Arco

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the string staff at the first bowed note after pizz. or col legno, and in force from then on; older scores sometimes write coll’arco. It is not needed at the start of a piece, since bowing is assumed, but editors often add [arco] in brackets after a long pizzicato to remove doubt.

How Composers Use It

Arco is only needed after pizzicato passages — it is the default and does not need to be marked at the beginning of a piece. Always give string players a beat or two of rest between pizz. and arco to allow them to reposition the bow.

Example

Throughout Dvořák's "New World" Symphony — frequent alternation between pizzicato accompaniment and arco melody in the string sections.

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