Ask Augustin 16 - Spiccato 2 and staccato tips

In this installment I continue talking more about spiccato and (by popular demand) some tips on upbow staccato! Rather than thinking in strict categories of different bowstrokes (spiccato vs sautillé vs detaché etc), it can be helpful to think of these categories as part of a continuum, with countless different combinations of the different factors (on the string and off, where to play on the bow, how much to angle the bow, how much to use the wrist vs. the arm) and to practice transitioning between them. Honestly I also find some of the terms a bit confusing, since they mix French and Italian terms, and not everybody means the same thing by them.
In my mind I call upbow staccato "picchettato", its Italian name! ("staccato" is Italian too, but originally just means separate, the opposite of legato - did I mention the names of bowstrokes get a bit confusing?) And picchettato is fun to say!
This is a cool technique that pops up often in showpieces, but is rarely used in the core repertoire of concertos and sonatas - so I would not prioritize working on it at the expense of other aspects of your bow-technique that are more essential. Staccato seems impossible at first but becomes much easier with practice and experimentation - almost like a reflex, an automated motion. There are different ways to do it, and so it requires some experimentation to find the way that works for you.

[@rafthegoat]

how lucky we are to have a world class musician such as yourself consistently making videos explaining different aspects of violin playing. Thank you Augustin!

[@diegeigergarnele7975]

The sound is so clear whatever he does. I feel like by watching these videos I'm learning only the tip of the iceberg. There's a crazy amount of work behind all the crazy bow strokes. We need to practice

[@Vegathlete]

Daunting strokes simplified in layman’s terms without pretense. This enabling explanation has me bowing in gratitude to the maestro.

[@alexsaldarriaga8318]

Wow! You're giving away the recipe to your secret sauce! Your staccato in Paganini's Caprice #21 is wonderful in its clarity and complexity. But I'm even more impressed with your lovely cantilena in the Amoroso section of the caprice. Which goes to show that, in my opinion, a brilliant staccato is nice to have, but is not a necessary ingredient. Two of my violin heroes, Nathan Milstein and Aaron Rosand, were great artists who opted out of staccato by using spiccato instead. Thank you Mr. Hadelich!

[@ViolinHobby]

Extremely helpful and practical tips that we can use to improve our spiccato, staccato, bow strokes. I was so captivated by your Sibelius concerto performance followed by the amazing encore performance of the guitar piece on your violin...I'm lost for words.

[@marxismisevil839]

Awesome Augustin!! I have tried to learn staccato for 40 years 😆

[@feralbluee]

Hi Augustin - learning more about these techniques, makes me appreciate listening so much more. and the way you are teaching is very clear, understandable, and actually enjoyable. love your laugh. i could listen to you all day. for some reason you and your violin create the fullest, deepest, velvet tones. i was lucky to be able to listen in person once in Lincoln Center - maybe some day again. thank you so much 🎻🌹

[@winningtennis4914]

Augustin you are an absolutely amazing teacher.

[@kyproset]

Maestro, you really introduce us to new great ideas. Thank you.

[@nbenda]

Really very good advise! Interestingly, doing up bow staccato you are not really sparing bow for the first 3 notes, but afterwards, and it works and sounds great! That's why it is always important to explain AND to show things :-)

[@BradfordCRichards]

Your ability to vary your strokes along the "continuum" is incredibly expressive and compelling. Sometimes you sound like you are doing opposite ends of the continuum at the same time, such as playing both "off the string" and "in the string" simultaneously. You do this in the 1st movement of Telemann's Fantasie #4, for example. I'm still trying to figure out how in the world you do that.

[@mathieumoutou6359]

Thank you so much for sharing your take on that Tchaikovsky passage! Very helpful.

[@alexanderrogalla1011]

My teacher assigned me kreutzer 4 and I thought “I hope there’s an ask augustin about this!” 😂 👏

[@hallie904]

Thank you! Your videos are always so helpful!

[@emmanicoletti7250]

Thank you!Are you maybe going to talk about the quality of sound and bow arm weight ? This is such a fundamental theme ! Regards.

[@Petroschristidis]

you are the man :-) Awesome player artist and a genuine good heart !

[@MichaelDurig1]

Thank you for a great video. I will try some of these things tomorrow.

[@shupesmerga4694]

great insight! I"m here for the up/downbow staccato for vivaldi winter

[@fiddlestix3025]

Awesome, -and soo helpful! Thanks, Augustin 🙏

[@billsabiadrums]

I found you on Nicola Benedetti’s chat. You are great!

[@peterbaxter8151]

Thanks for your advice on staccato. I won’t bother trying to master down bow staccato then. It doesn’t sound like I’m likely to need it.

