Bow flies out of my hand
I've recently discovered that part of playing well is being able to move the bow solely with your fingers. Now, if you are moving your fingers you can't have any tension in them - correct? ergo - you can't apply force (beyond the weight of the bow) and move your fingers. Increasing dynamic through finger force (as opposed to speed) therefore requires static fingers and there's a skill to going from moving to static. Is that why the bow flies out of my hand at times? I don't make that transition from moving to fixed fingers so well?
Replies (19)
That comes from Leopold Mozart.
My understanding is that one moves the bow using big muscles of the arm (most of the time); fingers mostly act as shock-absorbers.
Finger / wrist flexibility is essential but is not to be confused with movement.
You do not throw a ball with your fingers only, why would bow movement be different?
I now find the fingers initiate and maybe even terminate bow movements. In between is the wrist/arm.
There can be tension in the fingers, but not in the definition of "tightness"--more the tension of something spring-loaded and finely calibrated. They communicate the arm/hands energy to the string through the bow--they don't hold it back but they're not completely passive either. I know that's not very specific as to application but I find the mental picture helps. So that spring-loading is acting to help keep your bow in place too, but in a much more flexible way than sowing like a vise-grip.
If you have a cat or dog, try to gently push their back downward. Amazing!
That kind elasticity, balance and relaxed firmness is what we should all strive for.
Bow flies out of my hand
reminded me of "time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"
Even Casals had an "incident" with his bow during a concert - it flew out of his hand and landed in the audience. I don't know how it happened, and my guess is that it was never allowed to happen again.
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If your bow flies out of your hand, then you are probably not contacting the bow with the proper part of your fingers. Pick up a glass of water. Where does your hand contact it? The pads of your fingers. If you were to make contact with the 2nd joint of your hand, you might drop the glass. When picking up a bow make sure that the pads of the 2nd and ring finger make the contact, then you will have a secure bow hold.
I've found for pp you don't want a secure hold. The ability to get from no hold to a hold and back on a single note seems to be key.
Yup, ppp-pp you barely hold the bow, and ff-fff you really grab it, or you won't get the volume you need. :)
I also find as you get about half way to the tip the index finger engages and as you get about half way toward the heel the two middle fingers take over (and the weight is balanced with the pinky).
Yup... :)
Ooo. Do I get a gold star?
Try Youtube, Search "VIOLIN FOR MUSICIANS - DVD"
Actually I just did a search. This guy is amazing: Eddy Chen At 16:15 he states exactly what I've discovered re: redistributing finger support on the fly. His upper-arm-parallel-to-the-bow is very clearly illustrated (near the end) - though I don't agree about sticking the elbow out I'll try it. I rarely watch a whole video through - I did watch this one.
edit: I should have guessed he's a member here!
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May 2, 2016 at 04:00 PM · I am not sure I understand this totally but if you want to bow with a flexible wrist and/or fingers, there's the time-honoured folk method of standing with your upper arm down to the elbow up against a wall while you're bowing. This forces a flexible movement and will soon become second nature.
It might help to give it a go anyway - but I'll be interested to read what the more expert violinists here suggest.
Best wishes,
Mollie