How to do detache

Detache is the foundational separate-bow stroke: one smooth bow per note, on the string, with a clean change of direction and no break in sound between notes. It is the default stroke from which most other bowings are built. There is no accent and no stop; the goal is an even, connected, singing line where each note gets its own bow direction. Detache is the bread-and-butter stroke for scales, etudes, and the majority of orchestral and solo passages. A clean, even detache is what audition panels listen for first because it exposes basic bow control and tone consistency.

Play a one-octave scale with a full, even bow on each note, one note per bow, listening for identical tone quality at the frog, middle, and tip. Slow the tempo and keep bow speed constant across the whole note so you are not speeding up or jerking at the direction change. Practice the bow change itself in isolation on an open string: lead the change with a relaxed hand and fingers so the sound stays seamless with no bump or gap. Add a metronome and keep equal bow length per note, dividing the bow so down-bows and up-bows use the same amount of hair. Once even, vary the bow division (whole bow, upper half, lower half) on the same scale to build control in every part of the bow.

Record a passage that uses it and get scored on tone, evenness, and intonation, the same things a teacher listens for. The recording reveals what your ears miss in the room. Your first take is free, no signup.