Editing Musical bow (section)

== Playing ways ==
[[File:Madosini.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Madosini]] playing the umrubhe mouth bow.]]
The usual way to make the bow sound is to pluck the string, although sometimes a subsidiary [[bow (music)|bow]] is used to scrape the string, much as on a [[violin]]. The [[Onavillu]] of [[Kerala]] sounds when struck with a thin stick. Unlike string instruments used in [[european classical music|classical music]], however, they do not have a built-in resonator, although resonators may be made to work with the bow in a number of ways.

The most usual type of resonator consists of a [[gourd]] attached to the back of the string bearer. The bow may also be stood in a pit or gourd on the ground, or one end of it may be partially placed in the mouth. This last method allows the size of the resonator to be varied as the instrument is played, thus allowing a [[melody]] to be heard consisting of the [[Musical note|note]]s resonating in the player's mouth. As well as these various forms of resonators, the bow is frequently played without a resonator at all.

In Africa, the musical bow is usually played by a solo performer. In [[capoeira]], the berimbau is played as part of the roda, a musical group standing in a circle, in the centre of which the capoeiristas perform or play. The Appalachian mouth-bow can be played amplified in [[old-time music]] jams.