So what is the actual reason for bow squeaks?
It seems to happen to me randomly and I wanted
to know how to stop it :/
It seems to happen to me randomly and I wanted
to know how to stop it :/
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Double Bass Squeaking
- Thread starter paperbag1213
- Start date
You opened up a wormhole into serious bass nerd discussion.
The three main parameters for good tone are:
Speed
Weight
Placement
This means if you move the bow too fast or slow, with the wrong amount of weight ( or weight applied at an angle to the string, or with the bow too close to the bridge or too far, you'll get an inappropriate sound-aka non-musical noise.
Not only do you have to play with these three factors in harmony but your bow must remain parallel to the bridge (with rare exceptions) and it must match the plane of the bridge depending on which string you are playing.
Try to hold the bow against the bridge so that the wood around the string guides your bow along one straight line, that is the plane your bow should be on every time you cross to that string.
It's a long battle to get rid of them all so don't give up.
The three main parameters for good tone are:
Speed
Weight
Placement
This means if you move the bow too fast or slow, with the wrong amount of weight ( or weight applied at an angle to the string, or with the bow too close to the bridge or too far, you'll get an inappropriate sound-aka non-musical noise.
Not only do you have to play with these three factors in harmony but your bow must remain parallel to the bridge (with rare exceptions) and it must match the plane of the bridge depending on which string you are playing.
Try to hold the bow against the bridge so that the wood around the string guides your bow along one straight line, that is the plane your bow should be on every time you cross to that string.
It's a long battle to get rid of them all so don't give up.
That the bow travels at 90 degrees to the SIDE of the string (or at least the bow energy does) and that bow contact point is very important are not questioned.
Using the bridge to line up 90 degrees might work for the two middle strings but doesn't for the two outside ones. This is because strings angle back from the bridge to the nut and the bridge top is rounded. Also, if you are seated in front of a mirror this will distort your perception of 90 degrees.
Place your bow on the E string 3/4 of the way out to the tip. To be at 90 degrees to the SIDE of that string you will bow with a relaxed shoulder and long arm, and the bow will point more uphill. It will also draw a line through approximately the middle of the cut-out "D "in the ribs, designed for that purpose. If you allow your long arm to swing upward naturally as the bow rolls over to the next (middle) strings the bow will still be at 90 degrees and parallel to the top of the bridge. Continue to the top string and the bow will still be at 90 degrees but pointing more towards the floor down towards the floor as it cuts through the middle of the "D". All this with long relaxed arm. Picture the plane followed by the HAND as the bow crosses being at 90 degrees to the LENGTH (or top) of each string.
Apart from drawing best tone there can be an add-on benefit. If the ribbon of bow hair is (almost) flat on the E string and you don't change your bow hold as you roll across strings the hair naturally angles in to have less in contact with the top string. Arguably you need more hair contact with the heavy E string and less on the lighter, faster moving G string.
Stay away from the end of the fingerboard on the G string to avoid crushing free movement of the string (or bow much faster if you have to). Bow a little closer to the fingerboard on the E string, especially if you want to move the bow quickly.
Sul Tasto is easy to spot and hear.
The rest of the solution is a great big scientific experiment, learning to juggle the three basic variables mentioned above.
Two more things!! What sort of rosin and what quality of bow do you have? Also explore the hair tension, starting with pressing the middle of the bow hair down to just rest on three strings when the hair touches the stick. Then explore tightening or loosening a 1/4 turn at a time each way until you find what tension works best.
Best wishes for the voyage ahead.
DP
Using the bridge to line up 90 degrees might work for the two middle strings but doesn't for the two outside ones. This is because strings angle back from the bridge to the nut and the bridge top is rounded. Also, if you are seated in front of a mirror this will distort your perception of 90 degrees.
Place your bow on the E string 3/4 of the way out to the tip. To be at 90 degrees to the SIDE of that string you will bow with a relaxed shoulder and long arm, and the bow will point more uphill. It will also draw a line through approximately the middle of the cut-out "D "in the ribs, designed for that purpose. If you allow your long arm to swing upward naturally as the bow rolls over to the next (middle) strings the bow will still be at 90 degrees and parallel to the top of the bridge. Continue to the top string and the bow will still be at 90 degrees but pointing more towards the floor down towards the floor as it cuts through the middle of the "D". All this with long relaxed arm. Picture the plane followed by the HAND as the bow crosses being at 90 degrees to the LENGTH (or top) of each string.
Apart from drawing best tone there can be an add-on benefit. If the ribbon of bow hair is (almost) flat on the E string and you don't change your bow hold as you roll across strings the hair naturally angles in to have less in contact with the top string. Arguably you need more hair contact with the heavy E string and less on the lighter, faster moving G string.
Stay away from the end of the fingerboard on the G string to avoid crushing free movement of the string (or bow much faster if you have to). Bow a little closer to the fingerboard on the E string, especially if you want to move the bow quickly.
Sul Tasto is easy to spot and hear.
The rest of the solution is a great big scientific experiment, learning to juggle the three basic variables mentioned above.
Two more things!! What sort of rosin and what quality of bow do you have? Also explore the hair tension, starting with pressing the middle of the bow hair down to just rest on three strings when the hair touches the stick. Then explore tightening or loosening a 1/4 turn at a time each way until you find what tension works best.
Best wishes for the voyage ahead.
DP
it also helps to be among other good bass players for the feedback and shared knowledge. I wish that was the case for me.
The best discussion of how all the bowing variables are related that I have ever read is in the chapter 'The Bowed String' in Cello Technique by Gerhard Mantel. When I read that chapter, it was like a light bulb being turned on.
Also in the galamian principles of violin playing. He lays it all out with pictures and a pretty intellectualized description of the many problems.
Long story short, squeaks may not happen often, but to eliminate them completely you have to have utter control over all the aspects of your bow arm!
Long story short, squeaks may not happen often, but to eliminate them completely you have to have utter control over all the aspects of your bow arm!
Everything already said is good. Something else you can do is to just slow down whatever you are playing and focus on getting the sound you want.
How i fixed my squeaks - focus on playing distance from the bridge, I used to squeak when playing high notes, because i kept my bow too far away fro me bridge, but by moving my bow closer to the bridge, the problem has fixed itself.
My squeaks (or more like squawks when in the lower register) happen mostly when I am not starting from the string. Try placing the bow a millisecond before starting the note.
Too much rosin dust on my bow hair lends to more squeaks. My students often complain of squeaks. I flick their bow hair with my thumb nail and a cloud of rosin rises up. Loosen the hair and rub off the dust on a rag.
