Compared with the stopped string, harmonics are sensitive to relative changes in bow speed, pressure and point

of contact. For high harmonics, where the touching finger might be very close to several touch points, slight alterations in bow speed/pressure or point of contact can cause shifts between these neighbouring harmonics, even if the left-hand position remains steady.217

B5 Choice of exciter (width/density)

Altering the width and/or density of the exciter of the plucked, struck or bowed string can be a more effective way to manipulate the number of partials present in a sound than changing point of contact. As harmonics are overtone-weak, the blocking of higher partials with a wide/soft plectrum/hammer/bow can produce very thin sounds with only a few overtones. This is a more reliable way of producing a relative quasi sul tasto timbre than moving point of contact towards the mid point of the string, which, as discussed above, can have unpredictable effects. Overtone content increases with decreasing exciter width and increasing exciter density. However, harmonics are also unstable under these conditions, especially high harmonics. Reducing plectrum/hammer width and density and tilting the bow can encourage multiphonics, or a shifting between two harmonics and can make the sound unstable as well as more overtone-rich. In general, a relative quasi sul ponticello sound is difficult to achieve, especially above the first few harmonics.

An alternative way of producing a sul ponticello timbre in plucked harmonics is rubbing rosin on the finger and stroking/brushing the string upwards with very low pressure.218

B6 Position of the touching finger

This is a clear pitch change rather than a multiphonic extra pitch. The exact reasons for this are unknown. As far as I am aware, no research has followed up Bertram Truetskys remarks regarding this effect: Bertram Turetzky, The Contemporary Contrabass (2nd edn., Berkley: University of California Press, 1989), 124. 218 This trick was devised by Thomas Demenga.
217

139