[@davideviterbo]

grazie! davvero generoso e gentile.

[@carloalberto1108]

Many thanks for the examples

[@seantaro3346]

Augustin, can you give me/us a rundown on how it's possible to perform fiery arpeggios crossing all possible octaves in a wink of an eye? Thank you. You are great

[@simon0yeung]

Thankyou so much! I'd really love to be able to play the Hora Staccato nicely one day. Mine is so sloppy now...

[@rosanatalibarretoferreira1527]

Interesante. Gracias!

[@ingaliu8903]

Dear Augustin, Ive really been enjoying your series this far, especially the vibrato one! I am wondering if you ever think about breath and whether it is a conscious part of your practice or performance.

[@AugustinHadelichViolin]

yes - in fact I'll mention it in a later episode, I try to breathe the same in practice and performance, it helps a lot with relaxing on stage.

[@EduardoHernandez-fn5ce]

Máster tank you so much, you are a great human Good bless you.

[@chrisma3256]

OMG ... das war jetzt sehr süß "I try to avoid down bow staccato when I can" ❤😂👍

[@marcelogonzalezechazu9054]

Some of the violinist with great career, like Milstein and Oistrakh did play pieces with up bow staccato just using spiccato for those passages

[@mattdahm4289]

Thank you for the excellent videos! I have a question about where you position your fingertips on the strings. I've noticed when I play thirds, I sometimes I need to place my fingertips very near to the fingernail (for example, playing 2/4 fingers on the E and A strings in first position for G and and E). The second finger G becomes very difficult to vibrate and often sounds false due to the nail. How does your approach differ when you don't need to double stop the second finger "G" on the E string and your priority is vibrato and quality of tone? Also, what is your approach to vibrato on the same note when double stopping with the third?

[@israeldiaz4431]

Thank you Maestro 💓

[@yacoubgirgis6400]

Thank you

[@rezamaleki5396]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@LeonardoRosario-ce3rd]

Thank you!

[@alcidesantuniassi3693]

Muito bem explicado; obrigado

[@christhurstone6139]

How to keep the spiccato going during extended four string passages like mendelssohn concerto cadenza or paganini 1? I can only sustain for a few measures... and throwing the wrist doesn't help that much 😂

[@steveblake5278]

Hi Augustin, could you talk about how to avoid constant e string whistle especially when playing fast Legato passages like chaconne for example? Thanks!!!

[@violynnkuo]

Usually E string whistle happens because you need a bit slower bow and/or weight. If the bow ‘glances’ the E string with too fast of a bow speed, I usually get the whistle 😕 so I try slower bow speed and more weight.

[@alecrobinson7124]

I also have an e string whistle problem, but that's basically the string. I've never had a whistle problem when I use a steel e, I've never not had one when using a gold E. The gold E sounds really rich, but the horrible squeaking/crunching sound is basically the risk I take using one.

[@chrisma3256]

Dankeschön ❤🥰🙏

[@07daniela1]

Thanks! regards from Colombia :D

[@fransiskusiwansetiawan5227]

May god bless you brother...

[@meyerbeer13]

Interesting. Paganini 5 the middle section in the schirmer edition is bowed staccato both up bow and downbow but most violinists do spiccato changing direction on each note so they can play fast? It's not marked presto it's marked agitato.

[@sedatakkas8427]

I'm glad you are exist:)

[@sedatakkas8427]

Thanksss

[@fabriciovalvasori1121]

Genio!!!!

[@ellenajohanson1016]

Please make a video about left hand speed

[@qingzhi1078]

I’m playin hora staccato, and I just can’t get it super fast as heifest does

[@JustFiddler]

matur suksma ya agustin. sampai jumpa di pulau bali

[@gentsracer1845]

This (at 0:40 e.g.) is not Spiccato, it's sautille (in the first video too...).

[@jantan4356]

Hi Augustin, thank you for this really helpful video! Quick question: why do you appear to play mostly with a 'forearm spiccato' in Paganini Moto Perpetuo kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWGxmmSOjd2jhJI, as opposed to playing with more 'wrist spiccato'?

[@blacciriss9821]

Me: doing tremolo when attempting spiccato Him: flexing with Tchaikovsky . . . QWQ cry in 3-month beginner noise

[@jorgeluisprado9860]

Show

[@fernandomarquez6661]

Gracias Agustín you are great at sharing your experience, thank you!

[@jorgezuluagarestrepo7132]

How many videos you did? I want to see all of them

[@Lajos279]

If you subscribe to his channel you can watch them all!

[@07daniela1]

Thanks! regards from Colombia :D