Tips for Violin Bow Hand Technique
If we compare a violinist to a singer, then the bow is our lungs. If you want to sing louder, use more air, if you want to play louder, use more bow. There are just a few preliminary concepts to properly using the bow, and if you learn them from the very start, it can be a huge advantage!
Don’t worry…..I never learned these concepts until MUCH later in my career, so it’s never too late! But now is the perfect time for YOU. Start with these few simple preparatory exercises to teach your bow hand and bow arm some important balancing skills.
Free downloads and other goodies >>>>>>>>>
Sample bow-hand lessons from Fabulous Fundamentals
My YouTube videos about violin bow hand
My YouTube channel includes several helpful videos on tone production.
Blog posts and articles
Violin, Golf, and Driving: Some Things Must Be Learned By Doing
Learning “bow distribution” for phrase shaping and expressive playing needs to be an intuitive process. Start by using rhythmic values to guide you, and your intuition will grow from there.
Volume vs. Intensity on Violin
Playing loud doesn’t equal playing intensely. Playing soft doesn’t equal docile. Learning to make a soft, intense sound, or a loud warm sound really expands our expressive palate to help us convey more color and more emotion in our violin playing.
How to Keep Your Violin Bow Straight
These exercises will help keep your violin bow straight.
Are You Stuck on Suzuki’s Minuet 2?
No question–Minuet 2 in Suzuki violin book 1 is difficult because of those string crossings! The secret is in your elbow. Learn cool violin practice tips here to help.
How To Develop a Good Sautille’ Bow Stroke
The Sautille bow stroke can be difficult. Did you know there are three layers to it, and once you master them, it’s just a matter of practice? Learn what they are.
Crunches, Squeaks, and Squawks, Oh My!
How to survive those early squeaks and squawks from a beginning violinist. We have tips.
The Practice Coach: Bow Hold
I truly believe that 95 percent of the shaking bow is caused by two things: Your sounding point (highway) and your crooked bow. Learn how to stop your shaking bow.
Bow Arm Mechanics
In this video, I have dismantled the bow arm into its major parts…. Go ahead. Give it a whirl. It’s a Black and Decker, you won’t hurt it!
Does Your Violin Bow Bounce or Shake? How to Fix It
Does your bow bounce on the strings? I mean, when you’re not trying to? Learn how to fix it.