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Bass Bowing
- Thread starter DOOGLER
- Start date
Me too, I have never tried it myself though, yet.
But it sure does sound incredible, and you can make some sick noise with it too.
But it sure does sound incredible, and you can make some sick noise with it too.
There has been some discussion, on this forum, about using a cello, but, stay tuned as we are on the bass. If I remember correctly you have to do some string gauge mixing to pull it off. You might give the cello some thought, I did and decided I best stay with the bass, i.e, bass clef etc. However, a starter cello is not that expensive and may give you what you are looking for. Listed below is a 1/2 size cello bow. No idea how long that is.....
Amazon.com: A. Breton AB-110C Brazilwood Student Cello Bow - 1/2 Size: Musical Instruments
Strings for a cello tuned BEAD - bass guitar tuning | Ask MetaFilter
Cello to Bass Guitar - Penny Arcade
Good luck.
Amazon.com: A. Breton AB-110C Brazilwood Student Cello Bow - 1/2 Size: Musical Instruments
Strings for a cello tuned BEAD - bass guitar tuning | Ask MetaFilter
Cello to Bass Guitar - Penny Arcade
Good luck.
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I tried this when I got a bow, just for fun.
There are a couple of practical considerations:
1. Upright bass bridges are arched, and the body has c-bouts, so that you can isolate one string with the bow. On an electric, it's hard to play one string at a time, and the Jimmy Page Kashmir-type chordal effect does not work as well on bass.
2. Be ready to get rosin everywhere.
3. A shortened bow doesn't allow you to play long notes, because you'll literally run out of room as you draw.
However, I've seen tiny finger-sized bows that Michael Masley uses to bow the cymbalom, which sounds amazing. You might be able to work something out like that.
There are a couple of practical considerations:
1. Upright bass bridges are arched, and the body has c-bouts, so that you can isolate one string with the bow. On an electric, it's hard to play one string at a time, and the Jimmy Page Kashmir-type chordal effect does not work as well on bass.
2. Be ready to get rosin everywhere.
3. A shortened bow doesn't allow you to play long notes, because you'll literally run out of room as you draw.
However, I've seen tiny finger-sized bows that Michael Masley uses to bow the cymbalom, which sounds amazing. You might be able to work something out like that.
Yes to the above.
I have both German and French bows for use with my EUB and wouldn't think to use them on an EBG.
I think you'd probably have more practical result learning the E-Bow -- which will probably be less expensive (and certainly less messy) than a decent 'real' horsehair bow...
I'd be interested in hearing people's experiences with the E-bow. I tried one years ago and couldn't get much sound out of it, but it was the standard (guitar) version, before there was before there was a bass version.
I didn't even know there was a bass version ;-)
I knew there was an "updated" version with a 2-position switch. I have one of those but I've forgotten the difference...
I haven't touched mine for a while - been busy with other techniques.
I _should_ be spending more time with actual arco on the actual EUB ;-)
A "cheap, student" (e.g. Glassner) bow will probably set you back about $100 (IOW - Ebow range).
My Pernambuco bow was about $235 from Gollihur.
There is no upper bound. It is not unknown among the orchestral guys for the bow to cost more than the bass - and they're not cheap at those levels either !
i was going to get a cello actually but i want to stay with bass guitar
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yep and I had better result with flatwound than roundwound. I used my DB german bow just fine with it.
I had one for a short while but hated it with a passion because it is stupidly hard to get a sound out of it on my 6 strings, strangely enough it worked just fine on my 4 strings. I think tha the string pacing is at play and also the type of pickup may have some effect in how well the E-bow react
Look up my friend Darin Schaffer on YouTube. He uses a bow to great affect on his acoustic piccolo bass. I do think the shape of his instrument(Ovation) is what allows him to so easily bow his G. I have used a bow to make some cool sounds with my bass guitars but since I have an electric upright bass I just use that if I want bowed sounds.
