Pizz while holding the Bow..

davegr8house · #1 02-20-2003, 12:22 PM

Hello All,
I have a question for all of you seasoned Players. I am working on a new song this week "Finale" by Brahms. Not very difficult but the thing is, this is the first time I am playing an Arrangement with both Pizz and Arco. My Teacher wants me to hold the Bow throughout the song..ok no biggie seen this before..wellllll...not as easy as it looks. I seem to keep hitting the Bass with the Stick...loud.... My question is this. I was told that there are many different ways to do this and to find what works for me. Is there any helpful hints in doing this? The way I am doing this now I`m holding the Bow "German" away from the Bass pointing to my right...I can see this being a problem if ever I raise to the ranks of a Bass Section. I would think one would want the Bow pointing down. Thank You for your help.

Dave

Pete OLeary · #2 02-20-2003, 08:04 PM

The smoothest transition from pizz to arco and back I've seen was Slam Stewart. I have an old film where he executes this move a couple times, and it is slick.
He's using a German bow. He hangs the bow from his pinky (pointing down) while playing pizz and quickly palms the bow for arco.
The most interesting and fundamental aspect of it that the bow hangs from the pinky with the hair facing out rather than facing his armpit. This way the hand is on the bow in proper position when flipped around.
I've been practicing this move and the best way to think of it is turning the wrist to cradle the bow for arco rather than flipping the bow. This is how the bow can be brought into position without swinging the tip around and risk hitting the bass.

davegr8house · #3 02-21-2003, 12:53 PM

Thanks Pete,
I`ll practice this and see how it works out. I can see this transition will take a good deal of practice but it does sound good. I wonder do you or did Slam Stwart tilt the Bass a little to the side or forward to let the Bow swing freely? Again thanks...

Dave

Pete OLeary · #4 02-21-2003, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by davegr8house
Thanks Pete,
I`ll practice this and see how it works out. I can see this transition will take a good deal of practice but it does sound good. I wonder do you or did Slam Stwart tilt the Bass a little to the side or forward to let the Bow swing freely? Again thanks...

The motion Slam used was more a matter of lowering the wrist than swinging the bow tip up, if this makes any sense. Slam held the bass completly still during the transition. It does take practice, but results in much smoother movement.
The passage he used it in was very fast and he transitioned from arco eighth notes to quarter pizz notes and back without missing a single beat. He looked so relaxed and natural doing it too.
There is a lot of recorded material in which Stewart does this.

kpo · #5 02-21-2003, 10:31 PM

When I do Pizz with German, I let the tip swing down towards the floor, and the pinkie hooks into the space in the Frog.

The side of the frog is facing my palm, and the hair points to my right... having just the pinkie hooked with the Frog leaves up to three fingers available for fast PIZZ.

Pete OLeary · #6 02-22-2003, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kpo
When I do Pizz with German, I let the tip swing down towards the floor, and the pinkie hooks into the space in the Frog.

The side of the frog is facing my palm, and the hair points to my right... having just the pinkie hooked with the Frog leaves up to three fingers available for fast PIZZ.

This is how I used to do it, and at first it seems more natural. Turning the bow around so the hair faces left is now the way for me.

davegr8house · #7 02-22-2003, 12:26 PM

Thanks guys,
I`ll let you know how it works out. Right now the Bow Hair seems to be to my right the way I am trying to do this transition at this time. I assume both of you play standing up. Thanks again for the helpful advice...

Dave

Billdog · #8 04-09-2003, 11:52 PM

Hi. I'm new to the world of DB (my church owns a DB, I've played on it all of maybe 1 hour

). I currently play BG and will be getting into DB(yes, with a teacher) when I get back home from college. My brother owns Calle 54, and there is a piano/bass duet with two men who's names I don't remember. My point is, I saw him switch from bowing to pizz and back. What he did when playing pizz was hold the bow with his pointer finger and thumb(maybe his middle finger too), and played the bass with his ring finger. From what I have read, pizz with the ring finger plucking is unheard of in the DB world (from my limited experience), but that's what he was doing. I didn't look to see whether he played French or German grip, but from the way I know he was holding the bow while plucking, he was probably playing French. Granted, he wasn't playing anything remotely fast with that forsaken finger, but he was doing it. Just thought someone might be interested...