Quote:
Originally posted by tsolo
I'm learning a Christmas tune, O, Holy Night. Learning arco. I have a cheap french bow that's not too bad. Pulls pretty good but makes my muscles just above my wrist sore. I've practiced enough to learn that I can play arco and think i need to invest in a good bow. I have three questions
1) Is the soreness in my wrist from the bow or just from being new at this.
2) How much do i need to budget to purchase my first real bow - any suggestions on what to buy.
3) Can anyone recommend a good bass shop in my area of the world? |
#1 The soreness comes from doing something new, but may be complicated by your choice of bow. Starting on French bow may not be such a good idea; French bow requires more of a "grip" so that the hand gets tired just holding the bow up, much less playing with it. You would minimize soreness and maximize progress by learning first on German bow, which requires more of a "cradle" than a grip. With German bow you can focus more on how to use the right arm and its weight to make a sound - which is critical to French bow too, but VERY hard to make happen as a beginner on French bow.
I usually start beginners on German, then suggest they learn French too, no matter which style they prefer. Learning the intricasies of both bow styles will help you solve many bowing problems in the future, and teaches you a lot about tone production that transferes to any style of music you want to play in, bow or no bow.
FYI, I play both styles in The Orchestra, and teach both styles, though I think German bow serves the bass better for most orchestral functions. I switch bows according to the music on the program.
#2 What matters most in bows:
A) Quality Materials
B) Workmanship; balancing of weight
You can buy a decently balanced bow from Southwest Strings for about $100; check out the Mueller bows. Not "great" materials, but the bow will handle very well and make a reasonably good sound, unlike the super-cheap fiberglass bows out there.
You can buy a Very Good bow made by Ary, in France, for about $275. The "Ary 400" model sold at
www.lemur-music.com is well balanced and made from good materials. The "Ary 500" is made from excellent materials, and is just as well crafted. Some "Ary 500"s have played and sounded just as well as $4,000 bows! I use Ary 400 French bows in the L.O., and the sound they pull is great, and they handle very well. Both 400 and 500 level Arys are available in either French or German models frm Lemur Music.
#3 For a bass luthier in your area, check out
http://www.urbbob.com/luthiers.html
My favorite place is the Cincinnati Bass Cellar.
