Articulation & Strokes
Ricochet A controlled rebound stroke in which the bow naturally bounces after prepared contact.
Common phrases: bow bounce · bouncy bow · bow bouncing
10 reviewed clips
Use when the player needs a clearer way to organize a technical practice task
Teaching summary Narrow the task to one variable, slow it enough to observe, and repeat only long enough to learn something. The goal is not more repetition; it is clearer feedback. Transcript context
If you just focus on the vertical component, that has to do with making sure that the bow bounces in rhythm and also in the right number of notes.
Use when the player needs a clearer way to organize a technical practice task
Teaching summary Narrow the task to one variable, slow it enough to observe, and repeat only long enough to learn something. The goal is not more repetition; it is clearer feedback. Transcript context
Then you have all these like really fast So what I'm doing is I'm doing a really really tight ricochet like And in order to do that I really have to tighten my my fingers Usually
Use when the player needs a clearer way to organize a technical practice task
Teaching summary Narrow the task to one variable, slow it enough to observe, and repeat only long enough to learn something. The goal is not more repetition; it is clearer feedback. Transcript context
Then this part just jumps up so it's basically combining the two it's the slide and then the
Use when the player has nervous bow bounce, rolled hair, or excess arm tension
Teaching summary Keep the hair flat and diagnose unstable bounce as a tension problem: gripping the bow and tightening the arm. Transcript context
it, but I'm basically, here, let me do it really slowly, a couple things that are very important here, one is you want to keep your bow hair flat, because the bow hair naturally wants to bounce, and if you've ever gotten nervous and you're playing a really...
Use when the player is dropping the bow without enough arm-weight transfer to produce a full stroke
Teaching summary Use relaxed arm weight rather than merely dropping the bow. The arm travels with the stroke so the contact produces sound. Transcript context
to do is I want you to do the reverse of that. I want you to do relaxed hand and relaxed arm. But, start above the string and let it fall. And when I say let it fall, don't let it fall like this. That's wimpy. You get... See, without anything else, if you're just letting your bow fall, there's no sound. What I want you to do is use your arm weight. So your arm falls with it. And also, make sure that that very first note before you have
Use when the player is getting an unclear rebound because the setup note is too long
Teaching summary Keep the note before the ricochet extremely short; that setup clears the way for a clean rebound. Transcript context
letting your bow fall, there's no sound. What I want you to do is use your arm weight. So your arm falls with it. And also, make sure that that very first note before you have the ricochet... This is the ricochet. Before you get to that ricochet, the note before that should be very, very, very, very short. Okay, you see that? And so, when you're going between strings, you want to change the elevation of your arm.
Use when the player is struggling to carry ricochet between G and D strings
Teaching summary Keep the ricochet concept constant across strings and change arm elevation to match the string level. Transcript context
that should be very, very, very, very short. Okay, you see that? And so, when you're going between strings, you want to change the elevation of your arm. So, if you're on the G string, your arm should be pretty high. If you're going to do it on the D string, for instance, it's the same concept, only I'm changing the height of my arm. Or, on the E string, or E string.
Use when the player is reinventing the stroke on each string instead of adjusting geometry
Teaching summary Do not invent a new stroke for each string. Change arm angle and balance while retaining the same motion. Transcript context
E string. And so, that way, I don't have to change the technique, only I have to change the angle of my arm. It does take a little bit more balance on the E string because you're not quite vertical. On the G string, it should be pretty easy, because you're pretty much vertical. And you should be able to do this for hours. I'm not suggesting that you do that, but it should be so easy.
Use when the player is over-controlling the stroke or cannot sustain it without fatigue
Teaching summary Use ease as the test. A sustainable ricochet should feel mechanically light rather than forced. Transcript context
On the G string, it should be pretty easy, because you're pretty much vertical. You should be able to do this for hours. I'm not suggesting that you do that, but it should be so easy.
Use when the player is tense in the bow hand or gripping before a ricochet stroke
Teaching summary Hover with a natural bow hand. The bow should be supported without gripping or locking the hand. Transcript context
here to figure out how fast 140 is, it's about this fast, let's talk about this technique where you drop your bow, it's a pretty cool little technique, and what I'm doing is I'm hovering over my strings using my bow, I have my hand totally relaxed here, so...