Bowing on a classico

[jazzyvee]

I picked up an inexpensive wooden french style bow for my classico just so I can get a feel of what it's like to use one. If it is something I will make use of I will get a decent one.
I just had a go at using it and find it quite tricky to bow without sounding strings either side of the one i'm aiming for. I have no idea how it is supposed to be used so that may be the issue.
That aside, I wondered if a classico is set up from the start to be used for bowing and/or playing jazz style or are they set up optimised for one of those playing styles.

[garyhead]

Increase the tension on the bow…..then there’s that all pesky practice, practice, practice. Be sure you have Rosin…..only give it one pass over the hairs….too much rosin just makes a mess on the Classico’s finish. No damage, but just a mess. The first trick is to learn to drone only on one string and reverse bow direction without interrupting the drone…..watching the string vibrating is the best way to gauge bow speed and a consistent volume. Oh, and then practice, practice practice. Moving to another string is another day….. 


You will also hear the subtlety in tone the closer you bow to the bridge…..like dialing in the bridge pickup vs. the neck pickup.

[jazzyvee]

Thanks, i will try that.

[pauldo]

Do your best to keep the bow movement perpendicular to the string length and practice, practice, practice.  Another odd tip that is vague and random that a Director told me was, “pretend you are trying to push the bow down to the floor”.  <— that actually helped me.

Paul (who stopped playing in the community orchestra because he did NOT practice, practice, practice and got frustrated)

[the_home]

When I first started on an upright I bought an inexpensive French style bow and an inexpensive German style bow. I felt the Gernan style of grip felt more comfortable for me to achieve the consistent tone I was trying for. Might be worth trying out both.  YMMV on what you end up with.

Tim (who needs much more practice, practice, practice)

[lbpesq]

I have one of these bows.  Not sure if it’s German-style or French-style.   I can get it to do a one string drone, but that’s about it!

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Oh, but that’s only an E-Bow so do i need A,D & G bows so i can do the other strings?

[pauldo]

Always wanted to try a German bow… it seems like a better ergonomic grip.

[lbpesq]

Oh, but that’s only an E-Bow so do i need A,D & G bows so i can do the other strings?

Or you can tune them all to E.  I think that works too!

hehehehe

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Good idea, it will make the bass an ambidextrous instrument. :-)

[mica]

Generally the output is a bit lower when bowing with the magnetic pickups.

[jazzyvee]

Thanks, does bowing effectively require a different bridge curve or string spacing?

[garyhead]

Thanks, does bowing effectively require a different bridge curve or string spacing?

Nope.....You are playing Stanley's Upright!  The Classico was designed off of his doghouse.

[pauldo]

Nope.....You are playing Stanley's Upright!  The Classico was designed off of his doghouse.

I was nearly 58 years old when I learned this!   

Paul (who with age finds Stan’s upright playing just as mind-blowing as his iconic electric playing)

[MuseChaser]

In my experience, the Butler (German) bows make it easier to apply weight to the bow due to being able to use your thumb for leverage, while the French bow is easier to finesse smooth bow changes, spiccato, and staccato styles. In the hands of a great classical upright bass player, either style of bow can be played beautifully... mostly a matter of personal preference.

As others have said or hinted at already, somethings to consider...

1.  Bow angle - typically, you want to keep the bow parallel with the bridge and perpendicular to the strings.
2. Hair angle - tilt the bow towards your face/away from the bridge so that the stick is not quite directly over the hair and the edge of the hair closest to the fingerboard contacts first.  For soft playing, you don't need to have all of the hair on the string.  Add more weight to the stick (with your arm, not by taping weights to it!) to get more and eventuall all hair on the string for forte playing.
3. Contact point - generally, the more  weight you place on the bow, the further away from the fingerboard and the closer to the bridge the bow should be. 
4.  Bow speed - most beginning and intermediate bassists use too much bow speed, especially if they're used to playing other stringed instruments (violin, viola,cello) first. Find the combination of speed, weight, location, and angles that give you the clearest, fullest sound.  They are all related.
5. Rosin - It's important. Gary Karr (one of the world's greatest ever bassists)  has said the he doesn't need rosin, but he's insane. Again, experiment. It must be bass rosin, not violin or cello rosin.  It comes in different hardnesses. Try a medium.  Cold temps require softer rosin.  A few light swipes on the length of the hair, then play a bit and see how it feels. ALWAYS wipe off the body of the bass, then the stick of your bow, then the strings after playing.  Rosin is a necessary evil.. it'll build up fast and really make maintaining the finish of your bass and stick difficult,and buildup on the strings makes it tough to control your sound.

Just some thoughts.  Enjoy!