How I Put an Edge on My Bow Hair

December 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM

No, the answer is not by running each hair through my ‘chef’s choice’ knife sharpener. Nice try though.

But seriously, you may even be surprised at the whole concept of ‘edging the bow’. So this is what I’m talking about.

As you can plainly see, when the hair is put under tension by tightening the frog, the hair of the bow presents a flat, linear surface. When I talk about edging the bow I’m referring to a little technique in which the bow is angled slightly, with the stick rotated out over the outside edge of the bow hair creating a small angle between the string and the hair.

There are a couple of good reasons for doing this. First, playing on the outside edge of the bow hair gives a little cushioning to the bow, particularly at the frog where it can behave a little chatterishly – my word – when drawn on the flat.

Second, doing so tends to create a rounder sound while, at the same time, adding clarity to your articulation.

One of my early teachers described it this way, ‘like a knife cutting into the string.’

Now the way to achieve this is not to twizzle the bow in your fingers – ‘spell check’ informs me there is no such word as ‘twizzle’. So how come ice-dancers get away with doing them, I ask.

Anyway, to get the bow properly ‘edged’ start with the hair flat on the string, the middle of the bow is good. Then, elevate the wrist just slightly until the stick is over the outside edge – fingerboard side – of the hair.

Now practice some long tones keeping this new orientation from tip to stern.

Now don’t get me wrong here, there are times when playing right on the flat of the hair is absolutely in order; certainly when you want an aggressive edge to the sound – ironic, isn’t it, to produce an edge by being ‘flat’; smoothness by being ‘on edge’.

Yet more often than naught you will find my bow in the latter position when I’m playing. There’s simply a refinement, clarity and ringing-ness that I find irresistible.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

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How I Put an Edge on My Bow Hair

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