Left hand & fingerboard
Open string
An open string is a string played with no left-hand finger stopping it, sounding the pitch the string is tuned to.
The four open strings are the reference points for the whole instrument: G-D-A-E on violin, C-G-D-A on viola, C-G-D-A an octave lower on cello, and E-A-D-G on double bass. They ring more freely and loudly than stopped notes because nothing damps the string, and they cannot be given vibrato.
That difference in colour is why advanced players often avoid open strings in a lyrical line, fingering the same pitch on a lower string instead so the note can be shaped. Conversely, open strings are indispensable for tuning, for checking intonation, and for the resonance they add in fast passagework.
Related terms
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