Double Bass Starting a note--Arco

[gypsydjango]

When starting a note do you place the bow on the note to be played or slightly above the note?

 

[Lee Moses]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

 

[gypsydjango]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Hi Lee
I am pretty new to the bow, hence the question. Where to place the bow hair before the note I want to play. Where I said:'slightly above the note' that meant a fraction above the note and hit the note from above the string. Hope that puts the question more clearly.

 

[MrSidecar]

It's still rather unclear, at least to me. You don't really place the hair "on a note". You place the hair on a string, the note is, just as it is playing pizz, mainly the left hand's responsibility.
Maybe you're talking about time. That is- before a note starts, put the bow hair on the string? Or rush on the string as soon as the note starts? Is that the question?

Best
Sidecar

 

[the_Ryan]

Every note starts from the string, but sometimes the time between placing the bow on the string and drawing the bow is very close to being instantaneous.

 

[martinez]

It sounds like the OP is asking if you should start with the bow on the string or off the string (percussively).

If that's the question - then the answer is either. Starting a bow note off the string is an effect. You should be able to start off the string or on the string.

 

[Neil Pye]

The bass is not like the violin. A violin string will speak almost instantaneously, so it's relatively easy to start with the bow off the string. The bass strings are much more difficult to set in motion, so the vast majority of the time you will have the bow on the string before the note starts. Use your arm weight to load the string and your fingers to "cock" the string - bow hair grips the string, and using your fingers you deflect the string very slightly. Then release a little of the weight and draw the bow to start the note. I'm sure there are youtube videos that explain it much better!

 

[CSBBass]

I agree with the above that as our default method notes will always start from on the string, not being dropped onto the string. Without the skill to control it, dropping the bow on the string as you try to start the note will cause the bow to wobble on the string, make noise, not get a clean start to the note, etc.


Here's a good video from Andy Anderson walking through this process. There are several more, and if you're new to the bass it definitely shouldn't hurt to go back and watch part 1 through the end (I think there are 8 or so parts? It's been a while).

That said though, and because this hasn't been said yet, if you're new to the bass and don't have a teacher yet, find one! Forums and YouTube are amazing resources but are limited in their efficacy to communicate and refine technical issues, and in person instruction definitely will help clarify a lot of these basics and help you at least get a solid foundation. Even if time/money are an issue for having weekly lessons, a couple lessons to start and then lessons every now and then would be immensely helpful.

 

[wathaet]

The answer is that it depends entirely on what is going on. You need to be able to do both.

 

[Neil Pye]

That's true, but it's not, IMHO, a helpful answer to the question for a beginner who doesn't yet need to think about spiccato, jete, martele etc

 

[wathaet]

That's true, but it's not, IMHO, a helpful answer to the question for a beginner who doesn't yet need to think about spiccato, jete, martele etc

I never dumb things down for students. I introduce both a brush and an on stroke very early. Following this I teach the gradual transition between the two.

 

[Neil Pye]

In a face to face lesson with a student I would completely agree, but a beginner question on a forum is not the same, and saying "it depends" doesn't help.

 

[wathaet]

In a face to face lesson with a student I would completely agree, but a beginner question on a forum is not the same, and saying "it depends" doesn't help.

As usual the two of us disagree.

 

[Neil Pye]

Haha being able to disagree without death threats is a good thing, no?

 

[gypsydjango]

Many thanks guys for all your help.
Mike.