Lawrence Wolfe gets such a nice sound. Inspiring.
Here he demonstrates a French bow spiccato.
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Here he demonstrates a French bow spiccato.
Link Removed
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Double Bass Lawrence Wolfe Demonstrates French Bow Spiccato
- Thread starter CaseyVancouver
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- lawerence wolfe
"There really is no difference between the French and German bow......"(starting @4:33 to the end.)
So - NO need to hold a German stick with a French hold. That's just nutz.
Everybody knows this...Well, almost everybody.
IMFO, of course.
Thx, @CaseyVancouver.
So - NO need to hold a German stick with a French hold. That's just nutz.
Everybody knows this...Well, almost everybody.
IMFO, of course.
Thx, @CaseyVancouver.
To further the whole spiccato thing, here's a great spiccato masterclass by Robert Oppelt for those who've yet to see/hear it (he shows when and how to apply spiccato to a bunch of different exerpts):
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"You are not wrong, Walter.." just as there is truth in saying 2/2 is the same as 4/4 or 3/4 is the same as 6/8 - the subtle differences are often where the art often lives.
If something performs the same but feels a bit different with one hold or the other it will translate into the music whether or not it is just as possible with either hold.
The quick changes to pizz and back are the only real place where the French hold will out perform the German for the same bass player. Everything else is entirely possible with either hold.
If something performs the same but feels a bit different with one hold or the other it will translate into the music whether or not it is just as possible with either hold.
The quick changes to pizz and back are the only real place where the French hold will out perform the German for the same bass player. Everything else is entirely possible with either hold.
Lawrence Wolfe’s guidance here saved me a small stack of gig cash. Cash that is rather hard to come by these days. He saved me, with this video, from needing to buy a bow.
Some here know I have dedicated this summer to the Rabbath books, using French bow. I am a German player.
Been winding myself up to buy a new French stick that can spiccato. I have an Otoni brazilwood French bow. It was $450 about 20 years ago. Since I know nothing about playing French I was thinking this humble bow was a bit dead. And could not spiccato.
When I ask the Otoni to dance spiccato, with my rudimentary French hold, it would not. Not surprising. An orchestral pro French player told me it took him a year to get his Beethoven V trio excerpt together. He does it very well.
Lawrence teaches, in the most simple way, how to spiccato with this video. I found holding my French bow German style, as he shows, the bow delivers spiccato. Spiccato at the balance point, then a forced spiccato further along to the head, as it should. And has a great sound to the stick for long deep tones. I did a lot of side by side playing with beautiful pernambuco German sticks vs the Frenchie.
I recall a world class concert cellist say owning more than one bow messes with his head. Heheh. As much as I love buying bass stuff I really do not need an 8th bow hanging on my music room wall. Six German bows, and one French should be fine.
Some here know I have dedicated this summer to the Rabbath books, using French bow. I am a German player.
Been winding myself up to buy a new French stick that can spiccato. I have an Otoni brazilwood French bow. It was $450 about 20 years ago. Since I know nothing about playing French I was thinking this humble bow was a bit dead. And could not spiccato.
When I ask the Otoni to dance spiccato, with my rudimentary French hold, it would not. Not surprising. An orchestral pro French player told me it took him a year to get his Beethoven V trio excerpt together. He does it very well.
Lawrence teaches, in the most simple way, how to spiccato with this video. I found holding my French bow German style, as he shows, the bow delivers spiccato. Spiccato at the balance point, then a forced spiccato further along to the head, as it should. And has a great sound to the stick for long deep tones. I did a lot of side by side playing with beautiful pernambuco German sticks vs the Frenchie.
I recall a world class concert cellist say owning more than one bow messes with his head. Heheh. As much as I love buying bass stuff I really do not need an 8th bow hanging on my music room wall. Six German bows, and one French should be fine.
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In my case, there's one other place the French hold outperforms the German one: how it impacts my flexor carpi ulnaris tendon.
I'll readily admit my personal biomechanics are bit strange, but I could never explain why the German grip never seemed like it "worked" for me, especially on the E string. Then the tendon pain started - enough so that I ended up getting an MRI. In contrast, when I tried French grip, I had no issues at all. What clued me on to this was reading something about the direction your palms face when standing at rest can influence what grip is the best choice for you. As it turns out, my palms face backwards (as opposed to facing my body), which supposedly indicates French grip being more natural.
Of course, what was true for me could likely not be true for practically anyone else on here. I mean, I'm "cross dominant", which is just as rare as being ambidextrous, but without being nearly as useful. Essentially I'm right handed for strength/gross motor related things and left handed for detail work. I can write forwards with my left hand whilst simultaneously writing backwards with my right hand, but that and $5 will get me a cup of coffee.
Check out Dennis Whittaker's "Incredibly Useful Exercises"
as well as Andrew Anderson's videos
as well as Andrew Anderson's videos
