|
 
|
|
-
Article written for
www.DulcimerSessions.com about
the Bowed Dulcimer by Ken Bloom
-
How is a bowed
dulcimer constructed?
-
Which bow is right
for me?
-
How do you get a new
bow ready to use?
-
How
do I hold the bow?
-
How does a bowed dulcimer
sound?
-
How do you change
strings (on the bass bowed dulcimer, but applies to
all) ?
-
My friends says my
instrument needs to "break in". What does that mean?
-
Explanation of Bowing
-
What should I do if the hair
on my bow breaks?
My first
efforts at building a bowed dulcimer simply involved
taking a standard design, adding a sound post and a
curved bridge and hoping that would be good enough. At
once I had an instrument where it was now possible to
bow all the strings either individually or in groups of
two, but the tone was very strident. I kind of liked it
but it sent most people running from the room. I set
about trying to get a sweeter tone. First, I made the
instrument deeper. It was better but still not it. Next
I took an idea of many stringed instruments and made the
instrument deeper at the tailpiece, tapering to a
smaller measurement at the peghead. This brought about a
dramatic improvement of tone. People were actually
beginning to like the sound.
Then I
began to investigate the viola da gamba. This
predecessor to the violin family was the key to coming
up with a much better instrument. I made the soundchest
deeper still, retaining the tapering. I added a
soundpost plate on the back and began to be much more
careful about the soundpost and the bass bar. The final
ingredient was in carving the tops and doing careful
graduation of the soundboard. The first one I did like
this sounded wonderful and this is the instrument I used
to make the recording. Since then I have been able to
reproduce these results and even improve on them.
Current
instruments have carved backs as well as tops. Both
plates are carefully graduated and tuned, in keeping
with standard violin making practices. I use curly maple
for the back and sides, Sitka spruce for the
soundboards, Honduras mahogany for the fingerboard
staffs and either ebony or rosewood for the
fingerboards. Recent experiments have indicated that
using maple for the staff gives a stronger and cleaner
high octave.
The
bridges are made for the instrument using hard maple.
The design is one that I have adapted from a Baroque
bridge.
Most of my
instruments use carefully fitted violin pegs and fine
tuners on the tailpiece. This arrangement is lightweight
and easy to use. Some people have requested sealed
machines instead, and I can do this for an extra charge.
Both the top and back have violin style purfling.
For those
wanting a fancier instrument, inlay, geometric purfling,
and fancy carved pegheads are available. Please don't
hesitate to ask. My bowed dulcimers are basically
dulcimers on the outside and gambas on the inside. They
are a wonderful alternative for those who want that
fiddle sound but find a fretless fingerboard Terror
Object #142.
To do the initial rosining
of a new or newly re-haired bow, here's what you do. Get
a chunk of rosin. Put it in a piece of tightly woven
cloth and hit with hammer. Turn the chunk of rosin into
powder. Now, remove the screw at the end of the bow.
With the hair absolutely loose and the frog away from
the stick, drag the hair through the powdered rosin.
You want to "soak" the hair through and through with the
powdered rosin. Now , replace the frog and the screw.
Tighten up the hair to a normal tension and rub the hair
with the rosin of choice.
I recommend the new Tartini rosin if you can find it.
It grabs better and gives you a bit less bow noise. Be
sure to wipe the excess rosin off of your instrument
when you finish playing. A clean instrument is a happy
instrument!
Although this seems like
an easy question or one you might not even think you
need to ask, it is an important decision. Ken has
found this very concise article at the following URL:
http://members.aol.com/bowedstrings/violin-bow-review.html
Please remember that Ken is always available for any
specific questions. This is one of those decisions
that you need to think about balancing what experience
level you are at, where you want to go, value vs.
quality, etc.
How do I
hold the bow?
(Click on the thumbnail for a larger view; double-click
on the right arrow for more photos)
This first three pictures show the underhand hold. The underhand hold is popular world-wide and is used for such exotic fiddles as the erhu, the kemanche, and the sarangi. It was and is also the hold used for the viola da gamba. I think the pictures are reasonably self-explanatory. Hold the bow so that your right hand can be positioned correctly.
Curl the middle and ring finger to place them on the bow hair inside the bow. Place your index finger on the leather wrapping above the stick. This then puts your thumb in the recess on the frog ahead of the solid part of the frog and positions your middle and ring fingers a bit further down the stick pressing against the hair. This gives the index finger more purchase so that you can use it to apply more pressure when needed. It also gets your hand closer to the balance point on the bow for an easier, more controlled bow hold.
By positioning your hand a bit further down the stick, the hold is more relaxed and thus the tone improves.
The next two picture show the standard cello bowhold that is used today. If you have someone handy who can help you with this way of holding the bow then by all means, use it. Again being relaxed and always pulling the bow, never pushing it, are tow very important aspects of bowing. If you can't relax using the overhand hold, then use the underhand one.I have found that the underhand hold is by far the easiest for the complete bowing novice to use.
This first three pictures show the underhand hold. The underhand hold is popular world-wide and is used for such exotic fiddles as the erhu, the kemanche, and the sarangi. It was and is also the hold used for the viola da gamba.
I know we've talked endlessly about
using the bow and keeping the wrist loose etc. but I had
another little epiphany I thought I'd pass along. I was
giving a lesson and trying to get her to use more wrist
and less arm. This is especially for all of you out
there using the underhand gamba hold.
If you begin with a down bow (moving the bow from
the frog to the tip) first move the bow as much as you
can using ONLY the wrist. As you run out of wrist, then
let the wrist drag the bow and your arm across the
string. When you get to the tip and want to start back,
again, move the wrist in the other direction without
moving the arm. Then allow the wrist to drag the arm
back. Arm FOLLOWS wrist.
