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Bow Grip / Bow Speed, Pressure, and Sounding Point / Detaché / Legato / Bow Changes / Collé / Martelé / Staccato / Spiccato / Sautillé / Ricochet / Chords

Collé

Col-lé is French for 'glued.'

It's the essential exercise for ultimate bow control.

Your bow hand never felt more in charge!

Definition

Definition
The collé allows you to calibrate the 'click' that starts the martelé stroke.

Your bow technique will gain a high degree of sophistication for clean and crisp articulation.

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Exercises

Beginner
This exercise establishes the finger stroke, the basic motion for the collé technique. Click on 'Read More' for detailed instructions.

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Intermediate 1
To use the finger stroke for collé:

Press the bow into the string, then lift your arm when you execute the finger stroke.

Fingers perform the horizontal stroke, arm performs the vertical lift.

Fingers stay curled after the up bow and stretched after the down bow.

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Intermediate 2
Approach the string slowly from the air.

When your bow touches the string, press bow down slightly.

Perform the finger stroke.

Upper arm is responsible for string crossings.

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Advanced
At the tip, relax your right hand and right thumb.

Lower the entire bow arm until the bow touches the string.

Maintain the same bow grip at the tip and frog.

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Master Classes

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, 3rd m.
Use a collé attack for:
  • the beginning of each 1/8th note
  • the start of each legato slur
  • the beginning of each sautillé sequence
This will help your sound project in a large hall.

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Performances

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1, 1st m. (page 3)

 Violin, Stephanie Zyzak

Piano, Sujung Cho

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