As string players, bow speed is our most expressive tool. Bow speed and bow distribution are basically the same thing–how you distribute your bow over time will give you the speed. Sometimes we want to use lots of bow to free the sound; other times we want to conserve bow and retreat to a “background bow speed” (the minimum bow speed to stay expressive). When we want to sing a musical phrase with our instrument, we can use bow distribution to empower our expressive ability.
Bow Distribution
Dividing the Bow Unevenly
Beginner cellists learn to distribute the bow as evenly as possible and this is important for developing basic control. However as we progress, we must learn the much more difficult task of intentionally distributing the bow unevenly!
Uneven Scale
In this exercise, we play 2/3 of our notes in one part of the bow and 1/3 in the other. When the slower bow is in the lower half and the faster bow is in the upper half, we can use the differential in speed to make up for the lost weight that we experience when we pass the balance point. Conversely, when the faster bow is in the lower half, we have to make sure to keep the arm free and avoid adding weight while we speed through the bow change at the frog.
Learning to Spend Bow
Moving the bow quickly when we need to spend bow takes a surprising amount of focus and energy! When I think that I’ve spent enough bow to make a convincing crescendo, I’m frequently surprised by how little crescendo actually came across. This exercise is excellent for developing this ability.
Appoggiatura Exercise
