All About Bows!
- Lucie
- Jul 9, 2021
- 2 min read
Hi Everyone!
In today's post we'll be listing some fun facts about the violin bow and answering some common questions. Read on to find out what bows are really made of, where the term, "frog of the bow" originated, and more!
Have bows always been the same shape?
When bows were first invented during the Baroque Era in the 1700s, they were shaped differently than the bows of today. The tips were often pointed, compared to the now rectangular tips, and the bow stick was often curved away from the hair, instead of being straight.
2. Why is it called the "frog" of the bow?
While the origins are still unknown, there are two popular theories for the origin of the term. The machine to the right was used to make the frog of the bow is called the frock, and one theory is that "frock" transformed into "frog" in modern day language. The frog of the bow used to be called the heel of the bow. A horse's heel is called a frog. When the bow makers would visit the horse owners for horsehair, they could've adopted terminology.
3. So what is bow hair actually made from?
The majority of bows are made from horsehair, but there are other options. While most professional violinists usually prefer horsehair, some prefer to use synthetic hair. White horsehair is used most of the time, especially in violin and viola bows. Occasionally, a mix of black hair will be used in cello or bass bows, called "salt and pepper" bows.
4. How much hair?!
Each violin bow usually contains 150-200 strands of hair or nylon. Viola, cello, and bass bows require more hair, with bass bows using up to 300. Hairs will typically fall off over time as the bow is used longer.
5. What's the shiny stuff?
You may have noticed that there is some shiny or iridescent material on the frog of your bow. Oftentimes, this material is used as an accent against the black ebony of the frog. The shiny material is typically made of mother of pearl or abalone shell. The circle on the center of the frog is called a "Parisian Eye".
Now that you've learned about bows, stay tuned for my next post on the buddies!
Photo credits:
2/3 - https://holdingfordelementarymusic.weebly.com/question-board/why-is-that-part-of-a-bow-called-a-frog
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