# Up-bow and down-bow

Source: https://arcosounds.com/glossary/up-bow-down-bow
Also known as: bowing marks, bow direction

**Down-bow moves the bow from frog to tip and is marked with a bracket symbol; up-bow moves from tip to frog and is marked with a V.**

The two directions are not equivalent. A down-bow starts with the heavier frog end and the arm's natural weight, so it is stronger and suits accented notes and downbeats, hence the old rule of thumb that a strong beat takes a down-bow. An up-bow arrives at the frog gathering weight, so it naturally shapes a crescendo and suits upbeats and pickups.

In an orchestra, bowings are not left to individuals: the section leader marks the part and everyone matches, because a section bowing in different directions produces visibly and audibly uneven attacks. Learning to read and follow marked bowings is a core ensemble skill, and rewriting them to make a phrase work is a core solo one.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/glossary/up-bow-down-bow