The Violin bow: Its construction and development
Created | Updated Jul 12, 2006
The earliest violin bows consisted of a convex stick to which a skein of horse hair was tied and tensioned. Such bows, with their outward curving sticks, remained in use during the Renaissance period and beyond. The dimensions of the bow have changed considerably during its development. It was during the latter part of the eighteenth century that the modern violin bow was developed and brought close to its persent form by Francois Tourte (1747-1835) and since this time the overall length has settled at around 74 cm. The design of the modern bow has the stick with a concave curve and pressing the bow hairs against a violin string causes the stick to bend so that its ends twist outwards. The result is that the tension on the bow hairs increases, causing them to be deflected only slightly by the extra force. The stick has a round or octagonal cross section, and tapers from the heel (the held end) to the tip.
In the best modern bows, the stick is made of Pernambuco wood because of its strength and resilience. However, bows are also made from other, less rare types of wood and some makers are experimenting with man-made materials such as carbon fibres. The working part of the bow is made from horse hair, with around 180 strands used in a violin bow. A device called a frog which is positioned at the held end of the bow enables the tension of the bow hairs to be adjusted. The bow is tightened using what is called the adjuster near the frog end of the bow when playing and loosened when not in use to prolong the life of the bow.
For the bow to work, both it and the strings must have a light coating or rosin. Rosin is a sticky resin derived from pine trees. It is supplied in small blocks which are rubbed on the bow (which then transfers some to the strings). It is the rosin which provides the appropriate frictional forces needed for the violin strings to be excited into vibration when bowed. Residue rosin that ends up on the violin and strings, from the bow, must be wiped down with a soft cloth after playing so as not to corrode the wood and strings of the violin.
In the best modern bows, the stick is made of Pernambuco wood because of its strength and resilience. However, bows are also made from other, less rare types of wood and some makers are experimenting with man-made materials such as carbon fibres. The working part of the bow is made from horse hair, with around 180 strands used in a violin bow. A device called a frog which is positioned at the held end of the bow enables the tension of the bow hairs to be adjusted. The bow is tightened using what is called the adjuster near the frog end of the bow when playing and loosened when not in use to prolong the life of the bow.
For the bow to work, both it and the strings must have a light coating or rosin. Rosin is a sticky resin derived from pine trees. It is supplied in small blocks which are rubbed on the bow (which then transfers some to the strings). It is the rosin which provides the appropriate frictional forces needed for the violin strings to be excited into vibration when bowed. Residue rosin that ends up on the violin and strings, from the bow, must be wiped down with a soft cloth after playing so as not to corrode the wood and strings of the violin.
