damping

[robobass]

Is this ever specifically taught, or do players need to figure it out instinctively? What I mean is, if you have for example an open D quarter note and then rests. It is quite distracting if someone in the section lets his string ring into the rests, especially if there is a quiet section in a new key following. Also, open strings can ring sympathetically even if you haven't touched them. It is heard!

This is rarely a problem in pro orchestras, but sometimes when I'm doing ringer work someone will be constantly "rolling the stop sign". If I say something I often get a blank look or eyroll. I have to admit that I've never been specifically told to damp, nor have I seen it written down anywhere, so I don't really have any authority to say something, beyond that a rest is a rest and there are other things going on in the score besides the bass part.

Do some teachers address this issue? If so, what kinds of things do they say?

[Cory Palmer]

It's actually called dampening not damping.

I've never had a teacher address it in a lesson but I think I've had teachers talk about in passing in studio classes. I know I've talked with peers about it but I can't think of specific moments where a teacher of mine has addressed it. I mostly figured it out on my own using my own judgement on how long a note should ring and watching people that I play with whose playing I respect.

I usually dampen my strings during rests to keep them from vibrating sympathetically but sometimes I will let certain notes ring depending on the harmonies in the rest of the orchestra but I will dampen them when they aren't useful.

[CT DB]

You can use either "damp" or "dampen".

http://www.wordreference.com/definition/damp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damping

And if you are so much better than the players you are playing with that you have to refer to yourself as a ringer, I am sure they would be ecstatic if you would grace them with your suggestions on improving their playing.

[Cory Palmer]

Originally Posted by CT DB

You can use either "damp" or "dampen".

http://www.wordreference.com/definition/damp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damping

I learn new things everyday. It just sounds funny to my ear to hear damp used like dampen.

[David Potts]

In "on the string playing" the length of the note is controlled by the bow. If the bow stops with too much downward pressure then the end of the sound will grunt or choke off, making an unmusical sound. To avoid this happening use "release". In other words, as the bow decelerates to a stop you also tail off the pressure slightly and listen for a musical ending.

So, with practice, the bow can start, play and stop the open D string musically under perfect control without lifting the hair off the string. This is also needed for good timing and coordination when string crossing with separate bows.

Your left hand fingers can also help damp(en) vibrations by rising from pressing notes down, but be careful to avoid strings rattling momentarily.

DP

[kurt muroki]

best way to dampen the strings is to lightly put finger down near the nut and move toward bridge if necessary. we always pay attention to the beginnings of notes and rarely think of the endings.