ohh how I wish that I had watched this video about a year ago. You could have saved me so much money ,,,, light bows ,, heavy bows ,,, short bows ,,, carbon fiber bows ,,, fiberglass bows ,,, I've bought them all looking for the one or two that played good ,,,,
Thanks Joy. I always find your violin videos to be technically useful. You added a few new concepts here for me to consider. I appreciate it immensely!
You probably dont care but does anyone know of a way to log back into an Instagram account? I somehow lost my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.
@Kingsley Reginald Thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
I did not know that each bow had it's own sensitive 'ricochet' point. That is good to know. I love spicatto. When I'm practicing my scales in diatonic sequences I usually go for the spicatto style of playing. I have at least ten different bows and I will do things like 1) tighten one a bit more 2) bounce it on the string in one place 3) choose a heavy bow one day 4) choose a lighter bow the next. I haven't figured out what I like best. I even have a Black Mongolian Haired bow. Everybody say's they hate them, but I love mine because it's "grabby" without having to Rosin much. When you're practicing for hours on end, especially using a spicatto style, Rosin will be coming off at a much higher rate of speed.... so.. the Black Hair is nice because I can keep playing a bit longer without stopping to Rosin-up. Sometimes I feel like I'm just imagining things. As time goes on into the second and third hours, everything starts feeling different, including the agility of my fingers. The next day it often feels like I'm starting over again... looking to get to that point where everything is dialed-in properly. Dunno....I think that in Violin playing, there is still a LOT of speculation going on in every aspect. After all, it is the most difficult and unforgiving instrument to play.... and I don't believe ANYONE really ever 'masters' the violin. There is always something new you are going to find or learn or become more adept at... as long as you practice with the right enthusiasm and motivation
Hi, could I have the brand and model of the Carbon bow you are using? I am frastrating finding a good carbon bow in the pandemic situation where I mainly search online
@@philipq6906 It is a J. Remy bow, cost about $150. I am very happy, it is well balanced and playable. I have two, one to use when the other is getting rehaired....good luck!
Thanks for the tips. It tells me I am not ready to choose a new bow yet as i have not learnt those techniques haha. So it wont make much of a difference for me now.
Thanks for the advice, big help. I've been testing out some bows during an at home trial. A cheaper bow I really liked had a frog that was tilted and noticeable gaps on the back end towards the frog. I played around with it and finally unscrewed the button, tightened the eyelet one revolution, screwed the button back in, and voila, it was fine. No more tilt and gaps. I love it. Thanks again!
I guess violinists like to call what I call "sequences" ...'tetrachords' instead... because the pattern basically stays the same.. if you want it to. It's not necessarily "melodic" when you do this...it could be all whole notes....which is really 'off' or it could be a tetrachord where the first two notes are always half steps, string to string... a little bit different than a diatonic scale sequence. And as far as bows, I just purchased a $400 pernambuco bow. If you don't think your bow makes a difference... trust me, think again. I also upgraded my violin but I know what that bow does. Add in the right set of strings (for your violin) and you are looking at a sound you could only imagine. Definitely NOT the same in the guitar world of strings and wood, that's for damn sure.
Thank you Joy for this nice and very instructive video. I was told that when you chose a bow, it has to fit to your violin. Sometimes a more expensive bow does not mean that it is better for your violin. Could you give your opinion on this and how to select a bow which is best suited to your violin, in addition to the criteria you mentioned in your video? Also, I am told that the make of the frog is important, some bows have frogs which are nicely crafted and therefore much more expensive. Also, I have four average quality bows, but one is my preferred because it is lighter than the others. The other bows help me produce a more « aggressive » tone so I select them according to the type of music I would like to play. Could you comment on that? Thank you for your input.
Hi MNK, good for you that you have so many nice bows! When the bows feels heavy or light, it doesn't always mean it weighs heavier or lighter. Bow feels a certain way depending on the balance and flexibility. Each player needs different kind of bow which could help the playing easier and better. For example, if a violinist has a gentle tone, she/he would benefit from having a bow which can easily make loud sound. If a violinist is a orchestral musician, she/he would need a bow which can withstand the long hours of playing while being flexible etc. I hope this helps. happy violin playing!
Good for you Debbie. I wish you all the best with the new bow! Here is a video about Bow Grip. I hope it would be helpful. Happy practising! th-cam.com/video/GOG3i61aNa4/w-d-xo.html
@@JoyLeeViolin I settled on an old German bow . Moroccan goat leather grip with whale bone lapping. My hand is becoming more relaxed . I am guiding more with my middle finger and when I remember to do that it feels very strong and comfortable.
