Perception and production of complex bowing movements in violin performance

In bowed-string instruments the primary function of bowing movements is to control the parameters that govern the stick-slip interaction between the bow and the string, giving the performer control of the sound. Not less importantly, bowing movements have to be planned ahead in order to anticipate future events. In fast, repetitive bowing movements involving string crossings and bow changes the primary and anticipatory movements become integrated, forming an overall, in the simplest case circular movement pattern. The relative timing of string crossings and bow changes is an inherent property of the shape of these patterns, which therefore has an important influence on the quality of the note transitions. We will present two complementary studies that provide insight in this coordination phenomenon. A perceptual study has been conducted using a virtual violin, in which the participants could influence the relative timing between string crossings and bow changes by a simple slider, giving insight in the perception of such transitions and typical temporal constraints. Analyses of bowing movements show in detail how the coordination is realized in performance, giving insight in the freedoms and constraints in the performance of this type of bowing patterns.