Bow-pressure & string length
Lesson time: (2min 13sec)
Simon explains the principles that govern the relationships between bow pressure, string length and tone.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course The Secrets of Tone Production Part 1: Knowing your Instrument
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Understanding String Pressure and Bowing Techniques
-
Pressure Dynamics
The further from the bridge, the less pressure
The closer to the bridge, the more pressure -
Positioning
- Low positions
- Middle positions
- Higher positions
These change the length of the string:
- This is a long string
- This is a short string
The shorter the string (or the higher up you play), the nearer to the bridge you must bow to keep all the proportions right.
Playing High Notes
When playing high notes, you need to:
- Play near the bridge
- Use more weight
However, there's another principle that applies:
- The shorter the string length, the less pressure it can take.
So, when playing high notes:
- Bow nearer to the bridge
- But use less pressure
Practical Demonstration
You can easily prove this:
- Play a very high note next to the bridge with a pure tone.
- Memorize the exact amount of weight you are using.
Then: 3. Play a low note using exactly the same amount of weight.
It just doesn't work! This exercise will make you realize just how little weight you had when playing near the bridge.
Common Challenges
When playing close to the bridge:
- You may get a nasty scratch if you don't adjust your technique.
- If you play a low note and memorize the amount of weight, using the same on a high note near the bridge will often lead to scratches.
This rule, the shorter the string, the less pressure, is why you so often hear scratches when students play in high positions on the G or E string. Instead, remember to play lightly near the bridge.
About the instructor
Simon Fischer enjoys a distinguished and wide-ranging career as a performer, educator and recording artist. He has performed worldwide as a recitalist, and committed three Brahms Sonatas to record, a recording that received high praise in Gramophone Magazine. Simon is recognised as having a place amongst the world's elite teachers. He is a professor at the Guildhall School of Music, and has held positions at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Wells Cathedral School and the Purcell School, and for 15 years was a visiting professor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. Having studied in London with Yfrah Neaman, and in New York with Dorothy DeLay, Fischer's approach unites the best elements of the French, Russian and American violin traditions. Fischer's published work greatly influences the teaching of the violin. Having written for The Strad magazine since 1991, his monthly articles have attracted a worldwide following. Published by Edition Peters, his technique books Basics and Practice (translated into Korean, Italian and German), Scales and The Violin Lesson, and the DVD The Secrets of Tone Production (now available to stream via MusicGurus), have become standards on many continents. His book and DVD Warming Up was described by The Strad magazine as "23 pages of pure technical gold". In 2014 Simon Fischer was awarded the European String Teachers Association prize "In celebration of a lifetime contribution to String Teaching". In his four-part Secrets of Tone Production course, Simon guides you through getting to know your instrument and then working through his fundamental tone exercises step by step, so you can produce a richer, more controlled and more beautiful sound on the violin. read more