A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stopping

STOPPING. The technical term for the operation of pressing the fingers on the strings of a violin, viola, etc., necessary to produce the notes. Double-stopping is the producing of two notes at once.

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Appendix:

STOPPING is the term used for the action of the fingers of the left hand in playing instruments with strings stretched over a fingerboard, in order to produce the intermediate sounds lying between the notes sounded by the 'open' strings. When a higher note than the fundamental sound of the string is required, the vibrating part of the string must be shortened by stopping the vibration at a certain point between nut and bridge, i.e. by using one of the fingers of the left hand as an artificial nut or stopping-point. The nearer this point is to the bridge, the shorter the vibrating part of the strings, and the higher in pitch therefore the sound produced. A correct intonation or playing in perfect tune obviously depends entirely on exactness of stopping. See also under Double Stops and Harmonics.

[ P. D. ]