Expression & tempo
Dynamics
Dynamics are the markings that indicate volume, running from pianissimo (very soft) through mezzo-forte to fortissimo (very loud).
The standard ladder is pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, with ppp and fff at the extremes. They are relative, not absolute: a forte in a solo passage and a forte in a full orchestral tutti are entirely different amounts of sound, and reading them literally rather than contextually is a common student error.
On a string instrument, dynamics are produced by three interacting variables, bow speed, bow pressure, and the contact point between bridge and fingerboard. Adding pressure alone produces a louder but uglier sound; a real crescendo usually combines more speed, more weight, and a contact point moving toward the bridge.
Related terms
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