Open string
A string sounded without fingering — bright and resonant, but no vibrato
Related
An open string is sounded with no finger stopping it, the whole string vibrating freely, usually marked "0" above the note. The violin's open strings are G, D, A and E; viola, cello and double bass have their own tunings. The tone is bright and resonant, rich in overtones, and for that very reason it can protrude from the texture.
With no finger on the string there is no finger vibrato, so a long open note sounds straight and pale, which is why lyrical lines often avoid it. The usual mistake is to regard open strings as beginner's notes: composers use their brightness and resonance deliberately, as drones or in double-stops, yet still keep them out of long exposed melodies for the same lack of colour.
Sources
- 空弦的定弦、记谱与音色，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Open string"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.