Violin Lesson #29; Bouncing Strokes (spiccato bowing)

**Visit www.toddehle.com** - A lesson on how to start spiccato bowing.

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[09zigster]

Thank you Mr. Ehle. Your videos have helped me improve my playing abilities tremdously. I am greatful!

[professorV]

Thank you, 09zigster!

[LadyLockets]

Hi there, my teacher said I'm not allowed to move my arm AT ALL while bouncing my bow. She said the only pressure I'm allowed to use with the bounce is from my fingers only squeezing back and forth while bouncing. It's driving me crazy because I feel like I've got no control over it. What do you think of this opinion? She said to practice it with my bow arm wedged up against the wall so it doesn't move..

[professorV]

Hi LadyLockets, I change the technique as speed increases. A fast spiccato is called sautille, and you can find that in my sautille videos. I feel that flexible fingers are really helpful for that technique (see my video on Colle'), but even then, there is some hand movement. See this video: Itzhak Perlman Sarasate Zigeunerwiesen and watch at 7:50. For a slower spiccato, see this video: Nathan Milstein plays Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata (1st mov) and watch at 1:30. Cont.

[professorV]

Perlman and Milstein use different bow hands. Milstein uses the Russian hold, which reduces micro-movements of the fingers, but I am pointing you to this video so you see his arm movement in a medium spiccato. Anyway, keep in mind that there are many ways to play the violin. Good luck with your studies!

[nellievic]

I have become very frustrated trying to perfect spiccato into my playing, so thank you for taking me back to the basics once again. May I request that you make a part 2 on this, and explain how to include spiccato into playing (crossing strings, playing it fast, and mixing with other bow strokes etc). Eg. 2nd page of Praeludium and Allegro.

You'll probably get fed up with me saying this, but 'thank you' seems rather tame for the amount of gratitude I owe you.

[argaxyor111]

thanks for that. But I have a problem with this technique that seems to happen to many many students; One of the strokes (particulary down bow) seems to last longer than the second one. Which might seem like nothing but is a syncopation.....

[William Boyd]

Excellent video. Thank you very much.

[Michael Andrews]

Many thanks. Very helpful for us orchestrators to *see* up close the different bowing strokes, as well as hear what they sound like. Many thanks, Michael.

[BluegillGreg]

Thanks!

[5partanzm1lk]

@big bear It really just depends on what the player wants to do. Spiccato can give the piece a nice, lighthearted effect when you want to bring out the staccato.

[big bear]

Hi, im currently learning from the suzuki book 1 and my teacher tells me to do staccato with the bouncing of the bow, im not sure if it's right or not? I dont want to challenge his teaching but can you help???

[gallenwolf]

Thanks for the video, I'm learning how to write for strings and it is very useful to actually visualize what spiccato means! Thank you!

[Justin Tang]

Hey, can you make a video on natural spiccato (make the bow bounce through shaking of the bow)

[ThePrincessDandy]

UGH SAMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE