how do u bow a guitar?

[The Sky Tunnel Entrance On The Hilltop]

Hey everyone. I was just wondering what u have to do to bow a guitar. My gf just bought a violin bow for her fender and we can't even get it to make a sound. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

[corno]

Have you applied any rosin to the hairs of the bow?
I don't think that bowing a guitar varies much from bowing a "normal" orchestra stringed instrument.

Maybe this link can help you in your endeavours: http://www.folkofthewood.com/page2661.htm

[Jules]

Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel doesn't use the bow: he opts for the violin instead and uses it as a bow!

[jammy1]

have u change hairs of bow.
I don't feel that bow a guitar changes from bowing a "ordinary" instrument
check out this link:
Play Guitar

[methodistgirl]

It takes rosin to make a bow work on any stringed instrument. Get some!
judy tooley

[Contratrombone64]

It's not normal to bow a guitar in my experience (as a string player) and rosin is the key, for sure. However, if you do manage to bow a guitar you'll be playing all strings simultaneously, as the fingerboard is flat (unlike the violin, viola, 'cello or bass ... which are, by design, arched).

Also - guitar strings TEND to be metal (at least the lower ones), no amount of rosin with help a violin bow make it make a decent sound, gut strings ... that's a different proposition.

[MorningStar]

Buy an eBow

[Krummhorn]

Buy an eBow

When first viewing the above, I thought this might be a joke ... however, being the curious person I am and with the internet at my fingertips, I found that there actually such an item as an EBow. That page gives a really great description - perhaps this is what "Sky Tunnel" was asking about back in 2005 ... .

[Contratrombone64]

you live and learn

[heartscore]

It's not normal to bow a guitar in my experience (as a string player) and rosin is the key, for sure. However, if you do manage to bow a guitar you'll be playing all strings simultaneously, as the fingerboard is flat (unlike the violin, viola, 'cello or bass ... which are, by design, arched).

Also - guitar strings TEND to be metal (at least the lower ones), no amount of rosin with help a violin bow make it make a decent sound, gut strings ... that's a different proposition.

A few more thoughts about that: Its of course possible to bow a guitar with a violin-bow or cello-bow and you can prevent to bow all strings together by bowing only the high and low E. A good presentation whats possible on an electric guitar is given by Jimmy Page in "Dazed and Confused". You can also use a kind of spiccato on all strings together to get a staccato-chord sound. A good alternative to the Ebow could be the Fernandes Sustainer Kit, which is a normal Pickup with the same function, so you don't have to hold it while playing. But you can never reach the "dramatic" show-quality of using a real bow. Look at Jimmy Page and you know what I mean, but I think its more a show-effect that musically necessary.

Best regards from Germany

[MorningStar]

I would like to point out that the Les Paul that Page uses for 'Dazed & Confused' has been setup with a tremendous arc of the strings to help facilitate the use of the bow.

[intet_at_tabe]

Krummhorn

Thank you dear sir for your always polite services. I did not know what an Ebow was, but now through your courtesy with the link I do.

Respectfully!!

[Deeru Piotr]

Ebow was very popular in the seventies, I remember Soon solo by Steve Howe (Yes) as a great example of its use

[MorningStar]

I use the eBow with a fretless guitar.

[Soubasse]

And they work on acoustic (steel string) guitars as well. I was initially quite surprised first time I accidentally discovered that, but it makes sense when you consider that the strings on a steel string guitar are ... well, steel!

Now, there I was thinking that Steve Howe's solo on "Soon" was a combination of the lap steel (which have very good sustain) and a volume pedal ...