Can you use a baroque bow with a modern violin?

This pretty much can’t be done with a modern bow, except for the rare instances where someone has placed the bow stick beneath the violin, with the hair on top.

What are the characteristics of a baroque bow?

Baroque bows generally look straight or bent slightly outwards in the middle, with an elegant “swan-bill” pointed head. Typically made from strong, heavy snakewood, bows of the early 17th century were used to play both violins and violas. They were particularly short and light and well-suited for dance music.

Are baroque bows shorter?

The original Baroque bows were lighter and shorter than modern bows. The bows were built to the “rule of the down bow” which drove bowing patterns during the Baroque era. Bowing down creates a more powerful attack than upbows (thanks mostly to gravity) so the strength of a Baroque bow is towards the frog.

What is the Baroque bow hold?

Baroque bows are typically held in the same way as modern bows, with the thumb on the underside of the stick towards the frog, though in the earlier Baroque period a “French grip” with the thumb positioned on the hair of the bow was also used. Baroque bows have a much narrower range of technique than do modern bows.

What is the baroque bow hold?

How much is a baroque bow?

A professionally made baroque bow can cost around $2,000 – $3,000; relatively cheap, but too expensive for a student. Amazon and Ebay are awash with cheap “baroque” bows ranging in price from about $50 –$200, and Shar Music sells them for $200, though they are often on sale for less.

Why is baroque tuning different?

Historically there were many different pitches to which groups of musicians tuned, based on local tradition or, in the Baroque era, to the pitch the local organ was set as it was impractical to tune otherwise. This pitch varied from about A=380 Hz to as high as A=480 Hz, based on surviving examples.

What does a baroque violin bow look like?

When did the Baroque bow become the standard?

Finally, the modern bow designed by Tourte, in the late 1700s, early 1800’s became the standard. Both the musical and quantifiable (weight etc.) characteristics of the baroque bow varied over time, even within a specific period.

Should you buy a Chinese bow for Baroque music?

In an article by The Strad, bow maker David Hawthorne advises players to avoid inexpensive Chinese bows, pointing out that the average factory worker has no understanding of the musical character of a baroque bow and so won’t know how to create one. Fair enough, but most students will not have any other option.

What is the purpose of a modern violin bow?

The modern violin bow, as explained by Miriam Fried, gives an even tone to any piece played on a violin (taking into consideration that the violin itself underwent design changes as well).