Double Bass Bowing Question

[gypsyjazzer]

When bowing should the bow hair [b]ever [/b]touch the stick? If the hair does touch the stick and should not, would you consider a new bow?

What do you consider the best make of strings for arco and pizz?--good tone and volume for both styles. What strings have you tried? Answers most welcome.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Have a lesson with a good teacher - they'll be able to identify any issues with the bow or your technique very quickly, and give you some good direction on what you need to work on going forward.

Sometimes the solution can be embarrassingly simple, like not using enough rosin(speaking from personal experience ) even though I was going round the houses in my mind thinking I needed a new bass/bow/strings because I was having difficulty making the E string speak with any authority - took my teacher seconds to diagnose and fix.

Edited September 26, 2016 by SubsonicSimpleton

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='gypsyjazzer' timestamp='1474878645' post='3141125']
When bowing should the bow hair [b]ever [/b]touch the stick? If the hair does touch the stick and should not, would you consider a new bow?

What do you consider the best make of strings for arco and pizz?--good tone and volume for both styles. What strings have you tried? Answers most welcome.
[/quote]

The bow hair shouldn't touch the stick. However, it does need to flex, so leave some spring in the hair and don't over tighten...just tighten enough so the hair doesn't touch the stick when you really dig in and play at your loudest volume.
If you can't tighten the hair enough you can get the bow adjusted, or re-haired so you can add enough tension to stop that happening.

My favourite hybrid strings are Evah Pirazzi Weich, but there are lots of great options out there.

..also +1 on getting a lesson as it will be really helpful to get the feedback, especially if you are new to the upright (or bowing).

[geoffbassist]

The bow hair shouldn't ever touch the stick. However, it does need to flex, so leave some spring in the hair and don't over tighten...just tighten enough so the hair doesn't touch the stick when you really dig in and play at your loudest volume. It should move and flex, but not ever 'bottom out' and touch the stick.

If you can't tighten the hair enough you can get the bow adjusted, or re-haired so you can add enough tension to stop that happening.
BTW, I've actually filmed a lesson on this topic, so if you want to check it out follow this link: http://discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/how-to-tighten-a-double-bass-bow/

My favourite hybrid strings are Evah Pirazzi Weich, but there are lots of great options out there.

..also +1 on getting a lesson as it will be really helpful to get the feedback, especially if you are new to the upright (or bowing).

Edited September 26, 2016 by geoffbassist

[Bilbo]

Another Evah Pirazzi Weich fan here

[gypsyjazzer]

Thank you fellow D/B gentlemen. A great help. And Geoff--a great video regarding the bow--answers all my questions. Thank you.

A couple of further questions regarding the bow:
a) Is a gig bag a good place to keep the bow for protection?--or to buy a bow case? Do you have more than one bow?
Would a pro. classical bassist rosin their bow several times--say for a 2 hour concert? no doubt their experience will tell them when the notes are not 'pure'?

[geoffbassist]

[b][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"a) Is a gig bag a good place to keep the bow for protection?--or to buy a bow case?" [/font][/color][/b]
I would always recommend a bow case, it's way to easy to damage the bow if you have it in the bow pocket of your double bass case. However, if you are not traveling with your bass much just use a parcel tube.
[b][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Do you have more than one bow?"[/font][/color][/b]
[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]I have one German which is my main bow that I've used for pretty much everything I've done...I've also got a cheap French bow for teaching. [/color][/font]

[b]"[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Would a pro. classical bassist rosin their bow several times--say for a 2 hour concert?" [/font][/color][/b]
[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Too many variables, but most would add rosin at the start of the concert... possibly at the start of each half if it was in two halfs... there's too many variables to say for sure though... Generally I would advise being sparing as new students often add too much. Here's a video where myself and Lauren Pierce discuss this. [/color][/font]http://discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/what-double-bass-accessories-do-you-use-ask-geoff-lauren-15/

[Happy Jack]

I dreamed last week that I was playing [i][b]Don't You Want Me Baby [/b][/i]on a double bass, and I played the bridge using a bow.

Should I be concerned?

I'd be happier if this was an attempt at humour, but actually this is true.

[neilp]

Use a bow case if you have any kind of money invested in your bow - I do, and my bows are either in my hand or in their case.

Rosin is tricky, I don't normally add rosin during performance, unless there's an interval, in which case the bow will be unwound and re-rosined when it's tensioned again. No more than a couple of swipes.

I have two decent bows s that I have something useable to play with when the posh bow is being rehaired

[Owen]

You need a new bass. It is the BC way