Create Right-hand Finger Flexibility in 5 Steps
Break through the fear of dropping the bow and maintain control with ease
The Problem
Lack of confidence and tension in the right hand is impeding bowing ability.
The Solution
For a smooth ride and good handling, a vehicle must have good shocks. Similarly, for beautiful tone and a variety of bowing articulations, flexible bow-hand fingers are needed to refine the large movements of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. This ensures that just the right amount and quality of energy engages the string. Flexible fingers are natural but, for many players, anxiety about the bow hold and bowing creates tension and stiffness. The following tips will help you get your vehicle in top form.
5 Easy Steps
1. Realize Your Natural Mechanics
Relax your right arm at your side. Keeping your fingers loose and wrist floppy, bend at the elbow and bring your wrist up to shoulder height as though you are about to play a down bow(Fig. 1). Notice how your fingers are naturally curved in this position. Now energetically move your hand out and away from you as though tossing a cloth to the floor. As you practice this imaginary down bow keep your hand soft and, just as if you were really throwing something, initiate from your shoulder. Notice how your fingers lengthen slightly as your arm moves away from you (Fig. 2). Now, as if you are picking up a ball of feathers, sweep your hand back to its starting place near your shoulder. The fingers are again curved. Continue to practice these movements until the motion feels completely free and natural.
2. Explore the Balance Principles
A fear of dropping the bow can create stiff bow fingers. The thumb and instrument can much more effectively hold the bow up against gravity, leaving the fingers free to flex. Rest the upper half of your bow on a lower string. Bend your right thumb enough to allow the area below the thumb nail to rest lightly against the hair. When you feel you have a good thumb-tip shelf, try carefully releasing your top fingers and balance your bow on just your instrument and thumb (Fig. 3). Adjust your thumb as necessary. To get the best balance your forearm will naturally rotate inward. Maintaining balance, lightly lower your four fingers to the stick, the first three over, the pinkie tip on top—a light, relaxed bow hold! Balance your bow on various strings, lifting and lowering the fingers to make sure they remain light.
3. Make the Connections
To help connect the balance principles and your natural mechanics, practice bowing smoothly on open strings. Try both long bows and short bows. Keep your fingers light but maintain their placement. No longer gripping the bow, they are free to explore their natural flexibility, lengthening on the down bows, curling on the up bows.
4. Develop ‘Active’ Fingers
While this “passive” finger motion is always desirable, active finger motion is necessary for specific bowing articulations such as the martelé and collé. Without the bow, find a relaxed bow hold, fingers naturally curled with the tip of the thumb creating a circle with the first joint of the middle finger (Fig. 4). Lengthen your fingers out (Fig. 5) and let them spring back. Now you have active fingers.
5. Try This Exercise
Rest the bow on the A string near the frog, fingers curled, bow weight into the pinky (Fig. 6). Lengthen the fingers down and away from your palm for a tiny down bow (Fig. 7). Curl your fingers back in for a small up bow. Finger push-ups! Now you’re ready for more advanced strokes.
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