When playing the violin, it’s really important to hold the bow correctly. A correct bow hold can help your playing technique and overall playing experience.
It will also help you hold the bow comfortably for longer periods of time without fatigue.
We’ve created this guide to help you discover how to hold the violin bow step-by-step.
We will discuss the right way of holding a violin bow, why we hold it that way, and common mistakes beginner violinists make with their bow hold.
But before getting into that, let’s start with the basics of how to hold a violin bow.
How do you hold a violin bow?
You can make it as complicated or as simple as you want. But really, it’s just six steps:
Why do we hold the violin bow in this way?
A proper and natural bow hold is essential to producing a good sound. A correct bow hold is key to optimizing the bow’s vibrations and producing the best sound possible.
Plus, it’ll stop your arm and hand from aching when you play for a few hours a day!
How to Strengthen Your Bow Hand
You can start with simple exercises like holding a pencil or pen at the tip of your pinky finger in your bow hand. Doing so will help you develop finger stability and your finger muscles. There are also three great exercises to help
How to Strengthen Your Bow Hand
Finger push-ups: Place your fingers on a flat surface and push down, lifting each finger off the surface one at a time. This exercise can help strengthen your fingers and improve your grip on the bow.
Bow grip exercises: Practice holding the bow in different ways, such as with just your thumb and pinky or with your fingers in a different position. This can help improve your control over the bow and strengthen your hand muscles.
Resistance band exercises: Use a resistance band to strengthen your bow arm and hand muscles. Wrap the resistance band around your hand and fingers and stretch it out, holding for a few seconds before releasing.
Common Mistakes with a Beginner Violin Bow Hold
Poor wrist-hand-arm alignment is a common mistake with bow holds. It can lead to soreness and/or injury if not corrected.
Keeping the palm and wrist stiff while practicing can cause soreness after long hours of violin playing. This is because the fingers and hand are repeatedly flexed and extended similarly, causing strain on the arms, wrists, and hands. If you practice the violin for long hours, try experimenting with different finger positions, hand positions, and bow hold styles to find what works best for you. If you feel unnatural, something is probably wrong.
Over-extending the bow arm can result in chronic physical issues such as strains and sprains. Also known as the “bowist’s arm,” this tip of the bow arm should be drawn back slowly to avoid sudden movements that could potentially cause injury.
The direction of the bow
The bow should be tilted slightly towards the fingerboard. The bow should be drawn in a straight line parallel to the bridge.
Place the bow in the middle point between the bridge and the fingerboard for most playing.
Scratchy noises and bow hair
To avoid scratches on the violin strings, ensure the bow hair is parallel to the bow stick when playing. You may also need to use the end screw to loosen or tighten the hair of the bow, or add more rosin to the bow.
The rosin we recommend is D’addario Kaplan:
D'Addario Kaplan
DESIGNED FOR: Violin & Viola
FEATURES: Premium case that is designed for one-handed use
OTHER INFO: The original low-dust recipe handed down from Ladislav
D'Addario Kaplan
- Amazing Case
- Low Dust
- A Pleasure To Use
- None!