Bowed string instrument extended technique

Particularly famous examples of string instrument extended technique can be found in the music of Krzysztof Penderecki (particularly his Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima), Witold Lutosławski, George Crumb, and Helmut Lachenmann.

If it is done while the performer is in normal playing position, the sound produced is quiet, whispery and a bit squeaky.

Bowing on the fingerboard (sul tasto or sulla tastiera) creates a soft thin tone.

This fairly common extended technique involves bowing the instrument on the afterlength, the short length of string behind the bridge.

Another interesting example is found in Ferde Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite where bowing behind the bridge on a violin cadenza is used in the representation of a donkey's braying.

(It is commonly thought that Bartók invented the technique, but Gustav Mahler already in his Seventh Symphony was the first to direct its use.

A performer can stop the strings with their left hand in an unusually forceful maneuver and thereby produce a percussive effect.

The strings can be struck with the hand or with another object to produce a loud ringing or percussive sound.

The body of a string instrument, since it is a resonant cavity, can resound quite loudly when struck with the fingers or another object.

This effect, which sounds remarkably like a person chewing something crunchy, is fairly quiet and could benefit from amplification.