The arm is there merely to allow you to use the full
length of the bow. Do ALL of your direction changes with
the wrist. Once you get the trick of this, stiffness in
the arm will be a thing of the past. We will of course
talk about this in much greater detail at Cullowhee but
give this a try.
Along with this, be sure that when you holding the
bow using the underhand hold, that your thumb is
straight and relaxed, and only the first parts of the
thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers are touching the
bow. Relaxation is the key and a fluid wrist will give
you much better tone and control. Give it a try and tell
me what you think
I would describe the sound of the
bowed dulcimer as similar to that of the cello or the
viola but with it's own unique reediness. Go to Products
page and scroll down for Sound/Video Files of various BD
models.
The
strings to use for the bass bowed dulcimer are the cello
D, G, and C strings. The normal way they go on is to
have the D (the thinnest one) on the far left as you
look at the instrument. It is tuned to the D below
middle C. The cello G string is tuned to the A below
that and the cello C string is tuned to the D an octave
lower than the high string.
You will have to make loops on all three strings.
Simply fold the ball end part of the string back on
itself and wrap it firmly with thread. That will
shorten the wrapped part enough so that it doesn't cross
the bridge.
 Do
remember that as you tune up the strings they will tend
to drag the top of the bridge toward the fingerboard,
resulting in the delightful rifle shot sound you so much
enjoyed before. Keep a close eye on it as you tune it
up. The back of the bridge should lean slightly towards
the tailpiece. To correct it, place the instrument on
your lap with the endpin resting in your belly. Place
both thumbs on the back of the bridge and both middle
fingers on the front of the bridge. Now place your index
fingers in between the strings and firmly but gently
pivot the top of the bridge back towards the tailpiece.
Push with your thumbs and pull with your index fingers.
Once you have it eased back, continue with the tuning.
It is a good idea to keep an eye on the angle of the
bridge to the top just to make sure that it doesn't tip
over. If you have any questions about any of this, feel
free to email Ken!
My
friends say my instrument needs to "break in".
What does that mean?
All of the
bowed dulcimer instruments have a “settling in” period
After having string on it for a bit, the bridge seats on
the top and all of the various parts are going through
what I call the introduction phase. "Hi, I'm side. Nice
to dance with you Ms. Back" After several days, things
improve immeasurably.
The part I really love is when I see an instrument months
later at a workshop and it has been played in by its
adoptive parent. I have been very pleasantly surprised
when an instrument that I thought was just 'OK" has been
played in and all three octaves are speaking nicely and
the projection has improved.
Wood is much like a bundle of tubes. Once the major
moisture leaves the tubes there is still gunk left
behind and the cell walls are still a bit on the mushy
side. Over time, the gunk and the mush hardens. The
finish continues to cure and the parts of the instrument
get used to vibrating together. All of this means that
the sound of the instrument will improve.
Many instruments will need some readjustment after
about a year. They settle. Sometimes new parts shrink a
bit. They will need some tending to. Usually the
adjustments are minor and can be done quickly and almost
always for free. I consider it part of what is called
these days "after-market service".
Part of getting the most out of any instrument also has
to do with a player learning that particular instrument.
Playing the weak notes a bit harder, holding back on the
ones that roar, favoring one string one way or another.
Most of this happens without the player even thinking
about it. After awhile, it just becomes your voice.
|
|
Explanation of Bowing
The most elusive aspect of playing, is to pull, not
push, the bow. It is also the most important. When doing a
down-bow, meaning going from the frog to the tip, leading with the wrist
and pulling is easy. When doing an up bow, from the tip to the frog, you
change direction with your wrist first so that you are, in effect,
dragging the bow back in the other direction. Carefully watch a
classically trained string person use their bow and you will see this
very graceful lilt with the wrist. This is what you are after.
Now, that being said, if you gripping the bow too tightly you won't be
able to do this. Many people use what amounts to a death grip on the
bow. You shouldn't use any more pressure to hold the bow than you would
use to squeeze your baby's arm. A gentle bow hold also means that you
can feel the bow vibrating as a tone is produced. The fingers also come
into play but the movement is very subtle.
The only job your arm consciously has is to keep your wrist from falling
on the floor. Good bowing is all in the wrist and staying loose and
relaxed. If you feel any cramping, you are gripping too hard. Check to
make sure you are not tightening up in your upper arm. This is where
tension usually starts. This is all much easier to demonstrate than it
is to explain.
To sum up, relaxed bow hold, loose wrist, flowing steady movements.
Bowing is a ballet of the hand. That's one of the reasons I love this
stuff so much. Hope this helps.
What Should I Do
if the Hair on My Bow Breaks
A well
haired bow should last a good while. Many people go for years without
getting their bow rehaired. If you are using too much pressure and
don't have enough tension on the bow the hair will break. It ain't
the strings. Try to let the bow do the work. Pull it, don't push it. A
VERY IMPORTANT point. When you break a bow hair DO NOT JUST RIP IT OFF.
Cut the offending hair off. If you just pull it out you risk having the
entire hank let go. The hairs secured inside the tiny mortise in the bow
with a little block. The hank itself was just tied very tightly. If you
pull out some hairs from the bundle, the wrapping that holds the bundle
together loses tension and the entire hank of hair can become a nice
furry cloud. This has happened to me. It's not pretty. Very inexpensive
bows are very rubbery and require more tension. One of the reasons that
good bows are so expensive is the rarity of good dense stiff wood to
make them out of. If you are serious about bowing, get a carbon fiber
bow. More bow for the money. If you'd like some recommendations, just
let me know.
|
|
