What does a bow do to play the violin?

Answer 1

to indicate that the following music is to be played with the bow, you would write 'arco' at the place where the person is to start bowing. an up-bow (starting at the pointed end) is indicated by a v, whereas a down-bow (starting at the heel) is indicated by what looks like the outline of the heel of the bow, drawn simply with 3 lines.

Answer 2

the musician, before he plays, draws a cake of a 'rosin' across it his bow, in order to provide it a grip to the string. 'rosin' is a solid substance that sticks to the bow hair.

he then draws the hair (usually coarse horsehair) of the bow across the string of the instrument.

the rosin catches the string and produces a vibration that travels through the 'bridge', and down the sound-post, where it amplifies, resonating throughout the instrument and projecting out the f-holes.

yes, they're really called f-holes.

i play contrabass, but it is essentially the same principal. being an expert musician (particularly strings) actually requires some knowledge of physics, and audiodynamics.

Answer 3

1. Place the instrument between your right side and right arm, with the top, bridge, and strings of the instrument facing your arm.

2. Hold the instrument with your arm's weight near the chin rest. You can hold it tight, but don't squeeze too hard! Hold the neck with the left hand for extra security.

3. Hold the bow with your right hand, pointing toward the ground.

4. Put your feet together and take a bow!