Playing String Instruments in Orchestras

Video Transcript

"In this clip, we'll talk about how to play together in a string orchestra or in an orchestra setting if you're a string player. The first thing you want to watch out for is playing with everyone and matching their sound. Second thing is bowing. Bowing is very important in an orchestral situation. And, third dynamics and watching for timing from the conductor to make sure that everyone, you know, when in a big string orchestra or a big orchestra with a string section, it can get very muddy because you have so many players playing the same thing. And in a big orchestra, you might have twenty first violins, twenty second violins and there get, there gets to be a lot of, a lot of mush if you don't, if each player doesn't watch out and play together with every other player in his or her section. So, bowing, you always want to make sure your down bows and up bows are with the other players and they are marked in the part and usually, the leader of each section of string players will talk about which notes should be down bows and up bows so that everyone is on the same page as far as bowings. You always want to make sure that you're bowing the same as your section. If you guys are all playing the same thing, you want to make sure your bowing matches theirs. As far as dynamics, you always want to make sure that you match their sound and dynamic level with everyone, because if you have one string player that's playing really loud and one that's playing really soft, you'll most likely pop through and, you know, the audience or the conductor will hear you pushing through the rest of the section."