How to Play Pizzicato on the Violin

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Place your right thumb at the corner of the fingerboard nearest the violin's bridge.
2. Put your index fingerpad on top of the "G" string.
3. Apply slight pressure so that your finger lands on the neighboring "D" string. This is "plucking" and is called playing "pizzicato."
4. Pluck the "G" string four times in a steady rhythm. Use no fingernails.
5. Repeat on the "D", "A" and "E" strings. Count with a steady beat or use a metronome.
6. Say the names of the strings each time you pluck to make a sound.
7. Mix the sequence and keep the tempo at a slow rate. Focus on accuracy.
8. Identify the location of the "D" & "A" quarter notes on the treble clef of your sheet music. "D" hangs just below the bottom line. "A" occupies the second space.