Posted on: | Category: technique tips | bowing chop detache improve your bowing technique laurel thomsen martele ricochet spiccato string letter publishing strings magazine technique bow hold
All chapters of my online course are now available through String Letter Publishing. Here’s a brief rundown of the contents of each chapter in case you want to dabble, otherwise, consider purchasing the complete set of 9 chapters for just $29.99!
How to Develop a Natural Bow Hold
- Learn to develop a natural-feeling bow hold and refine your existing hold for ease and increased function.
- Learn the differences between the Franco-Belgian, German, and Russian bow holds and their pros and cons.
- Learn how the bow hold evolved through history to meet the challenges of classical music.
Sharpen Your Awareness of Bowing-Arm Dynamics
- Learn the roles of all the parts and joints of your bowing arm, shoulder to fingers and how to develop "conscious" bowing practices.
- Find out how the shoulder muscles provide power for the bowing arm and seamlessness to your strokes.
- Know the benefits of a flexible wrist.
- Understand how flexible fingers can help provide a beautiful, clear tone.
How to Achieve the Best Tone
- Learn the fundamental keys to beautiful tone in every part of the bow and at any speed.
- Learn to listen critically and how to feel when the bow is wandering off course.
- Be guided on how to break down your stroke into various sections of the bow.
How to Control the Contact Point
- Learn how mastering your contact point will take your tone quality and ability for nuance and dynamics to the next level.
- Learn the 4 principals of sound-point control.
- Learn about the freedom of movement which comes with control of the contact point. Discover the 'sweet spot' for any note and how it can especially help improve your tone in the higher registers.
Mastering Detaché & Other Sustained Bow Strokes
- Learn how to create smooth and sustained sounds with detaché, portato, legato, and son filé strokes.
Mastering Martelé & Other Stopped Bow Strokes
- Learn how to add clarity, articulation, and accent to passages with martelé, slurred staccato, and articulated detaché strokes.
Mastering Bouncing Strokes
- Learn to add sparkle, bite, and a touch of virtuosity to your bowing with spiccato, sautillé, and on and off string ricochet.
Mastering Multiple-Stops
- Learn how to add fullness to melody lines and create exciting phrases double-stops, triple-stops, quadruple-stops, broken chords, unbroken chords, and turned chords.
How to Master the “Chop”
- Discover the skills you need to add this percussive fiddle technique to your bowing toolbox, including how to isolate the wrist motion, place accents in the correct places, and to avoid damage to your bow
How to Troubleshoot Common Bowing Problems
- Learn how to stop horrible crunching sounds and find the source of squeaky, scratchy, airy sounds
- Learn how to eradicate extraneous notes and rid your bowing of those annoying jitters.
- Learn how to tame unwanted volume changes.
Download here.
