Abstract

Bowing gesture analysis for whom, why, and how?
Knut Guettler

To our knowledge the book “Motion Study and Violin Bowing” by Percival Hodgson, published by Lavender in London 1934 (and reprinted by American String Teachers Association in 1958), was the first attempt to describe the acoustical consequences of bowing gestures. At least, if reserving the term “bowing gesture” for dynamic bow movements. The study was aimed at string players, and was based on an ingenious method for recording the bow’s motion during performance. Later the utilization of many novel techniques, including robotics, numerical simulation, and digitalized optical motion capture has greatly contributed to increased understanding of how the bow-string contact actually works, even on a rather detailed level. This presentation walks through a number of different projects and methods, and discusses the results and their usage as seen by the performer, the string teacher, and the acoustic researcher.