Tight Re-hair

[Guy_Gallo]

Thanks to all for the comments.

The bow was taken back to the shop and a re-hair was not required. Seems the knot at the tip has sufficient overage that it could be re-seated. And the bow now has enough slack to last into the winter season.

[Skywalker]

Thanks Skywalker. If possible, could you briefly describe how you achieve this unequal tension? Cheers,

We use a turning stick to achieve this. It is a technique that is not used by many because it is not the easiest step to master. It is very hard to explain and really must be practiced many times before one gets the feel for it.

Look, we all do things slightly different. Whatever the method is, we all have our opinions about procedure; what is practiced in one shop might be shunned by the other. Whatever the case, in the end, I hope we can all agree:

"Primum non nocere" ("First, do no harm"...or, in today's english, "Don't f**k it up!" )

[Brad Dorsey]

...the knot at the tip has sufficient overage...that...the bow now has enough slack...

I always try to leave a little extra hair, in the frog instead of the tip, that can be let out if necessary, as was done with Guy's bow.

[allezlesbleus]

Absolutely true.

Tension on the hair should favor the playing side. The reason being is that the player will inevitably lean the bow towards the playing side (i.e. thumb side for cello/bass and finger side for violin/viola), rarely (if ever) is a bow played exactly perpendicular to the string, so even tension is unnecessary. Tension on the playing side acts as a counterweight to anticipate this lean, thus the bow remains straighter while in action.

As a player, I think I'd just end up tipping the stick farther away from me if the stick pushed it more level. I want to keep just an edge on the strings to more carefully focus the tone. I like the feel of the bow cutting into the strings.

Maybe the extra hair on the playing side actually helps this cutting action? Instead of pushing the bow straight, it could be like sharpening the playing edge of the bow hair?

Obviously it works, lol!

ALB

[allezlesbleus]

I have a cute story for you.

My fiddle teacher, back when I lived in the LA area, played classical violin all her life. From the time she learned as a child - into adulthood. One day, she went to hear Doug Kershaw play, and she says she had a shocking realization that playing the violin could be fun.

She immediately gave up her classical violin playing job, and started playing cajun style music and she joined/formed a nightclub style country band...

That is what she was doing when I knew her, and started lessons.

She says that she doesn't remember Mr Kershaw playing a single note in tune, but that it didn't matter, what she did remember, was the energy and the music.

In an interesting twist - she was a disciplinarian with regard to classical bow grip and left hand position, and would not let her students play sharp or flat or with poor posture even...

And even with this, her fiddleing (cajun style) was superb.

I'm guessing that the moral of the story is - Teach what you know!

I'd love to meet your teacher. That's pretty much my story too. I had an epiphany about the violin when I moved to North Carolina and experienced Bluegrass first hand. The violin had only been something that I had done, never really loved. I started seeing fiddlers do amazing things (and seeing the ladies dancing to it!) and joined a Country Western band for the hell of it.

I'm also a real stickler about the violin arm/hand and particularly the bow arm/hand. Poor technique only put "locks" on your playing and prevent you from fully realizing the music. When I was in Finland a couple of years ago, I was really amazed at the technical proficiency of the Nordic fiddle players. I'm starting to feel the same level of technique rising in this country; particularly with the Suzuki-fed younger players.

ALB

[Skywalker]

As a player, I think I'd just end up tipping the stick farther away from me if the stick pushed it more level. I want to keep just an edge on the strings to more carefully focus the tone. I like the feel of the bow cutting into the strings.

Maybe the extra hair on the playing side actually helps this cutting action? Instead of pushing the bow straight, it could be like sharpening the playing edge of the bow hair?

Obviously it works, lol!

ALB

It does.

However, again, the hair slightly fades tension; It is subtle. It actually feels more natural to play.

We do fade the thickness of hair which is subtly done as well. Rehairing is a delicate balancing act, like tightrope walking...while carving tiny wooden blocks, and can really make a difference in the performance of a bow.

[allezlesbleus]

However, again, the hair slightly fades tension; It is subtle. It actually feels more natural to play.

We do fade the thickness of hair which is subtly done as well.

Ah, so it anticipates the fact those hairs on the playing side will stretch first? You go skinny hairs to fat hairs as well?

Rehairing is a delicate balancing act, like tightrope walking...while carving tiny wooden blocks, and can really make a difference in the performance of a bow.

100%

Thanks to all for the careful attention on the "other" side of the instrument. A well set up fiddle and bow is a real joy to spend some time with. My main bow is currently in the shop (eagerly) awaiting fresh hair.

Cheers,

ALB

[David Burgess]

Skywalker hasn't yet mentioned one other factor. Hair generally breaks off the playing side first, and that changes the balance of tension. Start with equal tension, and if the player breaks hairs, the tension will soon be ass-backwards.

[Craig Tucker]

On second thought - this should probably die a peaceful death...

[Craig Tucker]

Ah, so it anticipates the fact those hairs on the playing side will stretch first? You go skinny hairs to fat hairs as well?

ALB

ALB, I don't know you well enough to be able to tell, but does this post contain at least a modicum of irony?

(My probable future appreciation of your subtle humor, anticipates your probable future admission of the fact)

ct