String Instruments—Bowed
Jim Woodhouse · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2022
Abstract This chapter provides an introduction to the scientific study of bowed-string instruments, concentrating on aspects that are of direct relevance to performers. Points of similarity and contrast with plucked-string instruments are discussed. A key similarity is in the question of what governs the loudness of any acoustical string instrument. The key contrast is in the manner in which a bowed string vibrates: this is governed by more complicated physics than the vibration of a plucked string, and this has important implications for “playability” and other aspects of performance such as the wolf note. Because of the nature of the subject matter, the organization of the chapter does not separate the background science from the implications for performance: as each successive topic is discussed, implications for performers and teachers are discussed in an integrated way.