What is a Pizzicato?

Pizzicato is a playing technique used primarily on string instruments in which the performer plucks the strings with the fingers instead of using the bow. The word comes from the Italian term meaning “plucked.”

When pizzicato is indicated in the music, string players use a finger—usually the index finger of the right hand—to pull and release the string, producing a short, percussive sound. This creates a noticeably different tone compared to the sustained sound produced by bowing.

Pizzicato is commonly used in orchestral, chamber, and jazz music to add rhythmic texture, contrast, or lightness to a passage. Composers often alternate between pizzicato and bowed playing (marked arco) to vary the sound and character of the music.