• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Zimmermann Bowing diagrams

Cmmcm12345

Cmmcm12345

Nov 18, 2018
60
32
49
Fredericton, N.B. Canada
#1
I am starting on Frederick Zimmermann’s “A Contemporary Concept of Bowing Technique” book, and perhaps I am overthinking it, but can’t seem to make sense of the diagrams, like the one attached... anyone that can clarify would be highly appreciated...I understand following alphabetically, I assume you draw the bow from A to B, and then move closer to the tip of the bow to be ready for the next measure to start at the top... is that remotely close? I grabbed this as an example because it seems to be the most straight forward...
 

Attachments

  • 0FD8E8B7-1C7B-4D3D-A7C7-3A4A04ACEC0F.jpeg
    0FD8E8B7-1C7B-4D3D-A7C7-3A4A04ACEC0F.jpeg
    544.4 KB · Views: 382
#2
A = frog, B = tip. Down bow a half note, stop (bow hair remains on the string). While beats three and four go by, tilt the bow hair so that it comes in contact with the next highest string. Repeat the same pattern, this time starting up bow, and changing to the next lowest string. The bow should always remain on the string, whether moving, stopped, or changing from one string to the other.

This is basically slowing down string crossings to the macro level, if that makes sense, or just putting it under the microscope.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBVT, neilG, Luigir and 1 other person
#3
The big thing I've gotten from the Zimmerman book, and from what the diagrams from page 5-7 describe, is minimizing the right arm movement in string crossings. Zimmerman describes the motion as keeping the hair as close as possible to the adjacent string without actually playing the string. All of the A, E exercises throughout the book really help with minimizing the amount of movement you need to use for a string exercise. The double stop exercise on page 7 is a great way to get used to that motion and is a seriously good ass kicker of a warmup (I regularly warm up with it across the strings and use it to warm up string orchestras at some of the schools I coach). When you start the A on the D string, you want to keep the hair as close as possible to the G string without actually sounding that E. What helps is to slightly tilt the bow towards the fingerboard and then tilt the hair flat on the strings when you play the double stop. For me the double stop was extremely hard to do initially, so my teacher had me do the exercise only using the D and G string first to get the right hand motion solidified, so that might help initially. I hope this all made sense! The Zimmerman bowing book is absolutely fantastic and IMHO necessary for arco practice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phil Rowan

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back