About Gill Expertise I can answer questions about the anatomy of the violin (aka. parts of the violin),violin technique and musicality as well as tips on performance preparation, repertiore selection, Royal Conservatory of Music exam requirements and formats, and other schools of learning such as the Suzuki method. I can suggest violin teachers in the GTA East and can recommend reputable shops for purchasing violins, parts, strings and books/repretoire.
Experience I have been a violinist for 18 years and have extensive experience in ensemble performance. I teach both private and group violin lessons, and have completed the Grade 10 Practical exam for violin with the Royal Conservatory. I studied violin (primarily under the education heading) at University as well.
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Arts from an Ontario University (Music Minor).
Grade 10 Practical (violin)--Royal Conservatory of Music
Question I purchased an additional bow to play on the violin but it does not work at all and was wondering why. It states in the paper that it is for a 4/4 which means what? did I order the wrong string thickness. I am new Player. It was expensive bow after putting the rosin on I still got nothing for days. it is shelved now. I attempted to break it in by using it as the new bow but no sound at all comes off it; just soft scraping. I used it for a week and still no change. May; have I ordered the wrong type of bow. is there thickness difference. My violin is basic student model not expensive.It is nylon mix not a horse hair bow that I ordered with colored handle.
Answer Hi MKelly,
I'm sorry to hear you are having such a rough time with your new bow. Hopefully I can help to clear some things up for you.
First, 4/4 tells you the size of the violin that the bow is for. Violins are made in different sizes that accomodate the person playing. For example, an 8 year old child learning to play the violin might start out with a 1/2 size violin. This means that the violin is literally one-half the size of a full size violin. As students grow out of the smaller violins they would move up to a larger model. If your bow is made for a 4/4 violin, that means that it is made for a full size violin. If you are not yet using a full size instrument I would suggest trading in your bow for a bow made for your size of instrument as a 4/4 would be too long and also perhaps too heavy. However, also keep in mind that even some full size such as handmade violins or old master-made violins vary slightly in exact measurements.
Now for the rest of your question.
I personally feel that fiberglass bows or synthetic hairs should not be used. The reason horse hair is used on violin bows is this: horse hairs are coarse hair with tiny barbs. Without rosin, these barbs will not catch the string, but once rosin is applied, the barbs should cause significant enough friction to catch the string and cause the string to sound. Synthetic hairs, regardless of the price, can only mimic this effect. These types synthetic of bows are really quite unreliable and haven't been carefully crafted to help the student acquire the proper feel and technique that is necessary later on in violin studies.
In my opinion, students really wanting to improve on the instrument should purchase quality materials, and that means wooden bows with horse-hair. Bows are crafted with specific balance and weight issues in mind and not every player will be comfortable with the same bow. When considering purchasing a new bow, players should always go to a reputable dealer and try out a few different bows. Price isn't always an indicator of which bow is the best fit. In my case, I tried out about 6 different bows last time I purchased a new one. After playing for about 10 mins on each bow I selected the one that felt best to me (based on its weight, appearance, balance and the way it played on my violin). The one I selected happened to be the cheapest one in the group (which was certainly a pleasant surprise for me).
Quality materials do not always have to cost a lot. Purchasing a violin or bow through a reputable and knowledgeable dealer can make all the difference in the world. Always make sure to try out a violin or bow before you buy. If you are in the Toronto area let me know and I can happily give you some suggestions.
