fallow

Does anyone know how to "bow" their guitar? Since this seems to confuse people, I mean play it with a violin or cello bow. Jimmy Page did it some, the guy from Sigur Ros does it, and one of the guys in GSYBE! does it. I'm dying to learn and wonder if I can get some tips?

Also, I've heard the term "screwdriving" the guitar. I know it involves a screwdriver, and sticking it underneath the bridge somehow, but I don't know exactly what the technique is. I think Sonic Youth and GSYBE! do this as well. Anyone know any more about it?

shaun3000

Using a bow on a guitar may be pretty difficult. The strings on a instruments played with a bow do not all lie on the same plane. There is a curvature to it, so the middle string is higher than the outside, in a parabola shape. This allows you to only play one string. With a guiter, they all like side-by-side, on the same plane. So playing only one string may be difficult or impossible. I suppose if you build a custom bridge that made the strings curved, you could.. but you'd also need to make a custom neck as it would be very hard to get the middle strings to the frets.

Hondo

Shaun3000 is correct. Using an actual bow is difficult. You're pretty much limited to the first or last two strings, or chords. There are a couple of devices available that simulate bowing that are pretty cool. The most well known is the E-bow. You should be able to find this at GC, or your local music store. I think it vibrates the strings electro-magnetically. Another possibility is a Fernandez guitar with the "Sustainer" technology. I have never played one, but as I understand it, it's pretty much a built in E-bow.

As far as "screwdrivering", that is a direct interaction between the screwdriver and the pickups on your guitar. I don't know how it works exactly, but all you have to do is move the screwdriver on and around the pickups and you get some pretty freaky sounds. The more powerful the pickups, the better.

I hope this helps.

Giantrobo

Here's the e-bow site....

http://www.ebow.com/

TheMadMonk

As someone who's played the guitar for 16+ years, I still find new ways to challenge myself with just the instrument as it is.

fallow

Okay, I'm not saying that its not challenging standing alone. I just want to learn something different...

Is that a problem?

I've also looked at the E-bow products and then looked at some live pictures...and I don't think they are using an E-bow.

http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/images/ra...nto1-sokal.jpg
http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/images/rass/unionchapel.jpg
http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/images/rass/unionchapel1.jpg

Maybe they've manipulated the bridge and neck of the guitar...but I'm still not sure.

Hondo

Well, it can be done, it's just difficult. If you want to take that direction, I say go for it. Get yourself a violin bow and start messing around with it. One thing you can do with a bow that I don't think you can do with an Ebow is chords, which is kinda cool. I say try it all.

That's what makes the guitar so cool. The potential is endless.

palebluedot

I have tried it before and it is difficult but you can get some cool effects with it.

All I can say is use lots and lots and lots of rosin on the bow.