Bow hold slips

Edited: February 10, 2026, 5:26 PM · Depends. I assume you're not very experienced. I solved this problem two years ago, but can't remember how.
If you're a beginner, it may be that you are bowing too near the tip for sweeter tone. That will cause you to adjust for the longer reach. Learn to bow in the middle of the bow: and bow some scales with nothing but the thumb and the middle finger, using the weight of the bow for pressure into the string. This will make you realise how important the thumb is.

February 10, 2026, 6:06 PM · Perhaps you need to 'personalize' your bow. If it's newish maybe it hasn't yet been 'run in' to your hold: with time your RH should rough up the necessary spots so that you and the bow mesh better. If it happens with different bows your hand may be the problem. I'm sure somebody on this site can recommend something for slippery hands. I agree with Andrew that you should work on using the middle of the bow, but I'd also recommend using the full length.

February 10, 2026, 6:39 PM · Do you have a teacher? If not, you might want to consider getting one. This is precisely the sort of question that should be asked of a professional who can see you play and your technique. Good luck!

February 10, 2026, 8:15 PM · Herman, I agree with Tom. Having a good teacher makes all the difference in the world.

February 10, 2026, 8:23 PM · If your thumb is collapsing, it’s quite likely that you have it pushed too far through between the stick and the hair. It should sit on the stick next to the frog, on the very edge of your thumbnail.

February 10, 2026, 9:58 PM · Paradoxically, if you squeeze too hard, you are more likely to lose your grip.

February 11, 2026, 5:51 AM · I wonder if your bowing thumb is straight, when it should (according to the traditional wisdom), be bent so that the thumb's right side (if you are right-handed) near the top is touching the bow where the leather lapping and the frog meet, so that the thumb acts as a pivot to balance the bow. I think I might have explained this rather obscurely...

Edited: February 11, 2026, 10:14 AM · I wouldn't presume to advise someone who is a violin teacher on any matter of technique, as I am only an amateur. I have found, in my own case, that moving my thumb away from the "notch" area of the frog and directly onto the aptly-named "thumb leather" has given me a bow grip that is simultaneously more secure and more nimble, requiring less "grip" overall.

Edited: February 11, 2026, 11:04 AM · I still commit the error occasionally. I've just been running through Rachmaninov's Vocalise. I think what happens is, first the index finger slides away from the button in order to apply more pressure when playing at the tip; then the thumb, wrongly, follows it. That's one possible mechanism.
Once the hand is too far forward, it's easier for the thumb to move forward than for the hand to move back.
Another way it happens is if the violin isn't held horizontally enough. Then gravity assists the slippage.

February 11, 2026, 12:25 PM · If you must started having the problem, is your skin unusually dry? Low winter temps in the northern hemisphere lead to very dry skin, which can slip easily. Maybe very slightly moisten the tip of your right thumb? (Assuming we're not talking about a really fine now here)

When you say you are a teacher, I get that you dont want to be told ask your teacher, but how long have you been playing and teaching violin? We might have very different advice if you are 60 with 40 years of teaching and a professional playing background, vs if say you are an experienced guitarist who got serious about playing fiddle last year.

If you have been playing for decades and the never happened before, maybe see a doctor? Or did anything change in your equipment? New bow or replaced bow grip? Etc.

Absent more information I still vote for dry air.

February 11, 2026, 4:54 PM · @Herman - I would suggest having a colleague or other pro violinist watch and see what is happening. Since you are a teacher, that person would be best positioned to give you advice.

February 11, 2026, 5:34 PM · To elaborate on Cotton's point--I find this can happen with students when they are trying to "hold" the bow too much with the thumb, instead of directing the weight into/through the string. It might not feel fully like squeezing and I feel like even a fairly experienced player could slip into this accidentally. Usually in conjuction with a slightly funky angle; check if your hand is rotated back a bit so the weight is getting a tiny bit "stuck" rather than fully into the string. That added pressure, especially if dryness is also a factor, might be sufficient to cause the thumb to slip out.

February 12, 2026, 1:03 AM · Try Gorilla Snot, it's kinda nice