Double Bass French/German Bow Differences?

[Johnny L]

You know Ken, when Paul Ellison was giving the class and stuff it was only recently that Ray Brown had passed away.

Paul shared with us Ray's influence and inspiration on him whenever he could lead into it, and when I saw him using a German bow overhanded I thought he was really doing it to extend further tribute to the man....cause in his own performance later on he stuck with the same (German) bow hold throughout.

I'm imagining that this Alstatian bow's frog would be cut so that on the outside it looks German but it has lots more wood on the inside to facilitate the thumb's conventional positions for a French bow hold...but then I'm thinking only about contact points and don't give a **** about demanding some aesthetic ideal.

At least that's how I would cut the frog for bassists who like to swing both ways...

 

[mheintz]

The more facility that I have with German, the less I use my ring and pinky finger. The hair, the bow and my larger muscles do most of the work. I do, however, use my wrist and palm, both of which appreciate the larger frog. I suspect that I would have problems with a smaller frog. The only time that I wish that I could double on the same bow is in passages where I have to switch between pizz or col legno and arco quickly. I have often viewed the quick changes of my French playing section mates with envy. But this is likely a product of my inadequate technique.

 

[LouisF]

Ken,

I'm emailing you a jpeg of Mr. Prochownik's alsatian bow.

Louis

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Can you post the pic here on TB. I wont be back in the office to read emails untill tuesday.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

You know Ken, when Paul Ellison was giving the class and stuff it was only recently that Ray Brown had passed away.

Paul shared with us Ray's influence and inspiration on him whenever he could lead into it, and when I saw him using a German bow overhanded I thought he was really doing it to extend further tribute to the man....cause in his own performance later on he stuck with the same (German) bow hold throughout.

Every picture I've ever seen of Ray Brown in which he was playing with the bow, he was holding a German bow in the tradtional, underhand manner. I've never heard of him holding it overhand until Christian McBride metnioned it in a tribute to Ray in Bass Player Magazine. Are we sure he really held it that way under normal circumstances?

- Steve

Link Removed

 

[Johnny L]

Every picture I've ever seen of Ray Brown in which he was playing with the bow, he was holding a German bow in the tradtional, underhand manner. I've never heard of him holding it overhand until Christian McBride metnioned it in a tribute to Ray in Bass Player Magazine. Are we sure he really held it that way under normal circumstances?

Beats me. I think I read about it on the old x2bass list archives or in the ISB mag or something.

Either way I can at least affirm Paul Ellison holding his German bow overhanded and kicking ass with it in front of us. If it doesn't get Ray Brown approval it's no deal breaker for me.

One day there will be the next superhero hotshot bassist playing the most incredible licks while holding the bow with his teeth while holding the bass behind his back you just wait the last laugh will be coming from me Mr. Know-it-All!!!

PS just kidding about the insults you may be completely right that it's urban myth. Maybe a glance in the Wikipedia archives might shed some light here...

 

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

I have often viewed the quick changes of my French playing section mates with envy. But this is likely a product of my inadequate technique.

Not necessarily. I can switch from arco playing to pizzicato with my German bow very easily, but those changes are definitely easier with a French bow (this means, less practice needed to get'em properly). When I started on double bass and my master introduced me to the German bow, I asked him about the differences (in terms of advantages/disadvantages) between the two types of bows. He told me that fast passages are easier to play with the French, but German allows you to get a fuller, more powerful tone. Also (as I already said), arco/pizz changes are easier with the French bow.

 

[jallenbass]

When I started on double bass and my master introduced me to the German bow, I asked him about the differences (in terms of advantages/disadvantages) between the two types of bows. He told me that fast passages are easier to play with the French, but German allows you to get a fuller, more powerful tone.

This is a myth.