How Much Hair Should Contact the String?

Quieter Playing vs. Deeper Playing

• For quieter playing:

  • Play further from the bridge.
  • Use less hair and play on the edge of the hair.

• For deeper playing:

  • Play nearer the bridge.
  • Use flatter hair so that the wood of the bow is more directly above the hair.

High Positions

When playing in very high positions, it's essential to avoid using full hair. Otherwise, it covers too wide an area of the string in proportion to the short string length.

• Visualization:
  • Imagine playing a note this high: the width of the hair is about a fifth or sixth of this distance.
  • Conversely, the width of the hair on an open string is very minimal.

Common Problem

A remarkably common issue is that players tilt the bow over towards the fingerboard during forte playing. This tilt causes the wood of the bow to contact the string.

• Result:
  • As you push down, the actual wood touches the string, creating a scraping sound.
  • Constant occurrences of this can lead players to stop noticing the scraping noise.

Tip: Check the wood of the bow for scratches caused by contact with the string. It's a sobering thought to realize that each mark on the bow represents a moment when an audible scraping sound was created, attacking the string from the air at the heel.

Best Practices

• It's often best and more natural not to use all the hair.
  • Using too much hair can result in an impure sound.
  • Aim for a safer tilt in your playing.

Helpful Exercise

Here's a very helpful exercise to sensitize you to the tilt of the bow.

Exercise Structure:

• This isn't one of the five tone exercises, a little extra inspired by one of Cape's favorites:
  • Alternate between flat hair and tilted hair.

Steps:

1. Start with a tilted bow in the lower half:

   • Tilt and flat, repeat sustaining throughout.
   • "That's great. Lovely. Really solid in the string despite what you're doing."

2. Do two in one bow:

   • "Yeah. So tilt flat. Tilt flat. That's great. Lovely."
   • You can extend to 3, 4, 5, 6, or even up to 8 if you wish.

3. Reverse the exercise:

   • Start flat in the lower half and then tilt in the upper half.
   • "What's quite nice is to make it solid. Even though you're turning the bow, keep the sound. Brilliant."

4. Two in one bow again:

   • "So you didn't need to stop, but never mind. Lovely. Keep it solid as far as possible."
   • "Great. Lovely. Lovely."