One of the most common questions intermediate violinists ask is: “What’s the difference between spiccato and sautillé?” They look similar, they sound similar, but the mechanics and control are completely different. Understanding this distinction is crucial for developing fast, clean bouncing bow strokes that don’t fight against the natural physics of the bow.
Many violinists struggle with fast bouncing passages because they’re trying to apply spiccato technique at speeds where sautillé should naturally take over. This creates tension, inconsistent articulation, and exhaustion. The secret? Knowing when to actively control each bounce and when to let the bow do the work for you.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore both techniques in depth, reveal the exact moment when one transitions into the other, and give you practical exercises to master both. Whether you’re working on orchestral excerpts with rapid string crossings or solo repertoire with brilliant fast passages, understanding this difference will transform your bouncing bow technique.
What Is Spiccato?
Spiccato is a controlled bouncing bow stroke where the bow leaves the string between each note. The defining characteristic is that you initiate and control each individual bounce. This is an active technique where your hand, wrist, and forearm work together to create each articulated note.
Think of spiccato like a basketball player dribbling a ball. Each bounce is intentional, controlled, and the player determines when and how high the ball bounces. You’re not just letting gravity do the work—you’re actively participating in every single bounce.
Key Characteristics of Spiccato
- Speed range: Slow to moderate tempo bouncing passages (roughly quarter notes at 60-100 BPM up to sixteenth notes at 80-120 BPM)
- Control level: You initiate each bounce with a controlled drop-and-lift motion
- Arm mechanics: Combination of forearm rotation and wrist flexibility, with the fingers providing subtle adjustments
- Bow placement: Typically performed at the balance point area (lower-middle third of the bow)
- Vertical motion: More pronounced—the bow visibly leaves the string between notes
- Sound character: Clear, articulated, separated notes with distinct attacks
The mechanics involve dropping the bow onto the string with just enough weight to create a bounce, then catching and controlling that bounce before initiating the next one. Your wrist acts as a shock absorber, maintaining flexibility while your forearm provides the larger motion for string crossings or position changes.
For a deep dive into mastering this technique, check out our dedicated article on spiccato bowing on the violin. You’ll also find spiccato covered extensively in our complete guide to violin bowing techniques.
What Is Sautillé?
Sautillé (pronounced “so-tee-YAY,” from the French word meaning “to hop”) is a fast, natural bouncing stroke that happens automatically when you reach a certain speed threshold. Unlike spiccato, you don’t control each individual bounce—instead, the bow bounces on its own from the stick’s natural elasticity and momentum.
To continue our basketball analogy: sautillé is like spinning a basketball on your finger. You provide the initial momentum and guide the direction, but the ball spins on its own. You’re facilitating the motion, not creating each rotation.
Key Characteristics of Sautillé
- Speed range: Fast passages where conscious control of each bounce becomes impossible (typically sixteenth notes above 120 BPM)
- Control level: You guide the bow horizontally; the bouncing happens automatically
- Arm mechanics: Primarily horizontal motion from the forearm, with relaxed fingers allowing the bow to bounce freely
- Bow placement: At or very near the balance point of the bow
- Vertical motion: Minimal—the bow barely leaves the string, creating rapid, light bounces
- Sound character: Lighter, more connected, brilliant quality with less pronounced attacks
The key to sautillé is finding the bow’s natural bounce frequency and working with it, not against it. Your bow stick has elasticity that wants to vibrate at certain speeds. When you match that frequency with your horizontal motion and maintain light pressure, the bouncing happens effortlessly.
Your fingers play a crucial role—they must be relaxed enough to allow the stick to flex and bounce, but stable enough to maintain contact and direction. Think of your fingers as creating a flexible channel that guides the bow’s natural bouncing motion.
The Key Differences Between Spiccato and Sautillé
Understanding the fundamental differences between these two techniques will help you recognize which one to use in different musical contexts and how to practice each effectively.
1. Speed Threshold
This is the most obvious difference. Spiccato is used for slower to moderate bouncing passages, while sautillé naturally emerges at higher speeds. The exact transition point varies depending on the passage, your bow, and your technique, but generally occurs around 120-140+ BPM when playing sixteenth notes.
Below this speed, you can comfortably control each individual bounce. Above it, trying to maintain that level of control creates tension and inconsistency. The bow wants to bounce faster than you can consciously direct it—and that’s when you need to switch to sautillé.
2. Active vs. Passive Control
Spiccato requires active, conscious control of each bounce. You’re thinking about each note, initiating each articulation, and managing the bow’s height off the string for every single note.
Sautillé requires passive guidance. You set up the conditions (right bow placement, right speed, right pressure), and then you get out of the way and let the bow bounce. You’re steering, not driving.
3. Vertical Motion
Spiccato involves more vertical motion. The bow lifts noticeably off the string between notes, creating a clear separation. You can see the space between the bow hair and the string.
