----- DETAILS -----
The technique is simple in the extreme. The player simply draws the bow over a string or a pair of strings at the
slowest possible speed. The goal of the technique, is to increase control over the qualities of the sound via
increasing control over the bow. The most common method of applying the technique, is to try to make the longest
possible duration of a note that doesn't waver at all in terms of pitch, volume, or timbre. It's applied during both
directions of bow motion, both draw and return. The method I've come to use, relies on using only open strings
during the slow bowing - so, have in mind when I write stuff, that what I'm writing may or may not apply to cases
where the string are being stopped via the left hand. I say "may or may not", because I haven't tested
it or discussed it with anyone - I'm satisfied that what I'm doing is sufficiently challenging and beneficial,
that I don't believe I have anything to gain via experimentation involving the left hand.
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----- BENEFITS -----
The benefits of the "slow bow" practice are in the areas of control, sensitivity, awareness, etc.
The following is a list of some of the areas those benefits to be gained via the "slow bow" practice
occur within. The list isn't meant to be comprehensive - it's just some of the benefits I've become aware of.
"Slow bow" practice tends to make the player more aware of inconsistencies in the rate of the bow. When
moving at such a slow speed, small changes of the rate of bow motion result in big changes of the sound. When using
a very light pressure of bow against string, and moving very slowly, the drag between string and bow can actually
make the bow stop moving across the string until the player pushes slightly harder; enough to overcome the friction.
This stopping of the bow is heard as a disruption of the sound; i.e., it goes silent until the bow starts moving
again. Another way the sound can stop, is inconsistencies in the fluidity of motion of the players arm. When moving
at such a slow rate, there's a tendency to move in tiny changes with moments of being stopped in-between
micro-motions. Slow bowing can diminish that effect.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly get better control over the downward pressure of bow
against string(s). The downward pressure affects pitch, intonation, and volume - and, those things can be heard in
the sound being made.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly get better control over posture of arm and hand while
bowing. This includes the way the player grips the bow, relative elevations of the elbow & wrist, etc. Posture
during bowing affects fluidity of motion, and affects how much effort is required to conduct the motions.
Slow bowing is useful for ear training, recognizing pitches. As I mentioned above, I only slow bow on open strings -
so, during my slow bow practice, each of the notes I make are notes I've established via precisely tuning my fiddle
with a good chromatic tuner. This gives me 5 "reference pitches" I can attempt to memorize and
(hopefully) recognize in other situations.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly get better control over the placement of the bow on
the string(s); i.e., developing an awareness of how changes of placement of the bow (distance away from the bridge)
affects the qualities of the sound and the mechanics of bowing.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly get better control over the angle of attack of the bow
on the strings, relative to the upper edge of the bridge. This is an important aspect of bowing. If the angle of
attack is off, then the bow will rub on a string you don't want, or perhaps not rub on one of a pair of chosen
strings when you're bowing two strings at once. Being able to maintain a consistent angle of attack throughout the
full range of motion of the bow while moving extremely slow, will increase the probability of being able to do it
while you're moving fast.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly get better control of, the adjustments of tension in
the hair of the bow; i.e., gaining an awareness of how increasing or decreasing the tension of the hairs affects
the mechanics of bowing in situations involving 1 string, 2 strings, end of hair, middle of hair, etc. It also helps
to gain an awareness of the manners in which adjustments of tension in the hairs affects the qualities of the sounds
that can be made.
Slow bowing can make a player more aware of, and resultantly have a better chance of minimizing the negative impact
of, physical problems that can affect bowing. Here's an example of what I mean: When I'm doing slow bowing, my wrist
flexes through a range of motion during travel from one end of a stroke to the other. When I'm doing the return
stroke of the bow, there's a point about halfway through the range of flexing of my wrist, where I can feel a small
"pop" inside the joint. I never feel it when I'm moving fast; only when I'm moving very slow, and really
paying attention to (focused on) the sensations from inside my right arm. I believe that awareness of that
"pop", and where in the range of motion it occurs, is an advantage to me as a player. Knowing it exists,
and pinning down exactly when it occurs, gives me the chance to try to minimize its effect on the surety of my
bowing.
The last benefit I'm going to list, is one that is arguable; the idea that it occurs is really speculation on my
part. In Tai Chi, the slow motions of the body are touted as being beneficial for irrigation of the cartilage and
bone marrow; replenishes them with nutrients, and washes metabolic by-products out. I suspect that slow bowing
has some of the same effect, but localized only in the right arm.
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