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Arco

Musical Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Arco means that bowed strings should return to using the bow after pizzicato.

Detailed Definition
As a musical direction, arco restores a sustained, connected sound after plucked articulation. In poetry, the term can suggest a return to continuity after interruption: a voice that resumes its long breath after clipped lines, silence, or sharply separated images. An arco passage may therefore provide lyrical recovery, allowing the poem to move from percussive detail back into sustained reflection and a more flowing emotional register.
Example
Example in poetry:
Arco means playing a string instrument with the bow, and a poet might use “the bow returns” to signal a shift from plucked quiet to sustained sound; A poem describing a violinist can use “arco” to suggest long, connected lines; The phrase “arco through the dusk” combines a musical instruction with an image of continuous motion; In a performance poem, saying “arco” could cue the reader to draw out the next phrase smoothly.
Additional Notes
Arco is an instruction for bowed-string instruments such as violin, viola, cello, or double bass. After a passage marked pizzicato, meaning plucked, arco tells the player to resume bowing. In poetry, the term may suggest a return to sustained sound, continuity, or a fuller texture after a clipped or percussive effect. Its contrast with pizzicato can be useful when describing changes in musical imagery.
Also Known As
Bowing Bowed
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