# The Flying Bow, Viola

Spiccato, sautillé, and ricochet

Getting the bow to leave the string cleanly on a viola takes specific technique, the weight and length of the stick behave differently here. These lessons give you full off-string control.

Advanced · 5 lessons · approximately 120 minutes of material (not a mastery deadline).

## Before this module
- [Shadow and Light](/learn/viola/shadow-light), Advanced dynamics and the viola's unique tone colours

## What this module covers
1. **Developing Spiccato on the Viola**, Building a reliable off-string stroke adapted to the heavier bow (24 min)
2. **Controlling the Bounce**, Speed, arm weight, and contact point on a viola bow (24 min)
3. **Sautillé, The Fast Off-String Stroke**, The naturally occurring off-string stroke at high bow speed (24 min)
4. **Ricochet & Thrown Strokes**, Dropping the bow onto the string and letting it run freely (24 min)
5. **Off-String Combinations**, Mixing spiccato, sautillé, and martelé within a single passage (24 min)

## Practise with a free reference
- [Free metronome](/tools/metronome), Use a steady pulse while you count or repeat a short phrase.

## What comes next
- [Two Voices at Once](/learn/viola/two-voices), Double stops and broken chords

## Where should I start with the flying bow?
The curriculum places Shadow and Light before this module. Review those topics if they are unfamiliar. The first lesson is “Developing Spiccato on the Viola”: Building a reliable off-string stroke adapted to the heavier bow. The order is a study guide, not proof that every learner needs the same pace.

## How long is the the flying bow module?
The 5 listed lessons total approximately 120 minutes of material. That estimate describes lesson content, not the practice time needed to become comfortable with spiccato, sautillé, and ricochet. Revisit one task at a time and use feedback from a teacher where physical technique is involved.

## What can I try here without an account?
The the flying bow description, lesson sequence and prerequisite links are public. There is no full worked lesson sample for this module yet. The linked public tools and references are free. A free account includes the complete five-lesson foundation module in each instrument and five lessons in music theory, with saved progress and no expiry. Later lessons require the relevant paid package.

## Continue in Arco
The complete five-lesson foundation module in each instrument and five music theory lessons are free with an account, including saved progress and no time limit. Later lessons require the relevant paid package. Public samples do not assess your physical technique or certify exam readiness.

[See packages and pricing](/pricing) · [Back to the viola curriculum](/learn/viola)

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/learn/viola/flying-bow