Col Legno

   For orchestral strings, there is a playing technique called “col legno.” When the player is asked to play “col legno,” he will strike the string with the wooden part of the bow.

   Now, the player always does not like this technique because it could damage the bow (remind you that a professional bow is as expensive as an instrument). So, I am always very cautious when I assign col legno, and I only use it for if the line is piano or softer dynamics. 

   But there are times that music absolutely requires col legno in louder dynamics, like when I am writing or orchestrating film cues for mystery or scary scene. In that case, I always ALWAYS bring enough unused pencils in the recording sessions, and ask violin and viola players to use them instead of their bow. I found that a pencil actually produces better col legno sound because a small pencil is easier to control than a bow, and players can perform the required lines without hesitation of damaging their bows. For cello and basses, I bring big-sized permanent markers or highlight pens. They sound OK. 

   Of course, these substitutions look rather funny in the concert hall. So, I hope that someday string instrument manufacturers would make good-looking concert pencils, or concert pens to be used for col legno. :)