Sautillé has minimal vertical motion. The bow barely leaves the string—sometimes it looks almost like it’s staying on the string with just the tiniest hops. The bouncing is so rapid and light that the vertical travel is greatly reduced.
4. Sound Character
Spiccato produces more articulated, separated notes with distinct attacks. Each note has a clear beginning and end, with audible space between notes. The sound is more percussive and defined.
Sautillé creates a lighter, more connected, brilliant quality. The notes blend together more, creating a shimmering effect. Individual note attacks are less pronounced, and the overall texture is more fluid and delicate.
5. Muscle Engagement
Spiccato engages more arm muscles. Your forearm is actively involved in each bounce, your wrist provides the shock-absorbing flexibility, and your fingers make subtle adjustments. It’s more physically demanding because you’re actively creating each bounce.
Sautillé relies more on finger flexibility and forearm guidance. The large muscle groups are less engaged—instead, your fingers need to be incredibly relaxed and responsive, allowing the bow stick’s natural elasticity to do the bouncing work. Paradoxically, using less effort produces better results.
When Does Spiccato Become Sautillé?
This is the million-dollar question that confuses so many violinists. The transition isn’t a hard line—it’s a gradual shift that happens when you reach a speed where conscious control becomes counterproductive.
The Transition Speed
While the exact tempo varies based on the passage complexity, bow weight, and individual technique, most violinists find the transition happens around:
- 120-140+ BPM when playing sixteenth notes (8 notes per beat)
- 160-180+ BPM when playing eighth notes (4 notes per beat)
- Faster on a single string; slightly slower with string crossings
The key indicator isn’t just the metronome marking—it’s when you feel yourself fighting the bow. If you’re working hard to maintain control and the result is tense, uneven, or exhausting, you’ve crossed the threshold where sautillé should take over.
The “Let Go” Moment
The hardest part of transitioning from spiccato to sautillé is the psychological shift. You have to stop trying to control each bounce and trust the bow to do its job. This feels counterintuitive at first—how can doing less produce better results?
The “let go” moment happens when you:
- Stop thinking about individual notes and think about the phrase or passage as a whole
- Reduce grip pressure in your fingers and allow them to stay flexible
- Focus on horizontal motion across the strings rather than vertical bouncing
- Accept that the bow will bounce at its natural frequency, not at a frequency you impose
Many violinists resist this shift because sautillé feels less controlled. But that’s the point—you’re trading direct control for effortless speed and brilliance. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle: at some point, you have to stop thinking about balance and trust the physics.
Common Problem: Playing Spiccato Too Fast
The most common mistake is trying to maintain spiccato control at sautillé speeds. This creates:
- Excessive tension in the hand and forearm
- Uneven, scratchy tone quality
- Rhythmic inconsistency (some notes longer/shorter than others)
- Rapid fatigue and potential injury risk
- A “fighting” feeling where you’re battling the bow instead of working with it
If you experience any of these symptoms in a fast passage, it’s a clear sign you need to let go and allow sautillé to happen. The solution isn’t to practice spiccato harder or faster—it’s to fundamentally change your approach to the passage.
How to Practice Spiccato
Building a solid spiccato foundation is essential before attempting sautillé. Here are proven exercises to develop control, evenness, and musical spiccato.
Exercise 1: From Détaché to Spiccato
Start with the bow on the string playing smooth détaché strokes at the balance point. Gradually lighten your pressure and add a tiny vertical motion until the bow naturally begins to bounce. This helps you find the spiccato motion organically rather than forcing it.
- Play four détaché notes (quarter notes at 60 BPM)
- Lighten pressure slightly and allow a small bounce to develop
- Continue reducing pressure until you have clear separation between notes
- Return to détaché and repeat the cycle
This exercise teaches your hand the feeling of transitioning between on-the-string and off-the-string playing, which is crucial for controlling spiccato.
Exercise 2: Controlled Drop and Catch
This exercise isolates the drop-and-lift motion that creates spiccato:
- Hold the bow above the string (about 1 inch) at the balance point
- Drop the bow onto the string with a relaxed wrist, catching the natural bounce
- Allow one clean bounce, then lift the bow back to starting position
- Repeat slowly, focusing on the feeling of catching and controlling the bounce
Gradually increase the speed of your drops, but maintain the feeling of control. This builds the muscle memory for the spiccato motion without the complexity of actual notes or rhythms.
Exercise 3: Slow Spiccato Scales
Practice one-octave scales with spiccato at slow tempos (quarter notes at 60-80 BPM):
- Focus on evenness—each note should have the same height, duration, and tone quality
- Pay attention to string crossings—don’t let the bounce become uncontrolled when changing strings
- Gradually increase tempo only when evenness is consistent
- Practice both separate bows (one note per bounce) and multiple notes per bow direction
Scales are perfect for spiccato practice because they eliminate note-reading complexity and let you focus entirely on bow technique. Start with major scales, then move to arpeggios which add the challenge of larger string crossings.
