So I'm having a few problems with my spicatto...it sounds light and everything, and I like the light feel I'm getting out of playing many sections spicatto, but when I start long sections of spicatto, I feel like I'm losing control and have to bounce a little before I can return to regular bowing. Also, I feel my bow is starting to bounce too high/too much.

I was wondering if anyone had any pointers with controlling spicatto? Such as what section (middle etc.) of the bow you use, about how high you bouncec, and some general tips for control. Thanks

As a general rule, if you think you're bouncing too high, use a little more bow - this will slow you down slightly, meaning you don't have time to bounce too high. Try thinking about it as all downbows, with the upbow as a "reaction" to the downbow, which should again bring you a little closer to the string, and if you're focusing on the downbows, make it a little more controlled! Also, to control it better, try putting on accents every 4 or 8 notes. Good luck!

Relax your right thumb. I think it may tend to tense up sometimes so make sure you relax it.

The word "bounce" always worries me slightly.Riccochet could be called a bounce stroke, but unless you're playing very fast, it's probably not the right description of spicatto. I find it much better to think of spicatto as a semi-circular stroke, with the bottom of the semi-circle being where the bow just touches the string. Practice with a metronome very slowly to learn to control it, and it's fun (well, as fun as it gets) to get someone to change the speed but so that you can't see and you keep in time. Slowing it down is a real test of technique, to make sure you really can keep it in control. You need a good bit of finger looseness, I find, for that to work. If you can make a habit of taking 10 minutes every day to practice it on open strings, I really think it will help. I only learnt to do spicatto...well, under a year ago. After 6 months of 10 minutes per day of open string practice, I now have absolutely no problems with it.

Good luck

Remeber to find the rigth place on your bow, it varies slightly for every instrument but as a general rule the balnce point on your bow (the point where the bow balances if you hold it on the wood, usually about 2/3rds of the way down) is a pretty safe bet.

Absolutely. Yes, it's all about allowing the bow arm (and hand) to relax. Tension will cause movement from the shoulder and the bow will lose control because it is being 'forced' not only back and forth, but up and down too, resulting in a high and irregular bounce. Don't force it. If you stay relaxed and move the bow from the elbow, with flexure in the wrist, all you will need to do is push and pull the bow - the actual bow bounce will happen naturally, on its own.

ED. With any bowing, the fingers (and thumb!) of the bow hand need to be soft and ready to 'give', just like a small set of springs. Tensely held fingers and a straight thumb result in the production of a hard tone and one that has little expression or flexibility to the sound. Softening the hand results in a warmth of tone that students immediately notice, but many still underestimate how much of a key fundamental to playing a good bow hold and arm is.

Bohemian's absolutely right. I remember my teacher telling me to imagine I'm tracing the underside of a shallow bowl. That seemed to work well.

Violinia