Violin Bow Strokes

An introduction to the most common and useful violin bow strokes Violin Bow Strokes

• A bow stroke is the way that we move the bow, to change the sound articulation of the violin. • There are many types of bow strokes that can be played on the violin. • Let’s have have a look at a few common bow strokes that can help create music. Violin Bow Strokes

• Legato – Meaning smooth and flowing We often use more of the bow length, and make the bow change direction as smooth as possible. When playing legato, you might see more groups of slurred notes in your music. The slurs help to create the smooth and flowing sound and phrases. A good way to practice legato playing is with slurred scales. Here is a useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ0WQfLGTco • Detache – Meaning detached and separate notes Detache can be played using the full bow, but we use often use part of the bow, such as just the upper half. You might see detache bowing on quavers and the sound created is strong, confident and projects well. To practice detache, you can play scales, but you can also practice bowing on open strings. Here is a useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1SfFV-fpu8 • Spiccato – Meaning light and bouncy notes Where the bow bounces lightly on the string. The speed is controlled so we can play even rhythms, such as quavers, but the effect is usually very light and fun. Sometimes you might see staccato dots above the notes to remind you that they are should be short and bouncy. Here is a useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7BqtdO5d4o Bowing Exercise on D Major Scale