Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.

Check out our 2023 Group Christmas Project HERE

AAA
Avatar
Please consider registering
guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed Topic RSSsp_Related Related Topics sp_TopicIcon
Bow Pressure?
Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 (0 votes) 
Avatar
KewKewKatchew
Pompano Beach, Florida

Member
Members
July 3, 2011 - 7:44 pm
Member Since: June 7, 2011
Forum Posts: 19
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I was doing my own research online and came across a tip on bow pressure. When bowing(is that the correct term?), if you're closer to the finger board your strokes should be lighter and faster. When you get closer to the bridge, you should use more pressure and sort of drag out the note. Is this true? It seems to make sense and when I apply it it seems to work. I'm just looking for other opinions. Is this how you guys play?violin_girl <--- Awesome!

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 3, 2011 - 10:06 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

It is partially true. You can play slow, light bows as well by the fingerboard.

If you want to play loud, you play closer to the bridge with more pressure and if you want to play softly, you play closer to the fingerboard with less pressure.

When bowing(is that the correct term?) = YES

violin_girldrummerdevil-violinviolin-studentjimi-hendrix

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
pky
Members

Regulars
August 14, 2011 - 12:06 am
Member Since: July 6, 2011
Forum Posts: 969
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

ok, is that how do you do cresendo and such?

Avatar
Sofia Leo
Springfield, Oregon

Honorary advisor
Members

Regulars
August 14, 2011 - 12:25 am
Member Since: April 6, 2011
Forum Posts: 466
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

pky said:

ok, is that how do you do cresendo and such?

Yup. More pressure close to the bridge means you can play louder while keeping a nice tone, while lighter pressure closer to the fingerboard makes a softer sound with good intonation. It's just easier that way, but there are also exceptions to every "rule" as I'm finding out smile

Mary in Springfield, Oregon http://www.thefiddleandbanjopr.....dpress.com

Avatar
pky
Members

Regulars
August 14, 2011 - 12:35 am
Member Since: July 6, 2011
Forum Posts: 969
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

so, do you mean you shift your bow left and right? I thought you are supposed to bow straight. 

Avatar
Sofia Leo
Springfield, Oregon

Honorary advisor
Members

Regulars
August 14, 2011 - 12:47 am
Member Since: April 6, 2011
Forum Posts: 466
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

pky said:

so, do you mean you shift your bow left and right? I thought you are supposed to bow straight. 

You still bow parallel to the bridge, you just move your bow closer to the bridge or fingerboard, depending on what sound you want.

My teacher has an exercise that she calls "sliding" which goes like this - play the first line of a song near the bridge, nice and loud. On the last note, slide the bow closer to the tailpiece and play the next line softly. Move back towards the bridge for the next line, etc. It's not easy to "slide" without making a scratchy sound, so it takes a bit of practice - you want both the louder note and the softer note to sound good with no pause in between.

Another way to describe it is this: between the bridge and fingerboard, there are 5 "highways" that are each as wide (more or less) as the hair on your bow. Highway #1 is right up against the bridge, while Highway #5 is right next to the end of the fingerboard. The other Highways are spaced equally in between (it actually varies a little depending on your particular instrument.)

Each Highway has a particular pressure and bow speed that it likes the best to make a good sound. Most violins don't sound so great when played slow and heavy in Highway #4, but they sound great when played with a quicker, lighter bow stroke in that area.

Highway #3 is right in the middle and it's where most teachers have you start as it's a bit forgiving if you bow too heavy or too softly - the sound is still pretty good.

Mary in Springfield, Oregon http://www.thefiddleandbanjopr.....dpress.com

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 14, 2011 - 7:30 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

I don't slide my bow closer, I angle it slightly and it goes where I want it to automatically. Try this: On an up bow angle your bow so that your hand is further from your body for to bring the bow closer to the bridge. on a down bow closer. For bringing the bow away from the bridge bring your hand closer to your body on the up bow and further on the down bow.

Eventually this happens automatically and you do it ever so slightly. When the bow is where you want it you straighten the angle immediately. It's like steering a car on a road.

coffee2 Time for coffee.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Mouse
April 10, 2023 - 5:10 pm
Member Since: December 26, 2018
Forum Posts: 5307
sp_UserOnlineSmall Online

This is an excellent thread on bowing from 2011. I hope you all find it useful.

Feel free to continue with more replies.

🐭

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

Forum Timezone: America/New_York
Most Users Ever Online: 696
Currently Online: Mark, Mouse
Guest(s) 81
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Members Birthdays
sp_BirthdayIcon
Today Michael Browder, EBurrell
Upcoming Sofia Leo, TKDennis, FiddleDetroit, CookiesViolin, JPferrman, Designer 88, LyleA, Stephen, Dorque, Trisha, Elaisa, Gordon Shumway, dougga, Russionleo, JohnG
Top Posters:
ELCBK: 7759
ABitRusty: 3915
Mad_Wed: 2849
Barry: 2690
Fiddlestix: 2647
Oliver: 2439
Gordon Shumway: 2425
DanielB: 2379
Mark: 2149
damfino: 2113
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 3
Members: 31662
Moderators: 0
Admins: 7
Forum Stats:
Groups: 16
Forums: 81
Topics: 10589
Posts: 134217
Newest Members:
SoCal335, Jan Howard, edwardcheng, Oscar Stern, bryanhanson, bittruster, fiddlecastro, jackdaniel, romanmills08, creativestringsinfo
Administrators: Fiddlerman: 16429, KindaScratchy: 1760, coolpinkone: 4180, BillyG: 3744, MrsFiddlerman: 2, Jimmie Bjorling: 0, Mouse: 5306