There are several types of bow strokes, techniques, articulations... basically too many ways to play the violin. So, by request of a fabulous subscriber, I have created an easy guide to the four most basic and common bow strokes. These strokes can be performed by anyone just starting out on the violin, and you might find that you have already been using some of them without realizing it! They are as follows:
Legato - The smooth stroke. Connecting down bows to up bows.
Staccato - The separated stroke. Adding a bit of space between each note while keeping contact with the string.
Louré - The pulsed stroke. Gently pulsed notes while bow is moving in the same direction. Also called "portato".
Martelé - The hammered stroke. Use of the index finger to create a "bite" at the beginning of this bow stroke.
For a demonstration of how to play each of these bow strokes, watch the video featured in this post!
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