What bow?

[butterfingersbeck]

I did a home recording the other day using my Stagg EDB 3/4 EUB, ([url="http://www.alphabeck.co.uk/music/walk_on_by.mp3"]link to recording[/url]) and I decided to play some notes [i]arco[/i]. Not owning a bass bow, I used the bow and rosin that came with my electric violin, and the results were OK, but I have been told that a real bass bow would give a more even sound and be easier to use.

Two questions:
[list=1]
[*]Should I get a 3/4-size bow to match my bass or doesn't it matter?
[*]How do I hold the bow away from the bass while playing [i]pizzicato[/i]? I ended up doing one [i]pizz.[/i] and one [i]arco[/i] take, but that's not ideal, and not possible when playing live.
[/list]I'm self-taught, so any information would be helpful!

Simon "Butterfingers" Beck
London, UK

[fatgoogle]

I wouldnt say it matters really, i think mines 3\4's but is fine for all bowing, im sure a full size one is fine aswell.

While bowing you hold the bow upright with your thumb pressing against your middle finger with which you pluck the strings. You can also let it hang loosely off a a finger or two and play that way.

[endorka]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='774438' date='Mar 14 2010, 04:52 PM'][list=1]
[*]Should I get a 3/4-size bow to match my bass or doesn't it matter?[/quote]

I don't think so - I've only played 3/4 sized double basses and always used a full size bow. One of my students has a smaller/lighter bow designed for smaller instruments, and it is not really the right thing.

[quote][*]How do I hold the bow away from the bass while playing [i]pizzicato[/i]?[/quote]

There are several approaches to this, fatgoogle has described one, but there are others. The method I use allows you to put your thumb against the side of the fingerboard allowing a more powerful pizz than the usual orchestral way. You can also use two fingers if necessary, and with practice you can flip between the arco/pizz positions very quickly. It is more easily observed than described, so here's one I prepared earlier :-) If you watch it in high resolution you can see what I'm doing with the bow quite well;

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Na5ENYWKkQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Na5ENYWKkQ[/url]

Jennifer

[butterfingersbeck]

Thanks for your feedback, everyone!

Not sure how often I'm going to use a bow anyway, so I'll just get the least expensive one available (described as suitable for 3/4 or 4/4 size basses). It's about £30, which fits in with my "cheap and cheerful" approach to music gear...

Looking forward to trying out the techniques you described!

PS - should I invest in bass rosin? What is the difference from violin rosin?

[attachment=44811:instruments.jpg]

[endorka]

You'll definitely need rosin, without it the bow hair won't grip the string and will just gently swoosh across making no noise. It has to be specific double bass rosin, the rosin for other stringed instruments is different - I believe a stickier rosin is required to get the huge thick double bass strings moving.

While I am also an advocate of the cheap and cheerful approach to music gear, I would advise caution with applying this too far to a double bass bow; learning to play arco takes a lot of time, patience and practice, and fighting against a bad bow will make learning a far more difficult and frustrating experience than it has to be. £30 is definitely on the nasty side of cheap - spending £100 will get you a considerably more pleasant arco experience.

Jennifer

[fatgoogle]

Also i might suggest a german bow over a french one if your not bowing much or arent shown how to with a french. Ive met a couple of other young players who have been defeated by a french bow just because they havent got it. A german one in general IMO is easier to play with.

[butterfingersbeck]

Ow! Never realised that there were two [i]kinds[/i] of bow! I knew about overhand and underhand grips, but I didn't know that the actual bows were physically different. The German style certainly looks as if it could deliver more... oomph?... to the strings, but they seem to be quite difficult to find compared with the French style.

What originally happened was that I played my recording of "Walk On By" to my 78-year-old dad (who had kindly paid for my EUB in November as a 48th birthday present) and mentioned that I had used a violin bow. He apparently discussed this with his girlfriend (whose cousin was the late Norbert Brainin, founder and first-violinist of the Amadeus Quartet!) and they decided that I "must" have a proper double-bass bow! So I am to buy one and invoice him, but I don't want to spend too much on something that I won't necessarily use very often (even if it isn't ultimately my money!)

Once again, thanks for your advice!

[fatgoogle]

Yita music do bows for between 50 too 150 sort of thing, and one around 70 like i got are pretty decent, a tad heavy but fine for all round purposes.

[butterfingersbeck]

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='776493' date='Mar 16 2010, 06:03 PM']Yita music do bows for between 50 too 150 sort of thing, and one around 70 like i got are pretty decent, a tad heavy but fine for all round purposes.[/quote]

I'm a bit concerned about ordering directly from China. Not that I have any problem with the supplier or anything; simply the added cost and paperwork of import duty etc. It's not something I'm used to, and I'd rather get something from within the EU (irrespective of where it was actually made) as I did with my bass.

[fatgoogle]

I had no import duty or tax on my bow from them when i ordered it.

[27 frets]

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='787205' date='Mar 26 2010, 05:09 PM']I had no import duty or tax on my bow from them when i ordered it.[/quote]

VAT should be payable on the cost price (not duty at that value level), but Yita Music put the value unreasonably low on the Customs declaration ($20 or so for a £109 cost price, inc. shipping)

For my own peace of mind, I queried this with Customs, and subsequently paid the VAT on the bow - another £20 approx (based on the value after deducting their shipping costs)

[butterfingersbeck]

Just noticed that Thomann (where I bought my bass) sell a 3/4 German-style bow for under £50. I'll order one, plus some cheap bass rosin. Thanks for your advice, everyone!

[butterfingersbeck]

Just got the bow from Thomann (forgot to order rosin! ) and it is a very lovely object. I can't see anything wrong with it, but time will tell. Once again, thanks for all your advice!

[attachment=47783:bow.jpg]

I have plans to record more slightly odd instrumental versions of romantic ballads from the 1960s under the title "Uneasy Listening from the Cosmic Lounge", using my Stagg bass alongside Theremin, Stylophone, ukulele, Wurlitzer piano and all kinds of other stuff. Watch this space...

Edited April 19, 2010 by butterfingersbeck