Sul tasto [sulla tastiera]

(It.: ‘on the fingerboard’; Fr. sur la touche; Ger. am Griffbrett).

In string playing, an instruction to bow (or occasionally pluck) near or over the fingerboard (see Bow, §II, 2(xi) and 3(xii)). This reduces the higher harmonics, resulting in an ethereal tone (see Acoustics, §II, 7). Composers occasionally use the term Flautandoto call for this effect.