I just got back from playing at a wedding with my flutist friend. The wedding was outside, and it was so windy that I found it nearly impossible to keep my bow on the strings of my fiddle. I felt like it was about to fly away, and my sound quality really suffered because I had to press really hard to keep the bow from coming up off the strings. There really wasn't anywhere to find protection from the wind, and turning different directions didn't seem to help. Does anyone have any suggestions to solve the flying bow issue? Has anyone had a similar experience?
"The band cannot be exposed to direct sunlight, heat, moisture, wind or cold. Client must provide shade or cover."
Make sure the client is aware of it before you agree to play. This way they will provide cover if needed, and you can opt-out if the weather is bad. We've played weddings where the Musical moment on the bluffs happened without music while we waited inside where the food & drink was -- and it was warm. Good luck.
Think yourself lucky for getting a bit of wind - up here in Argyll, from the end of spring and through all summer, if anyone tried to play outside in the evening, they'd be eaten alive by the Dreaded Highland Midge. I think even the Highland pipes wouldn't be able to contend with that! Then again, have you ever wondered why, when playing, many Highland pipers will always march up and down........
Oh nothing can phase us GHBers. We march to get away from the sound, why else?
Seriously some Pipers will think twice before bringing their beloved Pipes into the rain. That is why most Pipers have a spare set which is not as expensive or is made from all Derlin (like Dunbar P3s) for occasions when it is really cold or raining. But I have done Prades in Early march by the New Jersey shore which was no picknic it was in the low 40s and windy as all hell but I was smart enough to wear long under wear under my Kilt an nobody even noticed.
I agree with Jack most whistles can not even play if there is a slight breeze from the wrong angle I have no idea why but it has happend to me.
We did an outside show for a festival once where the wind was blowing directly in our faces. Whenever I played the flute or whistle I had to turn my back to the audience. I'm sure it had an odd effect on our stage presence.
Just change your position on the screen. align the bow with the wind direction. It only works if wind direction doesn't changes. Put yorself behind the guitarrist or under the piano. It works great to have a coral between you and the wind, or a good friend with a big umbrella. You can ask the ladies with pamela hats to help you.
It is really a s*t to play with wind....... And blowin in the wind.
I suppose there's room here for an aerodynamic fiddle bow designed using a wind tunnel for playing in hurricanes - perhaps it needs a spoiler on it like you get on the back of porsches to force the back wheels down on to the road (or are are they there just to look cool?) The profile of an aeroplane wing is designed for lift, with the air taking longer to traverse the top than it does the bottom - something to do with Bernoulli's law. So it shouldn't be beyond the abilities of the makers of carbon fibre bows to design one with a profile like an upside-down aeroplane wing, then all you'd need to do is position yourself at the correct angle to the wind, and the bow would naturally be pressed down upon the strings by the air pressure differential!
Flying bow
Flying bow
I just got back from playing at a wedding with my flutist friend. The wedding was outside, and it was so windy that I found it nearly impossible to keep my bow on the strings of my fiddle. I felt like it was about to fly away, and my sound quality really suffered because I had to press really hard to keep the bow from coming up off the strings. There really wasn't anywhere to find protection from the wind, and turning different directions didn't seem to help. Does anyone have any suggestions to solve the flying bow issue? Has anyone had a similar experience?
# Posted on May 8th 2005 by Fiddlekit
Re: Flying bow
Put a clause in your contract that says:
"The band cannot be exposed to direct sunlight, heat, moisture, wind or cold. Client must provide shade or cover."
Make sure the client is aware of it before you agree to play. This way they will provide cover if needed, and you can opt-out if the weather is bad. We've played weddings where the Musical moment on the bluffs happened without music while we waited inside where the food & drink was -- and it was warm. Good luck.
# Posted on May 8th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Flying bow
learn the highland pipes. The all weather staple of weddings
# Posted on May 8th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: Flying bow
Think yourself lucky for getting a bit of wind - up here in Argyll, from the end of spring and through all summer, if anyone tried to play outside in the evening, they'd be eaten alive by the Dreaded Highland Midge. I think even the Highland pipes wouldn't be able to contend with that! Then again, have you ever wondered why, when playing, many Highland pipers will always march up and down........
# Posted on May 8th 2005 by Ron P
I should have explained, that a wee breeze keeps the midges away.
# Posted on May 8th 2005 by Ron P
Re: Flying bow
Oh nothing can phase us GHBers. We march to get away from the sound, why else?
Seriously some Pipers will think twice before bringing their beloved Pipes into the rain. That is why most Pipers have a spare set which is not as expensive or is made from all Derlin (like Dunbar P3s) for occasions when it is really cold or raining. But I have done Prades in Early march by the New Jersey shore which was no picknic it was in the low 40s and windy as all hell but I was smart enough to wear long under wear under my Kilt an nobody even noticed.
I agree with Jack most whistles can not even play if there is a slight breeze from the wrong angle I have no idea why but it has happend to me.
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by Unseen122
Re: Flying bow
We did an outside show for a festival once where the wind was blowing directly in our faces. Whenever I played the flute or whistle I had to turn my back to the audience. I'm sure it had an odd effect on our stage presence.
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Flying bow
Just change your position on the screen. align the bow with the wind direction. It only works if wind direction doesn't changes. Put yorself behind the guitarrist or under the piano. It works great to have a coral between you and the wind, or a good friend with a big umbrella. You can ask the ladies with pamela hats to help you.
It is really a s*t to play with wind....... And blowin in the wind.
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by fer
Re: Flying bow
I suppose there's room here for an aerodynamic fiddle bow designed using a wind tunnel for playing in hurricanes - perhaps it needs a spoiler on it like you get on the back of porsches to force the back wheels down on to the road (or are are they there just to look cool?) The profile of an aeroplane wing is designed for lift, with the air taking longer to traverse the top than it does the bottom - something to do with Bernoulli's law. So it shouldn't be beyond the abilities of the makers of carbon fibre bows to design one with a profile like an upside-down aeroplane wing, then all you'd need to do is position yourself at the correct angle to the wind, and the bow would naturally be pressed down upon the strings by the air pressure differential!
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by RichardB
Re: Flying bow
How about some of those plastic vanes that people clip onto their windscreen wipers to make them work better at high speeds.
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by showaddydadito