ when bowing is to be resumed. Sorry to nitpick, but this is talking shop for me. 🙂 - s.e. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/6 "2002-04-26T23:48:26Z")
Time to sell your shop, Canada-boy. 😉 “v” denotes an upbow, duh. Something is notated with an “x” where the note should be, but that might be hitting the strings with the opposite side of the bow (which as you can imagine, doesn’t come up that often.) ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/7 "2002-04-27T00:18:20Z")
scott evil, I don’t know where you studied music composition, but, like voguevixen says, that “v” sure does not mean pizzicato. There is no universally agreed-upon _single-symbol_ notation for a one-note right-hand pizzicato. You pretty much have to write “pizz.” and then “arco” every time if you want to get your point across. A “+” written over a notehead, however, is usually an indication of a _left_-hand pizzicato, at least in string music. It can mean different things for different instruments, though. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-notation/105706/8 "2002-04-27T03:00:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*scott evil, I don’t know where you studied music composition, but, like voguevixen says, that “v” sure does not mean pizzicato. > \*\* Oops. :eek: Fair enough, you’re both right. It’s been several years since I’ve written for strings, and I’ve blocked the whole ordeal out of my memory. ::runs away, cowering:: I remember now: v and the upside-down n for bowing. There’s no symbol for pizz itself, but pizz harmonics are indicated with a _pizz_ indication along with an ‘o’ with a line through the top of the ‘o’. That’s where I got confused… God, I hated writing for strings… - s.e.