Exercise 4: Dynamic Control
Practice spiccato at different dynamic levels to develop control:
- Play a simple scale passage in spiccato at piano (soft)
- Gradually crescendo to forte (loud) while maintaining the bouncing character
- Decrescendo back to piano
- Notice how bow speed and weight must adjust to maintain consistent bouncing at different volumes
This exercise is crucial because musical passages rarely stay at one dynamic. You need spiccato control across the full dynamic range.
For additional guidance on preventing unwanted bouncing and developing bow control, see our article on stopping bow shakes and unwanted bounces.
How to Practice Sautillé
Sautillé requires a different practice approach because you can’t “build” it the same way you build spiccato. Instead, you must create the conditions where sautillé can naturally occur.
Exercise 1: Fast Détaché at the Balance Point
Begin by playing fast détaché strokes at the balance point:
- Start at 120 BPM playing sixteenth notes (8 notes per beat)
- Keep the bow on the string with minimal pressure
- Focus on smooth, horizontal motion across the string
- Gradually lighten your pressure until the bow starts bouncing on its own
You’re not trying to create the bounce—you’re creating the conditions (speed + light pressure + balance point) where the bounce emerges naturally. This is the most important concept in learning sautillé.
Exercise 2: “Find the Bounce”
This exercise helps you discover your bow’s natural bouncing frequency:
- Hold the bow at the balance point with very light pressure on the string
- Move the bow horizontally at a moderate speed
- Experiment with tiny adjustments in pressure, speed, and bow placement
- Notice when the bow starts to bounce naturally—this is your bow’s “sweet spot”
- Once you find it, sustain that feeling for several seconds
Every bow has a slightly different balance point and bouncing characteristic. This exercise teaches you to feel when you’ve hit the right combination of variables for your bow.
Exercise 3: The Speed-Up Transition
This exercise helps you experience the natural transition from spiccato to sautillé:
- Start playing a simple scale passage in spiccato at 80 BPM (sixteenth notes)
- Every 4-8 measures, increase the metronome by 4-8 BPM
- Continue accelerating until you reach 130-140 BPM
- Notice the moment when conscious control becomes counterproductive
- At that moment, stop trying to control each bounce—let go and guide instead
This gradual acceleration helps you experience firsthand when spiccato must transition to sautillé. You’ll feel the moment when trying harder makes it worse, and relaxing makes it better.
Exercise 4: String Crossing Sautillé
Once you can sustain sautillé on a single string, add the complexity of string crossings:
- Start with simple two-string patterns (e.g., D and A strings, alternating)
- Maintain the light, horizontal motion across both strings
- Allow the bounce to continue through string crossings
- Gradually add more complex crossing patterns (e.g., arpeggios across three or four strings)
String crossings in sautillé require the same guiding principle: let the bow bounce naturally while you steer horizontally across the strings. Don’t try to control the bounce during the crossing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Both spiccato and sautillé have common pitfalls that prevent violinists from achieving clean, controlled bouncing. Here are the most frequent mistakes and how to fix them.
1. Gripping Too Hard
This is the number one killer of bouncing bow strokes. A tight grip prevents the natural elasticity of the bow stick from functioning, makes it impossible to feel the bounce, and creates tension that radiates up your arm.
Solution: Practice holding the bow with the minimum pressure necessary to maintain contact. Your thumb should be flexible (not locked), and your fingers should feel like they’re cradling the bow rather than gripping it. If your knuckles are white or your hand fatigues quickly, you’re gripping too hard.
2. Wrong Bow Placement
Playing too close to the frog makes the bow too heavy to bounce effectively. Playing too close to the tip makes the stick too light and unstable. Most bouncing strokes require the balance point or lower-middle third of the bow.
Solution: Find your bow’s natural balance point by holding it with just your index finger and thumb—where it balances is your starting point. For spiccato, you can work in a slightly wider range around this point. For sautillé, stay very close to the balance point.
3. Trying to Force Sautillé
Sautillé cannot be forced or created through muscular effort. The harder you try to “make” it happen, the more tension you create, and the less likely it is to occur.
Solution: Shift your mindset from “making the bow bounce” to “creating conditions where the bow wants to bounce.” Focus on light pressure, the right bow placement, appropriate speed, and relaxed fingers. Then get out of the way and let physics do its job.
4. Inadequate Spiccato Foundation
Many violinists rush to sautillé without building a solid spiccato technique first. This is like trying to run before you can walk. Sautillé emerges naturally from good spiccato when speed increases—but only if your spiccato foundation is sound.
