Do you have questions about violin bows? In this blog post, I answer 19 common beginner questions for those just starting out with playing the violin.
Table of Contents
Is A Violin Bow Supposed To Be Bent
Yes, a violin bow is designed with a bend called a camber. Violins are bent backward toward the player to accommodate a preferred playing style. Violinist often tilt their bow forward, playing with the forward edge. Having the camber in the bow makes it easier to handle the bow.
However, if the bow is bent away from the player, this is not the intended design of the bow.
Without the bend, the violin bow becomes more difficult to handle and the violinist will likely experience bounciness while playing.
Although violin bows should be bent, there’s a difference between bent and warped. A violin bow can become warped over the course of time or it could have been manufactured that way. If a warped bow affects the sound of the instrument, the bow should be repaired if possible. If the bow does not affect the quality of sound, the repair is not necessary.
Why Is My Violin Bow Hair Breaking
Ever wonder why your violin bow hair breaks so often? Bow hair breaking is one of the most common problems for violinists. There are many reasons why bow hair can break, but we’ll focus on a few of the main causes.
- Ordinary wear and tear;
- Your bowing technique;
- The bow was re-haired incorrectly;
- Poor quality hair was used; and
- Bow bugs.
Let’s take a closer look at each one of these causes…
Violin bow hair breakage may be caused by ordinary wear and tear. Losing one or two hairs while practicing or performing is not an issue – it’s normal. However, if you’re losing larger chunks, there is a problem with your bow that needs to be addressed.
The first thing you may want to consider is your playing techniques. If you are playing aggressively to achieve a desired volume, for example, you may be using too much bow pressure. Besides bow pressure, you can achieve a louder sound with speed and bowing on different contact points, closer to the bridge.
Second, the bow may have been re-haired improperly. If the Luthier who re-haired your bow put less hair on the outside edge than the inside edge, that could be causing the balance of the bow to be off, which will ultimately result in more hairs being broken. Generally, the best bow re-hairs have equal amounts of horsehair on each edge.
Next, consider the quality of the hair used on your bow. The best quality horsehair for string instruments is taken from horses that are at least 20 years old. The older and more mature the hairs, the better they will be. Even with the use of the best quality hair, it can begin breaking over time as the bow is used.
Bow bugs (also called carpet beetles or skin beetles) tend to live in old, neglected violin cases. Over time these insects eat away all of the natural oils from both wood and horsehair components of the bow.
To avoid getting bow bugs, try hanging the bow outside of the case.
Additionally, it is advisable to loosen the hair when storing your bow to prevent the loss of hair. Leaving the bow at a normal tension could result in the wood expanding when there’s a change in humidity or temperature and stretching the hair. This stretching is bad and could cause some of the hairs at the tip to begin falling out.
If a hair breaks, it is best not to rip it out. Instead, you should trim the hair at the tip and frog using scissors or a nail clipper.
If you find your bow losing too much hair to create a quality sound with your bow, it’s probably time to re-hair your bow.
Why Is My Violin Bow Bouncing
Violin bow bouncing is a common problem for violinists of all levels. A few common reasons that a bow will bounce are over-tightening the bow and playing with the flat of the bow. The tighter a bow is, the more likely it is to bounce; so be careful not to over-tighten your bow. You will also see more bow bouncing when you play with the flat of the hair because you’re using more hairs at the same time. To prevent this, play with the bow turned slightly.
Bow bouncing can be caused by some less obvious things, and it’s important to know what the cause is so that you can address it properly.
If your bow starts bouncing, check the balance point on your bow. If this has been moved too far towards the frog or tip, then your bow will bounce when played at an angle away from the center. In order to fix this issue, you need to get a new grip for your violin bow which moves the balance point back toward the middle of the stick where it belongs.
Another reason you may be experiencing bow bouncing is because of the position of your hand on the violin bow or the amount of tension in your arm or shoulder muscles while you’re playing. Poor hand placement and arm positioning can cause the bow to bounce up and down while playing, which makes it difficult to play smoothly.
There are many ways to reduce violin bow bouncing, including changing your grip, practicing more often and with correct posture, and loosening up before playing. There are also practice aids to help you learn to hold the bow properly, which will reduce the amount of bounce in your bow.
How Much Is It To Rehair A Violin Bow
You can re-hair your own bow; however, if your bow costs more than $100 it is probably best to have a professional re-hair it.
If you’re a DIYer and want to try to re-hair your bow yourself, you will only be out the price of the hair. You can purchase bow hair online for as little as $8.
A professional luthier generally charges $50 to $100 to re-hair a bow. Given the complexity of this task, spending this relatively small amount of money is usually well worth it.
How Long Is A 3/4 Violin Bow
A 3/4 violin bow is 27 inches (68.6 cm) long.
How Long Is A 1/2 Size Violin Bow
A 1/2 size violin bow is 24.5 inches (62.2 cm) long.
How To Tell If A Violin Bow Is Pernambuco
Professional bow makers can tell what type of wood they are using to create a bow; but, for a violin player, it is difficult to tell if a violin bow is Pernambuco. Some slight differences between Pernambuco and brazilwood bows are in the color of the wood and the grain of the wood.
Pernambuco has more of an orange tone; whereas, brazilwood is a darker, reddish-brown color.