What happens to the sound if the bow is not straight? Like, bend to the left or right when you look to it with one eye closed, like shown in the video?
It is harder to control the sound with a bent bow stick as it has to be constantly re-adjusted depending on the shape. I hope this answers your question. Happy music making Aurelie!
Is there a difference between violin, viola, or cello bows? Can you tell? I got a bow but it was a bit heavier and the wood was a bit thicker too (i play violin btw)
Hi Mark, the viola bow is a bit heavier than the violin bow and also the frog of the viola bow has a round shape, whereas the frog of the violin bow is shaped angular. And the cello bow is the shortest of these three bows and heaviest also. Happy music making!!
@@fannybuster - yeah, so am I. I'm just stating my opinion. I'm not a stalker lol.... She's cute, but I come here for the Violin firstly. It is nice to gaze upon a beautiful woman whilst learning. 🤣. I'm happily married at the end of the day, but I still have eyes..!
@@fannybuster No I am not looking at side to side. I am looking at the bow the way she suggested and it IS curved, because a bow is supposed to have curve in the middle. Am I missing something?
@@fannybuster Am doing that and I am seeing a curve in the middle and NOT a straight stick, since a bow does actually have a curve. In case you are wondering; I have a very high quality bow
thanks for this video, it's very timely because i have been planning to upgrade my bow in the next few weeks. from a cheapo bow to something $500-700 and its been making me nervous that i'll choose poorly!
Very interesting information ❤I would add one more thing to test. Is it possible to play very softly with the bow with a good control. Loved your list and tips.
Hello, Joy! I’ve been playing for only a year, self-taught, and I have two questions. Firstly, I seem to have a problem with down bowing and I always bounce the bow, but never on the up bow. I’ve had friends who play who have looked at my finger positions in my grip and said that it looked alright, so I feel like the problem might be elsewhere. Does the wrist play a part in down bow bouncing? Elbow position? Secondly, how did you make the sound that you made at 8:06 in this video? That’s a sound I’m constantly accidentally making and I figured that knowing how to make that sound on purpose would help me to understand how to not make that sound accidentally anymore. Lol Thank you so much for your wonderful videos! You’ve been a tremendous help in my learning journey!
Hi Kraest, I'm so glad to hear that my videos have been helpful. Thank you for sharing :) Yes , the height of the right wrist and elbow play an important role in sound production. There could be several causes of the bouncing down bow. The common cause from many players is when we press the bow with much weight with low wrist. The sound at 8:06 was made by making the bow extremely light by raising the elbow and wrist higher than ideal. I hope this answers your questions. Happy violin playing!
You make everything look easy. Thanks for a good video.
ohh how I wish that I had watched this video about a year ago. You could have saved me so much money ,,,, light bows ,, heavy bows ,,, short bows ,,, carbon fiber bows ,,, fiberglass bows ,,, I've bought them all looking for the one or two that played good ,,,,
Thanks Joy. I always find your violin videos to be technically useful. You added a few new concepts here for me to consider. I appreciate it immensely!
You're most welcome Ships. Thank you for such kind words :)
You probably dont care but does anyone know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?
I somehow lost my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.
@Maximilian Kaysen instablaster =)
@Kingsley Reginald Thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Kingsley Reginald it worked and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thank you so much you saved my account !
I love that your information doesn’t repeat any of the other bow buying videos 👁🙏🏽🎻
Well done 👍🏽🎻🎬
Thank you very much Owen!
Thanks so much, very helpful.
Glad to hear that Suellen. You're very welcome and I wish you a happy practising!
thank you for a great video! I am going to trial a few of the codabows soon and this will help me evaluate them all in a standardized way
You're most welcome Aidan. I wish you lots of positive experiences with bow trials!
I did not know that each bow had it's own sensitive 'ricochet' point. That is good to know. I love spicatto. When I'm practicing my scales in diatonic sequences I usually go for the spicatto style of playing. I have at least ten different bows and I will do things like 1) tighten one a bit more 2) bounce it on the string in one place 3) choose a heavy bow one day 4) choose a lighter bow the next. I haven't figured out what I like best. I even have a Black Mongolian Haired bow. Everybody say's they hate them, but I love mine because it's "grabby" without having to Rosin much. When you're practicing for hours on end, especially using a spicatto style, Rosin will be coming off at a much higher rate of speed.... so.. the Black Hair is nice because I can keep playing a bit longer without stopping to Rosin-up. Sometimes I feel like I'm just imagining things. As time goes on into the second and third hours, everything starts feeling different, including the agility of my fingers. The next day it often feels like I'm starting over again... looking to get to that point where everything is dialed-in properly. Dunno....I think that in Violin playing, there is still a LOT of speculation going on in every aspect. After all, it is the most difficult and unforgiving instrument to play.... and I don't believe ANYONE really ever 'masters' the violin. There is always something new you are going to find or learn or become more adept at... as long as you practice with the right enthusiasm and motivation
Excellent! So informative. I finally have a clue how to test bows. Thank you.
