The custom-made Bow theory

I held to the custom-made Bow theory myself for many years; it was, indeed, the basis of my doctoral dissertation, in which I maintained that Bottesini single-handedly built the modern double bass tradition from the ground up, designing his bow and instrument, inventing his technique, even formulating his own rosin from tree sap he collected himself.

While he undoubtably invented a New Virtuoso Technique for the instrument (ably set forth in his Metodo Completo per Contrabasso), I'm afraid that's the extent of Bottesini's inventions.

Back to "The First French Bow"


"We all must learn where to place our fingers."
© 1997, Jeff Brooks (mtic@aol.com)