The contrabass often falls victim to conductors’ misconceptions, namely their insufficient knowledge of bowing techniques. The most common fallacy perpetrated is the idea bass strings require a quick bow using the entire length rather than a more precise and slower speed virtuosic players recommend using, This opinion piece expounds how conductors erroneously instruct bass players to use a swift-moving bow when it should travel slower to achieve a clear sound, according to proper technique. Highlighting this point, Karr makes it clear conductors are compromising the tone quality of the bass section, and ultimately the orchestra. Karr then demonstrates the extreme fixation conductors have towards the idealized usage of the bow by citing an experiment conducted by European musicians that he later reproduced himself. Karr stated if the bow was moving from frog to tip slightly over the string (i.e. ‘air-bowing’) the conductor would be fully satisfied even though no sound was being produced …show more content…
This usage of showcasing the inconsistencies in logic helps to drive the argument of using an unhurried bow while playing bass. He then appeals to the rhetorical device ethos by giving examples of European musicians who also have experienced this problem, showing he was not the only musician encountering the issue and making his argument more tenable. Overall, Gary Karr is a credible source because he is an internationally acclaimed professional bass player, and has taught at renowned music conservatories including the New England Conservatory of