BASIC KNOWLEDGE
TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHY
THE WAY WAY WE HOLD THE BOW
IS SO IMPORTANT
01. BALANCE
a. BOW IS ACTUALLY HELD BY A BALANCE OF THE VIOLIN FROM BELOW AND THE HAND ABOVE
1) THE VIOLIN (PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR) BALANCES FROM BELOW
2) THE HAND APPLIES WEIGHT FROM ABOVE
a) WEIGHT IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE UPPER RIGHT ARM THROUGH THE MIDDLE JOINT OF
THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER ON TO THE BOW
b) THE RIGHT THUMB ON THE BOW IS USES TO KEEP THE BOW FROM WIGGLING SIDE-TO-SIDE
02. HOW THE BOW IS USED
TO PRODUCE SOUND and TONE
a. THE BOW SETS THE STRING TO ITS INITIAL VIBRATION BY STRIKING THE STRING FROM ABOVE
1) EXAMPLE: AS A MALLET MIGHT STRIKE A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT
SUCH AS A TRIANGLE
2) A "SPRING-TYPE" ACTION OF THE BOW ON TO THE STRING PRODUCES THIS
a) PRODUCED BY THE PRESSING DOWN OF THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER THROUGH THE USE OF THE UPPER RIGHT ARM ON TO THE BOW FROM ABOVE
3) "ARTICULATION" SOUND IS PRODUCED BY THE BOW "SPRING" ACTION
a) ARTICULATION SOUND IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TONGUE TOUCHING BEHIND THE TEETH IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS
03. TONE QUALITY PRODUCTION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW THIS ARTICULATION IS PERFECTED
a. BOW MOVEMENT AFTER THE INITIAL ACTION
1) AFTER THE "ARTICULATION" THE BOW PRESSURE ON THE STRING
IS LESSENED (LESS PRESSURE FROM ABOVE) AND THE BOW CONTINUES IN
EITHER A DOWNWARDS or UPWARDS DIRECTION
a) DOWN BOW: PLAYER PULLS THE BOW DOWN FROM THE LEFT SHOULDER
b) UP BOW: PLAYER PUSHES THE BOW UP TOWARDS THE LEFT SHOULDER
2) BOW SPEED (DIRECTED BY THE THE RIGHT ARM) IS CONTROLLED AND STEADY
a) BOW SPEED IS DETERMINED BY MANY FACTORS
and IS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION LATER)
3) PRESSURE ON TO THE BOW BY THE RIGHT ARM IS
DETERMINED BY THE BOW SPEED USED
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LEARNING THE BOW HOLD BY STEPS:
BOW HOLD DETERMINED BY
THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES
OF THE RIGHT HAND
01. STEP 1:
PLACEMENT OF THE KNUCKLES:
a. ON THE PADDING and/or SILVER PORTION OF THE BOW NEAR THE FROG
PLACE THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES OF THE
RIGHT FINGERS:
POINTER, MIDDLE, RING, and PINKY ON THE BOW
1) PINKY NEVER TO BE ON THE SCREW OF THE BOW
02. STEP 2:
RIGHT THUMB PLACEMENT:
a. THUMB LIGHTLY TOUCHES THE FINGERTIPS INBETWEEN THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
1) THUMB DOES NOT SQUEEZE OR PUSH HARD AGAINST THE FINGERS
2) THUMB PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BOW STICK AND HAIR
03. STEP 3:
PINKY ADJUSTMENT
a. RIGHT PINKY FINGER ADJUSTED SO THE PAD OF THE FINGER SITS ON THE TOP OF THE BOW
1) FINGER MUST BE CURVED NATURALLY NOT PRESSED DOWN
HARD OR CAVED BACKWARDS
a) THIS FINGER IS THE "BALANCE" FINGER
04. STEP 4:
RIGHT POINTER FINGER ADJUSTMENT
a. POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE CAN BE ADJUSTED TO A LITTLE BELOW THE JOINT
1) THERE ARE 3 BASIC PLACEMENTS OF THE POINTER FINGER ON THE BOW AND USAGE VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PLAYER
a) FRANCO-BELGIUM: POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE PLACED SLIGHTLY BELOW JOINT ON THE BOW (THE MOST COMMON USAGE)
THE FRANCO-BELGIUM METHOD IS WHAT I AM TEACHING
b) FRENCH: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST ABOVE THE FINGER TIP KNUCKLE USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A LIGHTER SOUND)
c) RUSSIAN: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST BELOW THE HAND USED ON THE BOW
(CREATES A HEAVIER SOUND)
05. QUICK REVIEW
THAT I ALWAYS SAY IN CLASS:
MIDDLE JOINTS ON BOW STICK
THUMB IN BETWEEN TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
PINKY SITS UP FOR BALANCE AND A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF THE POINTER FINGER