Reggae

Have you ever heard reggae played on the viola before? Neither had I until I stumbled across videos by Shenzo Gregorio on YouTube.

Here is a great video by Shenzo showing how to play reggae on the viola (all techniques can be used on violin as well), and the kinds of sounds you can make using extended techniques such ricochet, left hand pizzicato, guitar hammer ons, and rhythmic riffs.

One of the main techniques Shenzo uses in this video is a bow stroke called ricochet.  Here are some tips to help you practise this stroke:

1. Firstly, make sure your bold hold and right hand are very relaxed... particularly your thumb.  The stroke won't work properly with a tight grip.
2. Now try dropping the bow onto the string with a slight down bow stroke.  If you want a slower ricochet, drop the bow near the balance point.  For a faster bounce drop the bow further towards the upper half.
3. The bow will bounce best with full flat hair.