Double Bass what is better french or german bows?

[jamiecbass]

i have been playing bass for a little while now... so now i need a bow!! i have been playing with a french bow. im not sure if it would be better if i got a german bow, i think there spost to be louder. and i need to be loud there are not many basses at my school. i tryied a german once and it was to big tho, i have small hands. (would they make diffrent size grips?

 

[SoCal1]

It's really a matter of personal preference. A small tip. I found when I was playing in the Detroit All City Orchestra that I liked using a German bow, but with a French grip. I felt strength, yet the French hand position gave me more control. You mi8ght want to give it a try.

 

[punkjazzben]

This question belongs in the Double Bass forums.

 

[harmendebresser]

Prefer the German over the French myself. No pun intended either; the French grip would always make my wrist lock-up (and hurt after a while). I own 2 German ones, the difference is the length & hair used. For acoustic gigs, I like the heavier longer one with black hair for volume & for electrified gigs I use the shorter with white hair that is a lot easier to use for different playing types (fingerstyle vs. bowing)

 

[So Low Bass]

I assume you are on this forum because you are playing jazz/pop on upright. Switching from pizz to arco... pulling the bow in and out of the "quiver" during a tune... is faster with the german bow because you grab the bow underhanded.

What does your teacher say?

 

[SoCal1]

Oh yeah...I forgot that this forum is for bass guitar. You might get some good advice on the double bass forum too.

 

[jamiecbass]

sorry this was my first post. and the web site is still kinda counfusing!

 

[bassbrad]

NO worries, many of us over here double or have experience on upright, but the regular players do inhabit the dark side.

IMO both grips and style of bow has it's advantages, so it's prudent to learn both. My preference is for the French bow for the articulation and since I started on cello so the French feels more comfortable. Lots of players prefer the German for the power and volume and in some situations it may be required (symphonic work).

 

[mellowinman]

I find it's best to use a bow that can talk to you in your native tongue.

 

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Haven't been able to confirm it since I don't play French bow, but my teacher taught me that the German bow has the advantage of more powerful tone, while French is more speed-friendly.

One thing's for sure: Fast arco-pizz changes are way easier with the French bow. I mean, not that it's something super difficult with German bow, but it takes more practice to master it.

 

[T-34]

Play whatever your teacher recommends!

 

[jamiecbass]

thats a good idea but i have 2 teachers and they both recomend diffrent things!!

 

[Matusbass]

Hi I learned to play with french first and with German in second hand and I can tell you that no one is better than the other only you have make your choice.

 

[Paul Barsic]

Hi I learned to play with french first and with German in second hand and I can tell you that no one is better than the other only you have make your choice.

That is the way I did it, too. My choice of bow was determined by the best bow available to me at the time. When I started, it was easy for me to get a good quality French bow. I spent a few years away from the bass, and then when I came back, I found a good deal on a German bow. As for the "one is better for speed, one is better for power" nonsense, nothing is as important as practicing. My advice: find the best bow you can afford and make that one yours.

 

[MartinBorgen]

I haven't played both, but I figure that this "better for X, better for Y" etc. is more what you get for free and what you have to work for.

I, as a frech bow student, had to work learning how to produce a fat sound with my arm weight. If I "German" my french bow, I immediatly want to rest my full arm weight on the strings via the bow. But I hold it like a tool, like a saw. No agility at all.

Once you learn either, it's just a piece of wood holding horse hair covered in rosing used to vibrate strings. This is like discussing which kind of handle is best on a screwdriver.

 

[nickrs540]

I haven't had much experience with German bows, I always have owned french cause thats what I was taught on. The Germans have always intrigued me though. It seems like fun. If I had the money I would use both. Each seem to have their own positives and negatives.

 

[bassoastratto]

I play French bow, because it's what I learned on. Occasionally I will hold the bow like a German bow to get a specific technical idea out, but that's just for fun : ).

The few times I have played German bow I had a very hard time keeping it from bouncing on the strings, and it was very hard to hit the E string. At some point I might consider getting a German bow just to have, because...well...I think they look cool hahaha.

 

[bassoastratto]

On a sidenote, I believe that certain orchestras have an overall preference. I think the Berlin Philharmonic only uses German bow players which would make sense. Can't remember where I read that...

 

[Phil Rowan]

I play French but I have dabbled in German bow playing (I have an old W Seifert I got for cheap back in my undergrad days). It's interesting, but with playing German I find I can very easily (read, without even thinking about it) apply the natural dead weight of my arm to the string, and the contact stays the same from frog to tip (with my arm/hand nice a relaxed, again, without even thinking about it). I love the sound I get out of playing German and I try to have this inform my French bow technique (so I guess one benefit of German bow playing is that the bow just falls in your hand by the force of gravity, whereas with French you hold it from above but have to still retain that very relaxed baby's grip).

 

[Jim Carr]

...playing German I find I can very easily (read, without even thinking about it) apply the natural dead weight of my arm to the string...the bow just falls in your hand by the force of gravity, whereas with French you hold it from above but have to still retain that very relaxed baby's grip).

There is something to this. I also have discovered that if you have even a mild tremor, German bow is your friend. However, a really great teacher and lots of proper practice makes all the difference, no matter which bow.