3. the not-so-basic basic bow arm

February 3, 2012 at 4:27 PM

It's 5:30AM, the baby is sleeping soundly... so what could be more delightful than immortalizing a good bow arm in print? Get ready for a complex, packed-with-vitamins breakfast.

3. THE BOW ARM
Described by some as the "painter's brush," the bow arm is one of those cardinal mysteries that appears to float in mid-air on some players, yet is a sinking submarine on others. How does one float their arm so gracefully that it seems to completely detach from the body itself? The answer lies in the fear and risk of error: of deciding to do things differently, to take that jump or leap off the cliff, or to decide to take that double black diamond for the first time. It's that kind of risk. And the reward? A pure, free, and swift arm, like a gymnast's leap or a dancer's quick turn. With movements so slight, it's the lifelong work of a master. Let's "dive" in, shall we?
A. The Wrist
1. Curve the wrist of the bow arm at the frog and invert it towards the tip, keeping the level of the upper arm and forearm neither too high or too low. This is a gradual transition as the bow moves from tip to frog, and vise-versa. The best example I've found is Itzhak Perlman, but you may have your own favorite: This is a link
B. The Elbow
1. The elbow should be positioned so that the arm is neither too high or too low when positioned on a certain string. The elbow will rise like a robot or elevator to lower strings, and lower down to higher strings, feelings independent of the the violin or the shoulder/back/posture. The violin should NEVER move to aid in hitting a string. Watch Jasha Heifetz as an example: This is a link
2. Move the elbow back and forth until the bow becomes perfectly centered in between the middle of the bridge and fingerboard on your violin. A slight movement of the elbow too far back can really throw the angle off and affect the intonation. Use a mirror- it's the only way to see what's really going on.
C. The Forearm
1. Once the elbow, and hence, upper arm, are in place, you may begin to do long strokes. Start right at the frog with a slightly curved wrist, and check your fingers: is the first finger on the second knuckle? Is the index finger on the first knuckle, and used in connection with the thumb? Is the thumb in the right place, flat against the bow hair, and the ring and pinky fingers lightly curved and relaxed? Stay connected to the string at all times. The elbow first moves back, and then the forearm moves out- actually away from the body. This is always a surprise for some players, as it seems like you are playing the violin in a forward position and not to the side. But this compensates for the angle at which the violin sits on your neck. Remember to invert your wrist at the tip! Practice this a few times, always giving careful attention to the bow hold and the position of the bow on the string so that it stays straight.
D. That First Finger
1. Itzhak relaxes his first finger upon the start of his down bows, that's how he gets a delicious, smooth bow transition. You will also want to squeeze your fingers slightly on every up bow, and relax them on the down bow. The first finger motion is the relaxing of the finger. "Squeezing" them on the up bow provides support, like pushing a cart up a hill. Relaxing them on the down bow is like letting your foot of the gas peddle as you coast down a hill. Practice relaxing the first finger with a mirror so it doesn't look like your finger is flying off the bow. Just a slight relaxing movement is all you need, and it will look like his!
E. Finally, The Forearm
1. The forearm is the primary vehicle for the middle bow stroke. Your upper arm will be almost completely static, but you will want to use it slightly. When you reach the middle to top half of your bow, move the upper arm outward to propel the whole arm outward.
F. The Bow
1. Play with a flat bow on every part of the bow except towards the tip, where you will bend the hair ever so slightly towards yourself, so that you see some of the white hairs. Don't bend it too much- just a bit. If you are small like me, you will have to bend the hair at the tip too- if you don't you risk hurting your wrist. So be careful. Practice your bowings slowly over the next few weeks on open strings, first forte and then piano to build strength. Do not integrate your left hand until you have mastered it on open strings, and when the transition at the frog is perfectly seamless. Do this by practicing at the first 3 inches of the frog, remembering to relax the first finger upon every down bow, and using wrist and fingers movements as opposed to arm movements. Play each short bow stroke and then stop- check your form, and then play another bow stroke. Go extremely slowly, as you are integrating the very foundation of your bowing which will be used extensively from now on. Once this is mastered, check yourself by playing from the first 1/4 of your bow to the frog and back, then to the first 1/2 of your bow and back. Once mastered, use full bow strokes. Always contact the bow with the string, and be sure to "squeeze" fingers, utilizing the ring and pinky fingers as support upon the up bow; it does wonders. The next step is to add easy scales, one note per bow, and work up to three notes per bow, and add 3rds and 6ths, first one chord per bow and then working up to three. But, then again I've forgotten something important- the left hand.

This is the not-so-basic basic bow arm, and if I've forgotten anything please forgive me, as it is early and the baby is now coo-ing. Next line of business: the bow arm and the bow hold: a true love story.

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3. the not-so-basic basic bow arm

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