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Comment |
johnism
Registered User
Posts: 3
(8/21/01 11:13:20 am)
Reply
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Bow sise?
I am going to be a new Cellists, I was wondering if somebody could
explain bow size to me? I am a adult male( don’t know if that
matters )would I be 4/4? Tell me if you think this is a good plan
for a beginner, I plan to rent a Cello first ( from a local (Good
Shop)), but to invest in a nicer bow ( to learn with ). Do you
recommend doing this or just stick with the rental bow?
Bows I
was looking into is Coda Conservatory or Glasser Carbon Graphite
(thoughts on these two bows)?
Thanks for your
insight,
John
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Bobbie
Registered User
Posts: 606
(8/21/01 1:43:13 pm)
Reply
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Re: Bow
sise?
I would recommend using the rental bow if it is wood. If it is
fiberglass, ask for a wood one. Carbon fiber bows are a little more
slippery and thus harder to use at first. Once you feel the need for
a better bow, you will be more prepared to choose one that suits
you.
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Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
Posts: 386
(8/22/01 9:38:45
am)
Reply
|
Re: Bow
size?
4/4 is the standard instrument and bow size in stringed
instruments. I would expect anyone above about 1.5 meters in height
to use this size. Regarding the specific bows that Johnism has
inquired about. The Coda Conservatory will be a better bow
acoustically than the Glasser. But in my experience with the Glasser
cello bows, the ONLY difference between the Glasser Composite and
the Glasser Carbon Fiber (besides cosmetic ones) is the price -
actually I have found Composites that were better playing bows than
the Carbon Fiber - so beware there. The soft, cushy thumb leather on
the Carbon Fiber can actually encourage an incorrect bow hold. And
if you are up to the price level of a Coda Conservatory, do consider
the Musicary as well.
I don't know what Bobbie means by
slippery composite bows. But I do agree that the wooden bows that
come with rental outfits are sometimes useable - but not always. If
you get a chance - get it checked out against the cello you are
renting. I know I've often been given a choice of bows (wooden ones)
when renting small violins for my grandaughters - and a big
difference in bow quality occurs. Occasionally one of those little
bows is nearly perfect!
I have found many wooden bows that
are inferior. In the bad wooden bows three types of defects
occur:
1) Improper weight and balance
2) Improper resilience
(bends in wrong places)
3) Improper acoustic
properties
All of these are very important to cello playing -
probably more important on this instrument than on the smaller
violins and violas. Any bow can have the defect of over or under
hairing; this is a very common but not permanent defect, but an
amazingly small percentage of experiencd players are aware of its
existence and ascribe it to a poor bow stick. Defects in weght and
balance can sometimes be cured by changing the mass or distribution
of metal on a bow of frog. (Two of my best bows - a Nurnberger cello
bow and a Voirin violin bow are both now pretty near perfect
acoustically with the silver base plate removed from the frog
(either through fate or acts of previous owners) - otherwise the
balance is off a bit and even spoils them acoustically [I've tried
replacing them]. It can get pretty complicated,
apparently.)
In the new synthetic (composite bows) ranging
from the Glasser Composites (as low as $135 for a cello bow) on up
in price to the $4,100 Berg Deluxe I have found NO bows that were
bad in either 1) weight and balance or 2) resiliance. In these bows
the lower price bows can have some defects in acoustic behavior -
but this will not come out on every cello - and if you are a
beginner it may occur in areas of the insrument you will not explore
for years. I've even played with acceptable no-name Asian-import
composite bows that were selling for about $25 (came in a
violin/bow/case set sold by a discounter for about $120).
In
general, however, I find the "fiberglass" bows poor musical
implements.
I've gone over this subject in excruciating
detail for violin bows at: members.aol.com/bowedstri...eview.html
and what I've written there holds pretty well for cello and viola
bows of the same brands.
Andy
Edited by: Andrew
Victor at: 8/22/01 9:48:33
am
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