In this lesson, we look at bow distribution, how to decide how much bow to use for each note in a piece. When you begin reading music, you’ll notice that not all notes are the same length. Some are minims (half notes), others are crotchets (quarter notes), and some are quavers (eighth notes). The challenge is to match your bow use to each note’s length, while keeping your sound even and musical.
What Bow Distribution Means
Bow distribution simply means dividing the bow according to the rhythm of the piece. We often assume we must always start every down bow at the heel and every up bow at the tip, but that isn’t always practical or necessary. Instead, we choose how much of the bow to use for each note, depending on its length and the character of the music.
A Practical Example
Let’s look at my piece Chinese Garden (sheet music here) from It’s a Cello Thing, Book 1. It begins with a minim followed by two crotchets.
If you use a full bow for the minim, it makes sense to use half a bow for each crotchet. So, for the first bar, your bow might move:
In the next bar, the rhythm changes again: a crotchet, two quavers, then two more crotchets. Because quavers are half the length of crotchets, they might each take only a quarter of the bow, while the crotchets still take half.
Adjusting Speed and Sound
Sometimes you don’t need the full bow for a long note. You can use half the bow at half the speed. The key is balancing bow speed and bow length so the sound stays even. Dynamic markings also guide your bow use. For example, mezzo piano (moderately soft) means you probably don’t need as much bow or speed as you would for a forte passage. Later, if the music grows towards mezzo forte, you can use a little more bow to build intensity.
A Simple Piece to Practise
Try Frère Jacques. It has mostly even rhythms, which makes it perfect for experimenting with bow division. You might decide to use:
Play through the piece and notice how different bow choices change the sound and flow.
Final Thoughts
Bow distribution is one of the most musical aspects of cello playing. It helps you shape phrases naturally and keeps your sound consistent across changing rhythms. Experiment, listen carefully, and let the character of the music guide your decisions.
What Bow Distribution Means
Bow distribution simply means dividing the bow according to the rhythm of the piece. We often assume we must always start every down bow at the heel and every up bow at the tip, but that isn’t always practical or necessary. Instead, we choose how much of the bow to use for each note, depending on its length and the character of the music.
A Practical Example
Let’s look at my piece Chinese Garden (sheet music here) from It’s a Cello Thing, Book 1. It begins with a minim followed by two crotchets.
If you use a full bow for the minim, it makes sense to use half a bow for each crotchet. So, for the first bar, your bow might move:
- Minim – full bow
- Crotchet – half bow
- Crotchet – half bow
In the next bar, the rhythm changes again: a crotchet, two quavers, then two more crotchets. Because quavers are half the length of crotchets, they might each take only a quarter of the bow, while the crotchets still take half.
Adjusting Speed and Sound
Sometimes you don’t need the full bow for a long note. You can use half the bow at half the speed. The key is balancing bow speed and bow length so the sound stays even. Dynamic markings also guide your bow use. For example, mezzo piano (moderately soft) means you probably don’t need as much bow or speed as you would for a forte passage. Later, if the music grows towards mezzo forte, you can use a little more bow to build intensity.
A Simple Piece to Practise
Try Frère Jacques. It has mostly even rhythms, which makes it perfect for experimenting with bow division. You might decide to use:
- Half a bow per crotchet
- A full bow for minims
- A quarter bow for quavers
Play through the piece and notice how different bow choices change the sound and flow.
Final Thoughts
Bow distribution is one of the most musical aspects of cello playing. It helps you shape phrases naturally and keeps your sound consistent across changing rhythms. Experiment, listen carefully, and let the character of the music guide your decisions.