Scordatura

Scordatura ("mistuning") is the practice of deliberately retuning one or more strings of a stringed instrument away from their standard pitches to achieve unusual tone colours, extend the instrument's range, or simplify technically demanding passages. The technique has a rich history: BaroqueBaroqueThe period of Western art music spanning roughly 1600 to 1750, characterised by ornate expression,…View full entry → violinist Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber used elaborate scordatura in his Mystery Sonatas, retuning the violin differently for each of the fifteen pieces to create unique sonorities impossible in standard tuningTuningThe process of adjusting an instrument so its pitches match a chosen reference standard.View full entry →.