Col legno battuto

As Printed on a Score

Printed over a string part where the effect starts, in full or shortened to col legno, which players read as struck unless tratto is added. It holds until arco or ordinario cancels it; many scores add a footnote on whether a little hair may touch the string.

How Composers Use It

A dry, percussive click with only a ghost of pitch — the sound of Holst’s Mars and of the witches’ sabbath that ends Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. It is quiet, so it needs a whole section and a thin texture to carry. Short rhythmic figures suit it; sustained notes are impossible. Players often switch to a cheaper bow, so allow a few bars for the change.

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