Also, thank you so much for describing what you are testing with each different type of bow stroke.
You're so very welcome Slow Jam. Happy music making!
Like goes immediately to The Smiling Lady, then watching video, something that on other channels I almost never do but on this channel quite ok😉
Thank you so much!
Muchas gracias por tu vídeo. Muy útil para escoger un buen arco. Felicidades desde Madrid
¡Muchas gracias Jose y saludos también desde Toronto, Canadá!
Extremely helpful. Thank you!
Thank you very much also CS!
Great video. Appreciate your thoughtful advice.
Thank you Duggie also. Happy practising!
Just about to look for a new bow .... thank you .... soo helpful ... Bren
You're welcome Brenda!
Your video was great, very helpful! Thanks👍
Thank you Tony! Happy violin playing!
Thanks, you too👍
Great video Joy 🙏🏿
I appreciate that Fine Master!
I use a good quality carbon fibre bow and I am very happy with that, for years I used wooden bows...
Hi, could I have the brand and model of the Carbon bow you are using? I am frastrating finding a good carbon bow in the pandemic situation where I mainly search online
@@philipq6906 It is a J. Remy bow, cost about $150. I am very happy, it is well balanced and playable. I have two, one to use when the other is getting rehaired....good luck!
@@williamkauffman5745 Thank you! I will definitely check this.
Thanks for the tips. It tells me I am not ready to choose a new bow yet as i have not learnt those techniques haha. So it wont make much of a difference for me now.
awesome , thanks very much , im learning slowly but its all knowledge
You're most welcome Joe. Happy practising!
Thanks for the advice, big help. I've been testing out some bows during an at home trial. A cheaper bow I really liked had a frog that was tilted and noticeable gaps on the back end towards the frog. I played around with it and finally unscrewed the button, tightened the eyelet one revolution, screwed the button back in, and voila, it was fine. No more tilt and gaps. I love it. Thanks again!
You're very welcome. How wonderful you found what you like! I am very happy for you Steve! Happy practising!
Thanks Joy. I'm considering buying a pernambuco bow.
the violin bow was one of the first instrument amplifiers
A very good advice!
Which bow do you use in the video?
thanks! I'm using a hand made pernambuco bow in the video
Joy, what wood is your bow made out of?
I guess violinists like to call what I call "sequences" ...'tetrachords' instead... because the pattern basically stays the same.. if you want it to. It's not necessarily "melodic" when you do this...it could be all whole notes....which is really 'off' or it could be a tetrachord where the first two notes are always half steps, string to string... a little bit different than a diatonic scale sequence. And as far as bows, I just purchased a $400 pernambuco bow. If you don't think your bow makes a difference... trust me, think again. I also upgraded my violin but I know what that bow does. Add in the right set of strings (for your violin) and you are looking at a sound you could only imagine. Definitely NOT the same in the guitar world of strings and wood, that's for damn sure.
Thank you Joy for this nice and very instructive video.
I was told that when you chose a bow, it has to fit to your violin. Sometimes a more expensive bow does not mean that it is better for your violin. Could you give your opinion on this and how to select a bow which is best suited to your violin, in addition to the criteria you mentioned in your video? Also, I am told that the make of the frog is important, some bows have frogs which are nicely crafted and therefore much more expensive.
Also, I have four average quality bows, but one is my preferred because it is lighter than the others. The other bows help me produce a more « aggressive » tone so I select them according to the type of music I would like to play. Could you comment on that? Thank you for your input.
Hi MNK, good for you that you have so many nice bows! When the bows feels heavy or light, it doesn't always mean it weighs heavier or lighter. Bow feels a certain way depending on the balance and flexibility. Each player needs different kind of bow which could help the playing easier and better. For example, if a violinist has a gentle tone, she/he would benefit from having a bow which can easily make loud sound. If a violinist is a orchestral musician, she/he would need a bow which can withstand the long hours of playing while being flexible etc. I hope this helps. happy violin playing!
