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Double Bass Advantage to playing both French and German bows?

Ron Plichta

Ron Plichta

May 19, 2007
1,355
34
Fairfax, VA
#1
This is a slight spinoff of this thread in the "Bows and Rosin" section:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f2/french-german-choose-your-weapon-976144/

I play French because I like the feel of it after getting some grip tweaks from my instructor. However, I have a German bow laying around from past experimentations that I pull out every once in a while and don't really mind using it except for difficulty getting to the E string comfortably. Have any of the orchestra players here found a reason to use both or is it better to focus on one?
 
#4
I'd hazard that playing with both is always a good idea. Have one you're much stronger with, but of course there will always be that time where a German bow will come in handy, or a French bow.

It seems as though most principal positions would expect you to play with a German bow, versus a French bow. But that's entirely up for debate.
 
#5
IF you have a teacher at present then go with the style they use to have most benefit from their experience. Some orchestras may prefer one or the other, then some don't mind the mixing of styles. The style can affect bowings, also the amount of comfort room around players. In the hands of good players either is a very handy weapon, perhaps with more power and less comfortable string crossings from German though. What is your bow arm and shoulder telling you?

Vive la French!!

DP
 
#6
David Potts said:
perhaps with more power and less comfortable string crossings from German though
DP
Click to expand...

I never really bought the idea that the German bow is more "powerful" or "louder" than French. Joe Conyers can produce some one of the loudest, beefiest sounds on the bass I've ever heard, and he plays French.
It may be easier to produce a bigger sound on German but I feel French can play just as loud. It just may take a little more time to develop it.
 
#7
I would just pick the one that works better with my hand, like I did with German. I believe we are past the point of needing to prove or discussing which one is better, because there is plenty of examples of both styles helping to create great music and I could think of better spent time.

It is a personal thing, I say it is good to try both, but I am sticking to German and trying to work on the details here as I found it right for me and I see no point in mixing it, that would only downgrade my efficiency as I see it.
 
#8
My main bow is French, but I think it's good to keep a German around for wood-shedding.

I've often found that if I have a problem with a passage, switching to the German for a few minutes can be really be helpful (sometimes I just use the German grip on the French bow I'm holding--with my smaller hands, this isn't too uncomfortable). It can "teach" you what you're doing wrong with the French (it all happens at a muscle memory level). It's sort of like getting help from another perspective.

I think every player should learn both.
 
#9
If you ever want to teach, you need to know the nuances of both inside out. I studied French with some great teachers just so I could teach it as well.

There are things about each bow that teach you amazing things about the other bow. Look at the function of the first finger for leverage on the French bow. The hand MUST provide the same function with the German bow. My playing grew tremendously from asking myself these questions. Once you have basic grasp of bows, try this- if you have a problem passage with one bow, try it with the other. If it's easier with the other, then let it teach you a lesson about how to improve your arm and grip.

Fwiw, you really should be better at one... But don't tell that to the hordes of amazing players who are excellent at both.

Also, they are not actually so different once you spend ample time solving their puzzles. Cheers.
 
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#10
I actually started out with a fiberglass German bow when I was a kid. When I got into high school, my bass mentor, who was 2 grades ahead of me, taught me how to play with a French, which was his preference. I have been playing French since I was 15 and my parents bought me a beautiful (and beefy) Pernambuco W. Seifert French bow for Christmas that year, which is my main bow to this day.

I have, recently, been toying with the idea of a Carbon Fiber German bow for our summer concerts, which have a "Pops" type of program, but continuing with the Pernambuco French for the classical orchestral season.
 
#11
I play both for a 3 reasons.

1) I get bored sometimes and I switch for the hell of it,
2) I owe it to students to be able demonstrate on both and teach either bow with equal competency,
3) some articulations and tempi are easier on one type of bow than the other and capturing the ease and feel of the execution of those certain strokes/tempi on one style of bow can be transferred to the other (i.e. transferring fast sautille on German to French; transferring slow, heavy spicc on French to German; transferring string crossing ease on French to German; transferring German style endurance to French)

In the end, good players can sound good on either. Bad players will sound bad on both. The German vs. French issue is almost, but not quite as dumb as, the pick vs. fingers debate for bass guitarists.
 
#13
Nothing wrong with playing both, I suppose. There are certain advantages in each, and wonderfully made sticks of both types. When you get to the really top quality bows, the French are really on another level. I doubt there is a German bow on the earth that can really stand up to a great Vigneron. This is not really a matter of personal taste, I think. Those bows tend to be old, rare and 2-3 times the price.
 

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