DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

I've seen people use violin bows on cymbals, etc. but was wondering if anyone has tried them (if its even possible???) on the edge of a conga or djembe??? (where the head meets the rim that is)

I'll be experimenting this evening regardless as I now have access to one from a broken violin- just curious what that may sound like of if on the edge you won't get enough wave generation to even make a sound.

You got it.  The object needs to have a chance to vibrate/resonate enough in order to generate a sound.  This is why metals are used most often with bowing (i.e. suspended cymbals, vibraphone bars, saw blade, etc.).  

Thus, you won't be able to generate a sound out of bowing the edge of a drum, conga, etc., by using the rim.

A drum can act as a resonator for a bowed object though.  I've bowed small cymbals held to drum heads before, you get some of both in the mix.  

Holding a thin stick (like a timbale stick) to the head of a drum and bowing that may work if you can get enough traction.

Wow---did you hold the cymbal to the drum head with your hand?  If so, how did your hand keep from muffling the sound?  Very cool..


Now THIS, I have to try!   ;D

I love this kind of stuff.  Thanks for sharing, Mark.   ;)

Two ways (illustrated nicely by my hero Eddie Prevost) :

1 - cymbal upsidedown, holding the bell to the head by the hole.  Kinda like this ...

(http://allthetransients.com/misc/Prevost02.jpg)

2 - using a stick or cymbal arm hold that and press the edge against the head.   Kinda like this ...

(http://allthetransients.com/misc/Prevost03.jpg)

OK- I was all set to experiment last night BEFORE rehearsal at church.  My music minister happened to have a bow in a violin case in which he'd loaned out the outfit only to have it returned broken.  And the bow- well he just then realized it was missing as well.  Not to worry- got a few other sources to check on so will get to the experimental phase here soon enough hopefully-
Thanks for the input all of you.  I figured the conga edge probably wouldn't do much if anything at all but certainly by using a stick (would waxing it help any???) and the drum as a resonating chamber we just might have something new, unusual and interesting to work with.

Waxing the stick may help, essentially the same as rosining a bow.  Just adding some friction.  The question is, does a laquered stick or raw stick work better.  

I'll be doing this this weekend as well by the way ;D

I wouldn't wax or varnish the stick, you want friction but not too much...the rosin on a bow provides friction cuz the hair is too smooth to vibrate, think about the cuica and how that stick vibrates.

Well I tried bowing an approx. 1/8" dowel on my conga heads this weekend.  I figured the skinnier dowel would get moving easier than a drum stick.  

Results?  Less than earth shaking.  

The  stick itself is what's generating the sound, the conga is just amplifying it.  And there really wasnt much to amplify.   Some light squeaks and groans, but nothing really usable in that it was hard to control and generate consistantly.  

I also tried laying the dowel flat on the head, and bowing across it.   I knew this would pretty much kill the dowel vibrating, but also thought it might work better as a way to have the conga head be the sound source, with the dowel simply acting as something to actually bow.  This was even less productive.   :P

I also tried bowing the edge of my conga, just for giggles.  A bit of a squeak, nothing else ;D

My sons school has a "part of the day" orchestra teacher- and he's agreed to let me borrow a bow for however long I need to test out some of this for myself- now if only my son will remember to pick it up.
In the mean time a friend just got back from Guatemala on a Medical Missions trip.  She brought me a really cool tongue or slit drum- similar in design concept to what Bart has posted (directions on how to build your own).  Only basic difference is that this is engraved with some really cool Myan pyramid/ cresent moon design and its a solid single section of bamboo.
Will get to play around with this till the bow comes in:)

my favorite way of holding a cymbal to a drum head is with a high hat clutch.

Bowing cymbals, gongs, etc. is loads of fun...  Hadn't heard of the bowed stick though, sounds pretty cool.  
There were several pieces by William Kraft and others that called for bowing a crotale that had been placed on timpani; as the bowed crotale was sounding, the performer was instructed to move the tuning pedal on the timp.  What a beautiful, eerie sound that made!  

I've found that the German-style bass and cello bows work best for bowing percussion stuff; maybe it's just me, but there's something about the way the grip is that makes it easier to use than the French-style bow...