The Pernambuco grain pores are tighter and lines in the grain appear to be smaller than those in brazilwood. The grain of brazilwood has longer lines that are more visible than those found in Pernambuco.
How Do You Hold Your Pinky On A Violin Bow
The pinky is important for bowing the violin. The pinky is responsible for lifting the bow. The best placement for the pinky is on the top of the bow stick, with a small amount of separation between the pinky and the ring finger.
The pinky should be rounded or arched instead of flat. Additionally, it is crucial that the pinky stays in contact with the bow at all times while you’re playing.
This video gives a great explanation of the role of the pinky in bowing:
Can You Use Human Hair for Violin Bows
It is possible to use human hair for violin bows but doing so would pose some problems.
Horsehair is used on bows because it is strong and coarse. Human hair is not nearly as strong, thick, or coarse and is not as conducive to retaining rosin.
Without rosin, the bow would only be able to produce low sounds if it could produce any sound at all.
If a bow made with human hair can produce sufficient sound, because of the weakness of the hair, it would need to be re-haired often.
Why Is My Violin Bow Sticky
Violin bows become sticky gradually. The rosin build-up on the violin bow is a problem for all violin players. The sweat and oils from the player’s hands combine with the rosin to produce a sticky substance.
This sticky substance makes playing more difficult and reduces the instrument’s sound quality.
This can be avoided if you clean the rosin from your violin bow after every use.
Can I Clean My Violin Bow With Alcohol
Cleaning your bow with denatured alcohol is often done effectively; but, it is not done without potential problems.
If you decide to use alcohol to clean your bow, don’t apply it directly onto the bow. Use a cotton ball or paper towel to apply the alcohol, being careful not to oversaturate the applicator. Allow plenty of time for the bow to dry. Once the bow is dry, apply rosin to it.
Also, be sure not to touch the wood of the bow with the alcohol.
What Happens If You Put Oil On A Violin Bow
In general, oil on the violin bow hairs will cause the rosin to stop sticking. The rosin is necessary for the violin to produce sound. Thus, without effective rosining, the sound of the violin will be negatively impacted.
What Happens If You Touch The Bow Hair
Natural oils on your hands (even after handwashing) can damage the hair on a violin bow.
The horsehair soaks in the oil, causing rosin to stop sticking to the hair. When this happens, the part of the bow you touched is not useable. This is why the bow hair should never be touched, especially with your fingertips.
Touching the bow’s hair once or twice is not going to immediately damage the bow. However, touching it repeatedly can cumulate and start causing problems. Since it’s hard to say how many touches are too many, it is best to just avoid touching the bow hairs altogether.
When the damage to the bow becomes significant after you’ve touched the hair several times, you will need to have your bow re-haired.
To prevent touching the bow, be sure to pick up the bow by the frog or by the stick.
Should A Violin Bow Be Tight
The violin bow’s hair is tightened while playing. But, it’s important not to over-tighten the hair.
In general, to avoid over-tightening, beginning players are taught to follow the “pencil rule”. With the pencil rule, a basic pencil should fit between the wood stick and the hair with one side of the pencil touching the wood and the other side of the pencil almost touching the bow hair.
As a player becomes more experienced, the level of tightening will be more subjective and based on the preference of the player, the type of bow, the music that is being played.
The bow hair should be loosened before the bow is stored away.
How Often Should I Replace My Violin Bow
Unless you have an inexpensive bow that’s not worth re-hairing, your violin bow does not have to be replaced often.
You’ll need to replace your bow if the wood is worn to the point that you can’t achieve the desired tension in the bow; if you want to upgrade your bow; or if the bow actually breaks.
Otherwise, a re-hair may be the better (less expensive) route to take. In other words, consider having the bow re-haired when the problem with the bow is its hair (for example, the hair is thinning or dirty).
Do Violin Bows Wear Out
Violin bows wear out in a couple of ways. The wood (stick) of the bow can get worn out and the bow hair can become worn out.
Violin bows can also decline when they go unplayed and are stored for significant periods of time. Often the hair is eaten by bow bugs and the wood becomes warped from sitting in the same position in a case during that time.
Who Repairs Violin Bows
Bow makers referred to as archetiers, make and repair violin bows. Professional string instrument makers, called luthiers, also repair violin bows.
What Can I Do With An Old Violin Bow
If you have an old violin bow that still has some life in it, consider donating it to a charity or school. Contact orchestra and band directors in your area to see if they have a need for the bow.
You can also sell a good used bow online or at a garage sale.
Another alternative is to give the bow to a friend or family member who plays the violin.
Is A Cello Bow The Same As A Violin Bow
Cello bows are not the same as violin bows. Cello bows are shorter and weigh more than violin bows. Additionally, cello bows have a wider area for the hair and, consequently, use more hair than violin bows. Also, the frog is larger and round, instead of square.
Conclusion
If you’re a beginner violinist, or if you just want to know more about violin bows and their care, this post is for you. We hope that your questions have been answered.
You now know how to care for and use your violin bow. It’s time to go out there and make beautiful music with it! While you’re at it, be sure to take a look around our site for more beginner-friendly posts on using other instrument accessories like rosin or shoulder rests.