Solution: Spend significant time developing even, controlled spiccato at moderate tempos before attempting sautillé. Master spiccato scales, arpeggios, and string crossings at 100-120 BPM before pushing the tempo higher.
5. Inconsistent Contact Point
Both spiccato and sautillé require consistent bow placement on the string (the distance between bridge and fingerboard). If your contact point wanders, your tone quality and bounce consistency will suffer.
Solution: Practice with visual awareness of your bow’s contact point. Use a mirror or video recording to ensure you’re maintaining a consistent distance from the bridge. Generally, bouncing strokes work best in the middle of the sounding point range.
6. Rigid Wrist
A locked or rigid wrist prevents the shock-absorbing flexibility needed for both techniques. Your wrist should act as a hinge and spring, not a locked joint.
Solution: Practice wrist flexibility exercises separately from your bouncing stroke work. Simple up-and-down bow motions focusing on wrist movement can help develop the necessary suppleness. When playing bouncing strokes, consciously check that your wrist remains flexible and responsive.
When to Use Which Technique in Music
Understanding the technical differences is only half the battle. You also need to recognize when to apply each technique in actual musical contexts.
Spiccato: Musical Applications
Use spiccato when the music requires:
- Clear articulation: Passages where each note needs distinct separation and attack
- Moderate tempos: Allegretto, moderato, or moderate allegro passages with detached notes
- Dynamic variety: Phrases requiring significant dynamic changes (spiccato offers more control for crescendos/diminuendos)
- Rhythmic precision: Passages with complex rhythms where you need conscious control of note length
- Orchestral blend: Many orchestral passages marked “staccato” or “detaché” at moderate tempos
Classical and early Romantic repertoire often features spiccato more prominently than sautillé. Mozart, Haydn, and early Beethoven violin parts frequently call for controlled, articulated bouncing at moderate speeds.
Sautillé: Musical Applications
Use sautillé when the music requires:
- Brilliant speed: Rapid passages where individual note clarity is less important than overall sparkle and virtuosity
- Light character: Delicate, fairy-like, or ethereal passages that should sound effortless
- Fast accompaniment patterns: Rapid repeated notes or arpeggios that support a melody
- Virtuosic displays: Show-off passages designed to impress with speed and lightness
- Late Romantic/Virtuoso repertoire: Works by Paganini, Wieniawski, Sarasate, and similar composers
Sautillé is essential for the virtuoso violin repertoire. Passages in pieces like Paganini caprices, Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, or Wieniawski Scherzo-Tarantelle are nearly impossible to execute cleanly with spiccato—they require the effortless speed that only sautillé can provide.
Orchestral vs. Solo Considerations
The context matters when choosing between these techniques:
In orchestral playing: Section unity is paramount. If the music is at the borderline tempo where either technique could work, follow your concertmaster’s lead. Often, orchestral passages use spiccato at slightly faster tempos than you might in solo playing, because the collective sound needs consistent articulation across many players.
In solo playing: You have more freedom to choose based on interpretation. Some violinists prefer the controlled clarity of faster spiccato, while others embrace the brilliant ease of sautillé. Consider the character of the piece and what best serves the musical intention.
For more orchestral bowing technique guidance, explore our comprehensive article on 20 orchestral violin bowing techniques.
Notation Considerations
Unfortunately, musical scores rarely specify “spiccato” or “sautillé” explicitly. You’ll typically see:
- Staccato dots: Can indicate either technique depending on tempo
- “Detaché” or “détaché”: Often means spiccato, but sometimes on-the-string
- “Saltando” or “sautillé”: Explicitly calls for bouncing sautillé
- No marking at all: Fast passages with short note values often imply sautillé
Your best guide is the tempo and musical character. If the passage feels like it’s fighting you with spiccato, try letting go and allowing sautillé to happen.
Conclusion
The difference between spiccato and sautillé comes down to control versus collaboration. Spiccato is about actively controlling each bounce, creating clear articulation with conscious effort. Sautillé is about creating the right conditions and then collaborating with your bow’s natural elasticity to produce effortless speed and brilliance.
Mastering both techniques—and knowing when to transition from one to the other—is essential for any violinist working beyond intermediate repertoire. Start with a solid spiccato foundation, practice the exercises outlined in this guide, and then gradually let go into sautillé when speed demands it.
Remember: sautillé should feel easier than spiccato at fast tempos, not harder. If it feels like a struggle, you’re probably still trying to control it like spiccato. The magic happens when you stop fighting the bow and let physics do the work.
For a complete understanding of bow techniques and how these fit into the larger picture of violin playing, revisit our complete guide to violin bowing techniques. And for structured, progressive training on these and dozens of other essential techniques, explore the ViolinLounge Academy where you’ll find detailed video lessons, practice routines, and expert feedback to accelerate your progress.
