Lately, I've noticed that I have a tedency to tilt the bow so far forward at times that I'm bowing mostly with the stick instead of the hair of the bow. And I like the way it sounds, you can get a nice bouncy reverb effect that way.
But I'm doing this with a good bow, and I'm afraid of what I'm doing to the bow. Anyone else have a tendency to do this kind of "col legno" thing on fiddle? If so, how has it affected your bow?
I have, every once in a while if I was really tired. Or playing at home on the couch, slouched half onto the floor. It didn't do too much to my bow, but I did this very rarely. I think if you did it a lot it might mar your bow, and possibly wear out your strings faster. I'm surprised you like the sound of it. I like the sound of hair on strings much better, sometimes with the bow slightly tilted, sometimes flat. I didn't realise this was an actual technique for effect, I thought it was just poor technique. Is it loud enough to cut through a session?
There was an instrument called a horse fiddle - a well-rosined empty barrel energetically bowed with a rosined fence rail. This was used at huskings, shuckings and shivarees on the American frontier c. 1800. The sound shook the ground and carried for a mile, supposedly.
I'm not saying it isn't bad technique, just that it's happening. It's loud enough because the string is already vibrating when I do it and some hair is still on the string, the stick just tilts forward and bounces along the string, going smackety-smack, kind of like a percussive ornament.
It doesn't happen when I'm tired, but beer seems to be a factor. I guess I should just cut it out before I ruin my bow.
But if you like the sound, maybe you could get a cheap bow and experiment. I think "bad technique" is only if you don't mean to do it. Bouncing the bow for percussive effect is a time honored technique, it just sounds like you're on to something with a bit more pernambuco on the strings?
Hmmm...actually, I've been thinking of getting a carbon fibre "beater" bow for a while now, so maybe this would be a good use for one. But I'm not sure if it will be close enough to the varnish texture and bouncy-ness of my pernambuco stick that makes this trick work.
Bowing with the Stick?
Bowing with the Stick?
Lately, I've noticed that I have a tedency to tilt the bow so far forward at times that I'm bowing mostly with the stick instead of the hair of the bow. And I like the way it sounds, you can get a nice bouncy reverb effect that way.
But I'm doing this with a good bow, and I'm afraid of what I'm doing to the bow. Anyone else have a tendency to do this kind of "col legno" thing on fiddle? If so, how has it affected your bow?
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Bowing with the Stick?
I have, every once in a while if I was really tired. Or playing at home on the couch, slouched half onto the floor. It didn't do too much to my bow, but I did this very rarely. I think if you did it a lot it might mar your bow, and possibly wear out your strings faster. I'm surprised you like the sound of it. I like the sound of hair on strings much better, sometimes with the bow slightly tilted, sometimes flat. I didn't realise this was an actual technique for effect, I thought it was just poor technique. Is it loud enough to cut through a session?
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Bowing with the Stick?
There was an instrument called a horse fiddle - a well-rosined empty barrel energetically bowed with a rosined fence rail. This was used at huskings, shuckings and shivarees on the American frontier c. 1800. The sound shook the ground and carried for a mile, supposedly.
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Bowing with the Stick?
I'm not saying it isn't bad technique, just that it's happening. It's loud enough because the string is already vibrating when I do it and some hair is still on the string, the stick just tilts forward and bounces along the string, going smackety-smack, kind of like a percussive ornament.
It doesn't happen when I'm tired, but beer seems to be a factor. I guess I should just cut it out before I ruin my bow.
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Bowing with the Stick?
But if you like the sound, maybe you could get a cheap bow and experiment. I think "bad technique" is only if you don't mean to do it. Bouncing the bow for percussive effect is a time honored technique, it just sounds like you're on to something with a bit more pernambuco on the strings?
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Bowing with the Stick?
Hmmm...actually, I've been thinking of getting a carbon fibre "beater" bow for a while now, so maybe this would be a good use for one. But I'm not sure if it will be close enough to the varnish texture and bouncy-ness of my pernambuco stick that makes this trick work.
# Posted on January 6th 2008 by Marklar