Soundpoint

September 24, 2008 at 3:41 AM

In recent practice sessions, I've started to notice something with my bowing. At times it seems to slip, or lose traction just a little bit. I noticed this on one particular measure of the Brahms Sonata. It is a simple one - second position on the G string and all in one bow.

All sorts of possibilities come to mind - from rosin, "pressure" distribution over the length of the bow, straightness of the bow, to soundpoints. The rosin factor was eliminated as a source. My bow seems straight when viewing in a mirror or looking down the fingerboard (although it is sometimes difficult to see). That leaves me with pondering sound points and pressure distribution.

I'll be taking this question to lessons this week. Maybe it has always been an issue and I'm just now noticing it.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on September 24, 2008 at 6:23 AM

Greetings,
the crucial question I find myslef continuously asking is `if your bow is straight how are you going to change soundpoint?` I think it is one of the most significant issues in string playing apart from whether or not a cellsit should use a shoulde rrest.
Cheers,
Buri

From Mendy Smith
Posted on September 24, 2008 at 6:28 AM

Buri - Good point. I've been focusing alot on my bowing lately, and maybe I induced a problem by bowing "too straight" (from one extreme to the other so to speak). That is why I think it is most likely a sound-point issue.

Lessons this week will solve it once and forall :)

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