Violin Video Lesson: What are Bow Speed Patterns?

In this video I’d like to explore ways to turn something musical or expressive into something a bit more concrete.  To do this why don’t we explore the use of bow speed patterns when changing from down to up or up to down to aid us in understanding how to turn being musical, expressive into something concrete, audible.

You see when I was 17 I attended this chamber music summer workshop and I was assigned during that week a piano trio. Well, I was playing in a class, and what I heard was like someone pointing a dagger through my back, as I was told by a student that though it was obvious that I loved the music I played, he couldn’t hear it! I was totally taken aback by this comment… As I walked away with my coach, after the session, he put his arms on my shoulder he said and I quote “Don’t take it so bad! When I was at Juilliard I didn’t know how to turn a phrase either!” That was it, he turned the exposed knife in my back even further, deeper! Sigh! I was done for.

So with that in mind let’s look at a few things we can do with our bow changes. How we can use these things to help us understand how to turn a phrase, how to make what we feel more concrete, more obvious!

So in general we can do these 2 things with our change of bow speeds: we can go for the same speed; to the same speed (you see that); or we can go from a slow to fast… did you see that? I went faster, at the same speed going up as I did when I finished going down. I’ll do it again…

Of course, you can do it at the frog as well. Or the same. Still the same.

Now these are two of the more common ways to use this idea but those speeds can of course change. I mean, the sky is the limit! But those are the 2 more general parameters. So with this information in hand let’s explore a bit how to use them.

What about the Mendelssohn’s concerto, the slow movement. Do you know, the… Did you see? It was the same bow speed. Same bow speed.

What about Sibelius. The second movement. We are going from fast to fast.

Why can’t Lalo?

Do you see it?

How about with Tchaikovsky. Do you see? My down-bow speed and my up-bow speeds are identical.

So are you getting the idea? Can you see how it works? Can you find other ways to do this with your bow speed? Can you see how it would connect to your vibrato? Can you see how it would connect to your point of contact? Can you see the possibilities?

I’m betting that you can!

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