Viola da Gamba Tutorial No. 2: A Relaxed Wrist | with Sam Stadlen

Here's the second of my mini-tutorial series aimed at beginner and intermediate viol players. This video looks at how (or whether!) you should move your wrist in most bowing situations. Again, this is only my approach to bowing - there are lots of other opinions and so my way is not the 'right' way, only one approach.

I hope you find this interesting and useful. If you do, please consider subscribing and hitting the 'like' button. If you'd like me to make one on a particular subject, just let me know in the comments. Thanks!

My Patreon page is now live. Subscribing grants you access to my exclusive 'music-minus-one' collection - a series of videos and audio files of consort music with missing parts. This allows you to play along with a consort or baroque ensemble while filling in a missing part. All pieces are available at 415Hz and 440Hz and membership lets you commission either one tutorial video or one music-minus-one video per month. Check out my page here:

Thank you!

[julioflores]

Hi Sam.
I apreciate your tutorials. I'm a violloncellist from Guatemala, in Central America.
I'm begining to play viola da gamba because my preffer music is the early style.
So, I'll follow your videos.
Thank You, very much.

[mietteitamusiikista]

Thank you! Just got the instrument and I've never held a bow before 😂 Great help!

[monicacall]

Thank you for these videos! I’m a professional cellist who has been a fan of both the gamba and Jordi Savall for years. My husband bought me a 7 string bass viol so that I can pursue my dream of playing the instrument. While the left hand has been pretty easy learning the bow hold and using the bow in general has been a challenge for me. The whole underhand vs overhand issue has been difficult for me. Your approach as opposed to some others that I have become acquainted with makes much more sense and is very body friendly. I’m all for body friendly and healthy approaches to playing any instrument.

[AlexSeewald]

Thanks for putting these videos up. I am a classical guitarist, but got a viol today with the intention of having it as a second instrument,  and I couldn't for the life of me work out the best way to bow. Your videos are very useful to get to grips with the basics!

[RobMacKillop]

Thanks, Sam. Very much appreciated. I'm watching this as I want to play the early cello with underarm bow technique - I imagine the technique is the same for both viol and cello. I'll throw a coin in your tip jar :-)

[nuagatenuagate]

Thanks! Whatever I can learn is welcome!

[FranzCarlier]

Very interesting.
Could you possibly group your tutorials into a playlist, so it's easier to navigate?
Thanks!

[TheGambaGeek]

Really well explained, thank you for posting!!

[diazhutson]

helpful clip! I appreciate your explain ! :)

[willwilkin]

Thanks for the paintbrush analogy, with wrist (brush hairs) driven by forearm (stick)! This promises to help my tone quality in slower legato passages. But I imagine there are faster passage moments where wrist movement would give that speed and precision? Some details are achieved with a different brush?

[BoshenaKorchynska]

Дуже цікаво, дякую, але я хочу побачити Твої усмішку!