# Violin breaks in '60s songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999 "2011-06-27T04:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/21 "2011-06-29T15:58:30Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > That’s not true; double stops are certainly used in classical violin playing. Solo violin music may even include full four-note chords–of course, it’s impossible to bow all four strings at once, so the violinist has to “roll” the chord. Johnny Gimble playing “[What a Friend We Have in Jesus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QCCK4PWRE)”, bowing all 4 strings at once. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/22 "2011-06-29T16:22:29Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Johnny Gimble playing “[What a Friend We Have in Jesus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QCCK4PWRE)”, bowing all 4 strings at once. I was specifically talking about classical playing, using standard instruments. Of course you can play all four strings at once with a specially modified bow (like that guy’s using), or a flattened bridge. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/23 "2011-06-29T18:53:33Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I was specifically talking about classical playing, using standard instruments. Of course you can play all four strings at once with a specially modified bow (like that guy’s using), or a flattened bridge. I’m not a violinist, but doesn’t Mozart’s _Eine Klein Nachtmusik_ contain multiple stops? (IIRC, the first chord is a triple stop on the violin.) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/24 "2011-06-29T19:23:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not a violinist, but doesn’t Mozart’s _Eine Klein Nachtmusik_ contain multiple stops? (IIRC, the first chord is a triple stop on the violin.) Yes, and as I said before, the chord has to be rolled. That is, the violinist briefly bows the bottom note first, and lets it ring while he quickly shifts the angle of the bow to play the other two notes. Pre-emptive nitpick: and of course a violin can play multiple stops without rolling when played pizzicato. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/25 "2011-06-29T19:33:54Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Yes, and as I said before, the chord has to be rolled. That is, the violinist briefly bows the bottom note first, and lets it ring while he quickly shifts the angle of the bow to play the other two notes. > > Pre-emptive nitpick: and of course a violin can play multiple stops without rolling when played pizzicato. So, if I’m understanding correctly, double stops can be played simultaneously, anything beyond that is rolled, right? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/26 "2011-06-29T19:48:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > So, if I’m understanding correctly, double stops can be played simultaneously, anything beyond that is rolled, right? Imagine you’re sighting down the length of a violin, with the bottom of the instrument near your eye. You’ll see that the strings are aligned something like this: O O **O\_\_\_\_\_O** Since the hairs on the bow are in a straight line, you can only bow two adjacent strings at the same time, since a third would not be in the same plane. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999/27 "2011-06-29T20:34:40Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Imagine you’re sighting down the length of a violin, with the bottom of the instrument near your eye. You’ll see that the strings are aligned something like this: > > O O > **O\_\_\_\_\_O** > > Since the hairs on the bow are in a straight line, you can only bow two adjacent strings at the same time, since a third would not be in the same plane. Sure, I understand the shape of the bridge. Wasn’t sure whether the bow can warp enough to facilitate the simultaneous sounding of more than two strings or not. So then, double stops, possible (on adjacent strings, of course), anything more requires rolling. So is a quadruple stop played 2 strings simultaneous, rolled to 2 strings simultaneous, or is it 1-2-2, or 1-1-2, or something like that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/violin-breaks-in-60s-songs/586999.md?page=1)