I am buying a new bow . But my bow grip is driving me crazy. I can't figure out how to have my personal bow grip relaxed etc.
Good for you Debbie. I wish you all the best with the new bow! Here is a video about Bow Grip. I hope it would be helpful. Happy practising! th-cam.com/video/GOG3i61aNa4/w-d-xo.html
@@JoyLeeViolin I settled on an old German bow . Moroccan goat leather grip with whale bone lapping. My hand is becoming more relaxed . I am guiding more with my middle finger and when I remember to do that it feels very strong and comfortable.
What happens to the sound if the bow is not straight? Like, bend to the left or right when you look to it with one eye closed, like shown in the video?
It is harder to control the sound with a bent bow stick as it has to be constantly re-adjusted depending on the shape. I hope this answers your question. Happy music making Aurelie!
Is there a difference between violin, viola, or cello bows? Can you tell? I got a bow but it was a bit heavier and the wood was a bit thicker too (i play violin btw)
Hi Mark, the viola bow is a bit heavier than the violin bow and also the frog of the viola bow has a round shape, whereas the frog of the violin bow is shaped angular. And the cello bow is the shortest of these three bows and heaviest also. Happy music making!!
You are a beautiful woman! There I said it!
She is married,no gal for you..!
@@fannybuster - yeah, so am I. I'm just stating my opinion. I'm not a stalker lol.... She's cute, but I come here for the Violin firstly. It is nice to gaze upon a beautiful woman whilst learning. 🤣. I'm happily married at the end of the day, but I still have eyes..!
Thank you!
Olá linda 🌹😘💝
If the bow has a curve in the middle, how can it be straight?
You're not looking correctly.The Bow should be straight looking down the bow.You're looking side to side.
@@fannybuster No I am not looking at side to side. I am looking at the bow the way she suggested and it IS curved, because a bow is supposed to have curve in the middle. Am I missing something?
@@AccordionandViolinlife You have to look down the bow ,like it was a stick
@@fannybuster Am doing that and I am seeing a curve in the middle and NOT a straight stick, since a bow does actually have a curve. In case you are wondering; I have a very high quality bow
@@AccordionandViolinlife If you have a yardstick look down the long view with the narrow side facing up.This is what she is talking about
thanks for this video, it's very timely because i have been planning to upgrade my bow in the next few weeks. from a cheapo bow to something $500-700 and its been making me nervous that i'll choose poorly!
You're most welcome! :)
Very interesting information ❤I would add one more thing to test. Is it possible to play very softly with the bow with a good control. Loved your list and tips.
Thank you John for your kind words and sharing your ideas. Happy violin playing!
Hello, Joy! I’ve been playing for only a year, self-taught, and I have two questions. Firstly, I seem to have a problem with down bowing and I always bounce the bow, but never on the up bow. I’ve had friends who play who have looked at my finger positions in my grip and said that it looked alright, so I feel like the problem might be elsewhere. Does the wrist play a part in down bow bouncing? Elbow position? Secondly, how did you make the sound that you made at 8:06 in this video? That’s a sound I’m constantly accidentally making and I figured that knowing how to make that sound on purpose would help me to understand how to not make that sound accidentally anymore. Lol Thank you so much for your wonderful videos! You’ve been a tremendous help in my learning journey!
Hi Kraest, I'm so glad to hear that my videos have been helpful. Thank you for sharing :)
Yes , the height of the right wrist and elbow play an important role in sound production. There could be several causes of the bouncing down bow. The common cause from many players is when we press the bow with much weight with low wrist.
The sound at 8:06 was made by making the bow extremely light by raising the elbow and wrist higher than ideal.
I hope this answers your questions. Happy violin playing!
Thanks joy. What is the name of the piece you played at 6:35?
Hi Benjamin, it is Vivaldi Spring 1st movement. Happy music making!
Every lesson you are making make me feel. Thank you to show us how to make rigth bow. Love you Joy 😍😍😍
she is a nice madame isn't she
Thank you as well Jean!
thanks! you are very kind Liam!
Can you please place names and links of bows that I can buy
sorry, I don't choose bows by names or brands. I choose them by testing.
Great! Thanks!
You're welcome Gilles!
I wish you could write this out. That way I can remember when I'm shopping!
HI Eric, on the bottom of the screen, when you click "cc" bottom, you can see the words as I speak. I hope you can see it. Happy trying!
Thank you Joy again for another great video
Thank you! The most helpful video for choosing a bow I’ve found so far 😄
Glad it was helpful!