Violin Lesson #29; Bouncing Strokes (spiccato bowing)

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

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Violin
• Technique
• Paul
• Rolland
• Suzuki
• Galamian
• Todd
• Ehle

[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!

[samsokhua]

are Staccato and Spiccato the same thing?

[professorV]

Hi samsokhua, Spiccato is a bow term and it's performed as a bouncing stroke, or OFF the string. Staccato is a musical definition meaning 'short.' Staccato is performed ON the string. Hope that helps.

[117MrSmiley]

@professorV i know the basics of spiccato. but i need help on spiccatoing 16th notes. i always try but most of the time i end up on the string especially on my g string

[professorV]

Hi 117MrSmiley , Look for my videos on Sautille bowing. This is the technique for very fast spiccato-type bowing. Good luck!

[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.....

[RavenousSky]

This is mostly what I did on the first day I tried playing a violin... it is pretty fun to experiment with this.

[o3oAzureo3o]

@professorV

i thought fast spicatto is not necessarily sautille... Like, i have to do spicatto with semiquavers at the speed of 100... and my teacher definitely told me its spicatto, not sautille. (which is also why i can't do it, and have since been watching youtube videos that all either teach slow spicatto or sautille)

[terahoubicka]

Thank you very much for your videos, especially this one helped me a lot.

In my country all the teachers say you must learn Sevcik first, then you are allowed to continue. Nobody's willing to teach you anything if you haven't passed through Sevcik.

As I consider Sevcik too methodical and prosaic, I prefer other ways to learn.

Thank you! :)

Tereza, Prague

[maryam0psy]

@professorV so i can conclude that. staccato is as short as a spiccato but without the bouncing v movement?

[Violnplayr23]

tips or excersises for short pinkys? makes it more challenging to balance the bow...

[LadyLockets]

@professorV Thank you very much for the info. I enjoyed your video.

[platedlizard]

Thank you, that was very helpful. My teacher tried to explain spiccato to me, calling it more of a brushing motion, but I was having a hard time controlling the bouncing. Your video helped me get it under control, and I think I'll have it nailed by my next lesson. Thank you.