arco
1
9.1
Play instruments like a violin or cello with a bow rather than pluck the strings
- adjective
- /ˈɑrkoʊ/
- Specialized
:
arco
- On the score, the composer wrote arco to tell violinists to use the bow again.
Examples
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After the pizzicato passage, the musicians switched to arco for a smooth, lyrical melody.
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The conductor signaled the cellists to play arco rather than continue plucking.
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Play arco.
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Don't forget to play arco during the chorus!
-
After the pizzicato passage, the musicians switched to arco for a smooth, lyrical melody.
-
On the score, the composer wrote arco to tell violinists to use the bow again.
-
The conductor signaled the cellists to play arco rather than continue plucking.
Synonyms
1
7.0
Played by pulling a curved stick across the strings of an instrument
indicates in music to play with the bow rather than by plucking
Surface Forms
arco positive
Etymology
Arco comes from the Latin word arcus, which means 'bow', like the curved stick used by an archer. So in music arco tells string players to use the bow again instead of plucking the strings.