The Tip
The TIP is literally the top of the bow.
The tip is also called the head of the bow or the point of the bow.
The lightest and most narrow part of the bow is its tip. The bow’s tip is quite fragile. Be certain to always treat your bow with care.
The weight and balance of the bow is greatly affected by the tip of the bow. Bow hair is attached to the tip with a wedge. The wedge holds the bow hair in place securely, which assures the tension of the hair and therefore the weight of the player’s bow motions.
As with all aspects of string instruments, the bow has undergone much experimentation and evolution.
Italian Baroque composer and esteemed violinist Guiseppe Tartini, wrote fifty bowing variations called “The Art of Bowing.” Considering the title, Tartini probably imagined the bow as a music paintbrush too!
Tartini’s composition “The Art of Bowing” is based on a theme written by another Italian composer, Arcangelo Corelli, and is written for solo violin.
This is how the tip of the bow used by these 17th century musicians looked.
The process of honing the perfect shape and weight of the bow’s tip continues to be explored by bow makers today. Whale bone, silver, tortoise shell, mother of pearl inlays, and gold, are added as fancy linings of the tip of the bow and serve to enhance the artistic appearance of the finest bows.
Introducing the Bow Parts of the Bow The Stick Horse-Hair The Tip The Frog The Winding How the Bow Works
Rosin Preparing to Hold the Bow Stick Training Exercises Bowing Terminology Down-Bow Up-Bow
Bow-Hand Set-Up Finger Tasks and Functions The Thumb Meet ARC Finger Segments The Index-Finger
Bow-Hand Pronation The Center-Finger and Ring-Finger Bow-Hand Fulcrum Ring-Finger Propulsion Bass Bows
Pinky Bow-Tasks ‘Casting’ the Bow-Hand Bow-Wrist Tasks Rotational Inertia Arco Clay Smile Exercise Meet ANGLE
The Bow-Arm Box The Shoulder Arc Bow Contact-Point String Lanes Bow-Segment Mastery Bowing Exercises
Finding the Bow Contact-Point “Painting With Sound” Bowing Exercises Menu Bow Taps Bowing Traditions
Perform Down-Bows Perform Up-Bows The Art of the Bow-Change Articulations Staccato Legato
Mastery Checkpoint One Building Bow Control Bow Speed and Bow-Arm Motion Bow Planning and Distribution
Slow Moving Bow Strokes Individual Bow Segments Traveling the Bow Bowing Dynamics Mastery Checkpoint Two
Advanced Techniques Slurs and Articulations Slur Training Locating the Bow’s Balance Point Ricochet and Spiccato
Exploring Ricochet Ricochet Control Spiccato Training Spiccato Control Spiccato Brush Strokes
Multiple String Crossings Virtuosic Bow Strokes Arpeggio Bowing “Flying” Staccato Mastery Checkpoint Three
SCROLL’s List of Bow Strokes
Rosin Preparing to Hold the Bow Stick Training Exercises Bowing Terminology Down-Bow Up-Bow
Bow-Hand Set-Up Finger Tasks and Functions The Thumb Meet ARC Finger Segments The Index-Finger
Bow-Hand Pronation The Center-Finger and Ring-Finger Bow-Hand Fulcrum Ring-Finger Propulsion Bass Bows
Pinky Bow-Tasks ‘Casting’ the Bow-Hand Bow-Wrist Tasks Rotational Inertia Arco Clay Smile Exercise Meet ANGLE
The Bow-Arm Box The Shoulder Arc Bow Contact-Point String Lanes Bow-Segment Mastery Bowing Exercises
Finding the Bow Contact-Point “Painting With Sound” Bowing Exercises Menu Bow Taps Bowing Traditions
Perform Down-Bows Perform Up-Bows The Art of the Bow-Change Articulations Staccato Legato
Mastery Checkpoint One Building Bow Control Bow Speed and Bow-Arm Motion Bow Planning and Distribution
Slow Moving Bow Strokes Individual Bow Segments Traveling the Bow Bowing Dynamics Mastery Checkpoint Two
Advanced Techniques Slurs and Articulations Slur Training Locating the Bow’s Balance Point Ricochet and Spiccato
Exploring Ricochet Ricochet Control Spiccato Training Spiccato Control Spiccato Brush Strokes
Multiple String Crossings Virtuosic Bow Strokes Arpeggio Bowing “Flying” Staccato Mastery Checkpoint Three
SCROLL’s List of Bow Strokes