Playing a Stringed Instrument

Playing a Stringed Instrument

To play a stringed Instrument well is dependent on one very important factor - the quality of sound. Actually this probably applies to every instrument. But the process of achieving this quality is different for stringed instruments because of the nature of the bow and the way it interacts with the string.

Let me explain. If you pluck the open string of the violin, viola, 'cello or double bass the string will vibrate completely freely without any restrictions and depending on the quality of the instrument will die away evenly. This is easiest to witness on a double bass because the strings are of greater length and in consequence the vibration will last much longer. On an inferior instrument or one that has not been set up properly, or where the string is worn or of an inferior quality, the string will oscillate unevenly and 'die' much more quickly. Having plucked the string, the vibrations are transferred to and across the 'belly' of the instrument through the feet of the bridge: the one foot of the bridge dispersing the vibrations up and down the instrument via the bass board, the other foot via the sound post to the back of the instrument visible through the 'f' holes. With a top quality instrument like a Stradivarius the sound is better not only because of its construction but also because of the quality of the wood and the grain of the front: the more even the grain the easier the vibrations can spread out across wood and be transmitted to the other parts of the body and the greater the 'freedom' the air has to vibrate within it.

It is this freedom of vibration which has to be achieved and this is where the problem lies with the bow. The bow has to vibrate the string continuously without dampening the vibration thereby strangling the sound. The bow achieves this by constantly plucking and then releasing the string. The hair on the bow has tiny scales into which resin has been rubbed. This enables it to grip and release the string whilst still allowing it to vibrate freely beneath it. Pressing too hard and the vibration is restricted, not pressing hard enough and the string is not gripped or pulled sufficiently to vibrate properly.

Well you would think, this sounds straightforward enough. But with a violin or viola, and to a lesser extent with the 'cello and bass, the weight of the arm is too heavy in its relaxed state to allow the string to vibrate and so the bow has to be floated across the string at just the right pressure. This is complicated further by the fact that as the arm moves, the weight of the bow on the string will vary from the heel to the tip - as the bow moves towards the tip it will assume its own natural weight as it becomes increasingly supported by  the string. On the viola and violin this shift in weight is compensated for by a subtle change in the pressure exerted by the little finger. With the double bass and to some extent the 'cello, which have thicker and heavier strings and for which gravity plays a lesser role, the forefinger will add more pressure as the bow travels towards the tip. There are also two other factors that come into play: the speed at which you draw the bow and the added weight or pressure exerted to produce the volume you require. Both of these have to be adjusted as the bow travels - in general a faster bow will produce a louder sound and a slower movement a quieter one - it is a mistake sometimes to think  that just adding more pressure will increase the volume: this will often only serve to stifle the true sound if the speed of the bow has not also been taken into account.

How is this rather complicated sounding process to be achieved? The answer is relatively simple but that does not make it any the easier. It is achieved through listening! The student has to hear the sound in order to make the very fine adjustments necessary. And it is a very fine line indeed between a string vibrating freely (as when it is plucked) and one that is stifled, albeit partially. This cannot be taught - the student has to experience it, but the teacher can put the pupil in the right place to discover it. For instance, playing an open string at a speed of about 6 seconds per bow will give the pupil a chance to listen to the variations in tone that are produced. The true sound will usually first manifest itself towards the tip, where there is least interference from the weight of the arm and the bow rests naturally on the string. It is the job of the teacher who hears it to draw attention to when (almost as if by accident) this happens and thereby focus the pupil on what it is they are listening for. Once the pupil recognises it, then he or she will understand how to achieve the very subtle changes in weight and speed necessary to sustain this free, fuller sound. This is when you start to vibrate the whole instrument, not just the string!

Once achieved, it is always easy to tell when a pupil stops listening: the quality of the sound goes. Because the weight of the bow is constantly varying as it moves, the listening has to be constantly in place to make the necessary adjustments to keep the sound. Playing and listening in this way is not something which you can learn to do and then switch off from like changing gear in a car - it is never mechanical, it always requires  full attention.

One of the big problems here is that if there is any 'thinking' going on in the pupil's mind they will not hear the sound (and of course the same applies to the teacher!) All they will be listening to is their thoughts. In this sense a certain state of meditation, or quietness of mind is required and it can take some time for the mind to settle sufficiently to really listen in this way. Playing the open strings at the start of practice or a lesson is an invaluable way to quieten the mind, improve the listening and thereby enhance the tone. Many professionals warm up before a concert by simply playing long sustained notes for this very reason. Patience is required to recognise this pure free sound, but it is magical when it happens. When it is achieved it is difficult to tell whether it is you vibrating the instrument or the whether it's the instrument vibrating you - the sound itself dictates the speed and weight of the bow. There is then a oneness between the performer and the instrument.

Musicians are often credited with some special abilities and are given a status beyond what ordinary people think they can achieve. I put this down to the fact that when they are performing they have to be in the present - you cannot listen in the past or future (except in thought which is always in the past or the future) and this is what audiences so enjoy - they are drawn into the present, away from their everyday thoughts and worries and find themselves simply listening and allowing the music to speak to them directly. I often say to a pupil "if you don't listen to yourself, how can you expect anyone to listen to you?" 

Post script: If a pupil is playing out of tune the problem is likely to be that the quality of the sound is not refined enough for them to hear the difference. Great performers always have a great sound and great intonation. You cannot have one without the other. To improve the sound pupils have to learn to listen with their full attention. If they listen and produce a pure sound they will then hear if it is out of tune! There is no point in just telling pupils "you're playing flat"! They have to hear it for themselves and make the necessary adjustment. The same is true of pulse - a metronome cannot teach pulse - the pupil has to experience it as a shift over their centre of gravity and then internalize it.

Please rate and comment on this article below.