Bowed guitar is a method of playing a
guitar,
acoustic or
electric, in which the guitarist uses a
bow, rather than the more common
plectrum, to vibrate the instruments'
strings, similar to playing a
viola da gamba. Unlike traditionally bowed instruments such as violins, the guitar generally has a relatively flat
bridge radius and closely positioned strings, making it difficult to bow individual notes on the middle strings. The technique is often associated with
Jimmy Page of
Led Zeppelin and
the Yardbirds, as well as
Jónsi of
Sigur Rós.
Eddie Phillips of the British group
the Creation was one of the first rock guitarists to use a bow in their 1966 song "
Making Time".
The Besnard Lakes also make use of bowed guitar. Avant-garde composer
Scott Fields often uses bows, including modified bows, in performance and on recordings, including "Mamet", "From the Diary of Dog Drexel", "We Were the Phliks", and "Beckett".
Lee Jackson of
The Nice used a bowed bass guitar on the songs "Intermezzo from the
Karelia Suite," "Hang on to a Dream," and "My Back Pages."
Tim McTague of
Underoath uses a bow in the songs "Writing on the Walls," "To Whom It May Concern," and "Casting Such a Thin Shadow."
English instrumentalist and composer
Mike Oldfield played bowed guitar on his album Amarok.
Andrew McKellar of the South African band
Civil Twilight also uses a bow, on their songs "Perfect Stranger" and "Letters from the Sky" when performing live (source: video YouTube).
Skyler Skjelset of
Fleet Foxes uses a bow on live performances of "Drops in the River" and "I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar".
Italian guitarist
Sergio Altamura[it] frequently uses a bow and in some pieces applies a violin bridge to his guitar for that[1] or uses a self-created
electronic bow.[2]
Aidy James Stevens, guitarist of English post-punk bands You The Living and The Murder Act uses a cello bow extensively, on You The Living's "Reprobates" and "Precipice" and The Murder Act's "Red Cow" to name a few.
Kristoffer Lo of
Highasakite was seen using a bow on his guitar during a live performance of the song "Lover, where do you live?"
Eddie Branch, working with
Peter Murphy, used bowed electric bass on the track "Cuts You Up" as part of its signature refrain.
Sameer Bhattacharya, guitarist of
Flyleaf, used a bow on the songs "Sorrow" and on the intro of "Red Sam" during live performance.
Marlon Harder of indie rock band Autopilot uses a bow regularly for his songs.
Þorbjörn Steingrímsson of the Icelandic black/death metal act Zhrine uses a bow on multiple songs both in-studio and live.
Rob Lyberg of the American rock band Eva Under Fire used a bow in the song "Drift".
Kris Angylus (Kristopher Fairchild) of the
drone doom band The Angelic Process used a bow on the guitar for much of the band's music.
Low Roar in live sessions with the song "I'll keep coming"
Masahiro Tobita of Japanese post-hardcore outfit
Envy uses a bow on live performances of the song "Crystallize".
Muhammad Naqi Abu Bakar of Sforzando!
Jason Gormley of the
Canadian indie post-rock Lifestory: Monologue.
Bowed guitar is a method of playing a
guitar,
acoustic or
electric, in which the guitarist uses a
bow, rather than the more common
plectrum, to vibrate the instruments'
strings, similar to playing a
viola da gamba. Unlike traditionally bowed instruments such as violins, the guitar generally has a relatively flat
bridge radius and closely positioned strings, making it difficult to bow individual notes on the middle strings. The technique is often associated with
Jimmy Page of
Led Zeppelin and
the Yardbirds, as well as
Jónsi of
Sigur Rós.
Eddie Phillips of the British group
the Creation was one of the first rock guitarists to use a bow in their 1966 song "
Making Time".
The Besnard Lakes also make use of bowed guitar. Avant-garde composer
Scott Fields often uses bows, including modified bows, in performance and on recordings, including "Mamet", "From the Diary of Dog Drexel", "We Were the Phliks", and "Beckett".
Lee Jackson of
The Nice used a bowed bass guitar on the songs "Intermezzo from the
Karelia Suite," "Hang on to a Dream," and "My Back Pages."
Tim McTague of
Underoath uses a bow in the songs "Writing on the Walls," "To Whom It May Concern," and "Casting Such a Thin Shadow."
English instrumentalist and composer
Mike Oldfield played bowed guitar on his album Amarok.
Andrew McKellar of the South African band
Civil Twilight also uses a bow, on their songs "Perfect Stranger" and "Letters from the Sky" when performing live (source: video YouTube).
Skyler Skjelset of
Fleet Foxes uses a bow on live performances of "Drops in the River" and "I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar".
Italian guitarist
Sergio Altamura[it] frequently uses a bow and in some pieces applies a violin bridge to his guitar for that[1] or uses a self-created
electronic bow.[2]
Aidy James Stevens, guitarist of English post-punk bands You The Living and The Murder Act uses a cello bow extensively, on You The Living's "Reprobates" and "Precipice" and The Murder Act's "Red Cow" to name a few.
Kristoffer Lo of
Highasakite was seen using a bow on his guitar during a live performance of the song "Lover, where do you live?"
Eddie Branch, working with
Peter Murphy, used bowed electric bass on the track "Cuts You Up" as part of its signature refrain.
Sameer Bhattacharya, guitarist of
Flyleaf, used a bow on the songs "Sorrow" and on the intro of "Red Sam" during live performance.
Marlon Harder of indie rock band Autopilot uses a bow regularly for his songs.
Þorbjörn Steingrímsson of the Icelandic black/death metal act Zhrine uses a bow on multiple songs both in-studio and live.
Rob Lyberg of the American rock band Eva Under Fire used a bow in the song "Drift".
Kris Angylus (Kristopher Fairchild) of the
drone doom band The Angelic Process used a bow on the guitar for much of the band's music.
Low Roar in live sessions with the song "I'll keep coming"
Masahiro Tobita of Japanese post-hardcore outfit
Envy uses a bow on live performances of the song "Crystallize".
Muhammad Naqi Abu Bakar of Sforzando!
Jason Gormley of the
Canadian indie post-rock Lifestory: Monologue.