FR sur la touche bow contact point core term Support my free tools
at or over the fingerboard
How is sur la touche played?
Draw the bow at or over the fingerboard, the French equivalent of Italian sul tasto and German am Griffbrett. The shifted contact point often gives a softer, more diffuse or covered sound, but the result also depends on bow speed, weight, register and dynamics. Continue until another contact point or a clear endpoint is marked.
How does sur la touche sound?
soft, diffuse, darker, velvety
In context
French sur la touche means “on or over the fingerboard.” Write it in full for general use. The form s.l.t. is documented for Debussy’s Sonata but lacks three independent expansions, while s.t. abbreviates Italian sul tasto rather than the French wording.
Equivalent terms
- IT sul tasto
- DE am Griffbrett
- EN over the fingerboard