Saw Notes
A Resource for Musical Saw Enthusiasts
How-To
Extended Techniques — Ramblings in My Lunch Break at the Music Shop General wisdom is that the saw is played with a violin or cello bow, a drum beater or- in some cases- a small, soft-headed hammer (Champaign cork on a stick anyone?). The effect of this is to vary […]
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Now here’s an irony which has amused me for some time- how to transport one’s beloved saw or saws. Firstly you want the things safe and protected, ideally with a handle which makes them easy to carry. Secondly- in these days of paranoia the saw cold easily be construed as […]
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Part of the fun of playing the saw is making music from something unexpected. And dangerous! I can’t think of any other instrument that can cut off an arm. I know a violin player who has a permanent mark under her chin, and I’ve heard of oboe players having blood […]
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You should always use rosin on your bow before you play the saw. Rosin comes from pine trees and other conifers, and it is collected like maple syrup, from small taps in the trees. Each rosin company has it’s own unique recipe and mixes the rosin with other ingredients. The […]
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One of the advantages of playing a musical saw over a regular handsaw is the wider octave range. A sawyer can usually only play about one octave on a regular small handsaw, but a longer musical saw, 28 to 30″, can easily produce two octaves. In France, they have have […]
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Bowing on the saw, like anything, gets easier with practice. One of the problems for many people when starting out is unintentionally creating an unpleasant buzzing sound when bowing. This can be worse when bowing the lower notes. You can correct this by bowing a little faster or slower. Buzzing […]
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