Making a diddley bow is easy, but making a diddley bow sound good will take a little more time. Here are the materials and techniques that can get you started.
Materials Needed to Play Your New Diddley Bow
Before you can start playing the diddley bow, you’ll need two pieces of equipment. First, you’ll want a stick, and second, a slide.
Some ideas for the stick include a piece of dowel, an old drum stick, a chop stick, etc. In the unlikely event nothing suitable can be found inside, grab a stick from the yard.
For the slide, an old glass bottle will work perfectly. When playing diddley bow, the slide doesn’t need to fit over your finger, so don’t worry about purchasing a guitar slide or attempting to break the neck from the glass bottle.
How to Play the Diddley Bow
Lay the diddley bow on a wooden table or desk. Some of the instrument’s volume will come from the tin can acting as a resonator, but much will also be determined by how well the playing surface resonates along with the instrument.
Position the diddley bow in front of you with the tin can or bridge to your right. Your left hand will hold the glass bottle and your right hand, the stick.
Rhythm and Right Hand Technique for the Diddley Bow
To start, focus on tapping out a fun percussive pattern with the stick on the open string. Maintaining a driving beat is key.
Once you’ve got a steady rhythm, experiment by gently tapping the string on the off beats with the index finger of your left hand. This will feel awkward as you first try it while holding the bottle, so practice the damping technique on the open string for a while. If you touch the string just after it is struck by the stick, you’ll create a ghost note which gives the rhythm variety and depth.
Melody and Left Hand Technique for the Diddley Bow
Now, while holding the thick part of the bottle, rest its neck gently on the string. Take a few minutes to find the amount of pressure which creates the best tone. You’ll probably discover you have to ease up a bit.
Often, the open string acts like an anchor for your melody work. Sliding away, then returning will provide your song with a tonal center.
How to Find Notes on the Diddley Bow
The diddley bow has no frets. Every possible note waits somewhere along the board. To play a song, you’ll either need to learn the notes by feel or mark their position.
If you choose to mark the notes, keep in mind that any movement from the scrap of wood or tin can will make your marks inaccurate. The nut is less prone to shifting, but the tin can bridge will move up the neck often. To secure it in place, you can place a screw on either side or cut a groove into the wood under the can.
To mark a diatonic fretboard, you can measure the distance between nut and bridge and then enter this scale length into the dulcimer fret calculator. Remember, that just because a note isn’t marked, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Don’t forget the worlds of colorful possibilities found between the notes.
In related articles you can:
- Learn about the history of the diddley bow and some of the blues players who recorded with it,
- Find detailed directions on how to make a diddley bow,
- And read about other monochord zithers, or one-string musical instruments, from around the world.
For a valuable resource, go to One String Willie’s web site on Diddley Bows.
Marcy Paulson - From the moment Marcy Paulson picked up a recorder in fourth grade music class, she was hooked. Since then, her passion for music has ...
