Help Please Regarding Violin Bowing?
I started violin last month, & have been having the same problem! My teacher is getting frustrated (and of course I am too). He thought me how to hold the bow & how to bow using the wrist, & not the arm. But I can’t seem to get the hang of it. For example, when my wrist goes upward during an up-bow, the bow ‘floats’ away from my pinky & when my wrist goes down for the down-bow, the bow ’slips’ inwards & it rests on the 3rd joint of my index finger, instead of the 2nd joint. All these leads to the bow ‘running’ about. So when I try to hold the bow steady, my bowing switches to ‘arm’ mode, instead of wrist movement, which my teacher calls ‘rowing’. Any advice please? This problem seems to be my main obstacle from progressing as I can already read notes & such. Thanks!
February 8th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
I’m not a fiddler, but my guess is that you just really need to concentrate on where the bow is at all times.
… I bet you’ll find that during the course of some practice session or lesson it will all just “click into place.”
don’t give up.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
I suggest just getting used to holding the bow. Practice gripping it & holding it in different ways! Keep working at it, & it will come together soon enough! Remember to stretch your pinkie out!
February 8th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Just guessing but that sounds like the perfect bowing action for sea shanties.
Or you could just chuck the bow away & stick to pizzicato pieces….nice bit of Boccherini..lovely.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:15 am
Most violin teachers put off wrist movement for a year or two.
There are enough problems, which are more essential, without it.
Are you sure you have an adequately experienced violin teacher?
February 9th, 2010 at 6:07 am
Violin is one of the most difficult instrument to learn to play.
You might never get right even you try so hard.
If you really want to play violin well, you need to be determind to do right. Or you can learn to play other instrument which is easier & sounds different but still good too.
February 9th, 2010 at 11:38 am
You need to watch the bow stay parallel to the bridge & notice your muscle movements. Try in a mirror, this is the most effective. On your downbow, think of leading with your wrist. The wrist must remain flexible. Inflexibility of the wrist is what leads to stiff bow movement. The portion of the bow from middle to tip must be executed with the elbow alone & involve absolutely no upper arm movement.
I would recommend slow bow strokes that are the length of the entire bow, watching in a mirror for staying parallel to the bridge. Be aware of leading the stroke with your wrist most of all on the down bow. Do not grip the bow too tightly as this spreads tension.