Preparatory BOW Exercises

October 3, 2006 at 5:35 pm | In Bow Hold, Posture | Leave a Comment

Relaxation is the Key!
Remember, movement and flexibility will help eliminate rigidity and tension.

Without the bow:

1. Make a fist. Squeeze! Relax.

2. Straighten the fingers. Tense! Relax.

3. Form the “Bow Circle”
Tip of thumb meets the first joint of middle finger
Thumb and middle finger form a circle
All fingers curved and relaxed
Wrist and forearm straight, not bent

4. Pencil Bow Hold
Form the bow circle, then gently insert a pencil
Hand and fingers will form a 45º angle to the pencil
Thumb will be perpendicular, a “T” to the bow stick
Lightly tap the pinky. Pinky rests just inside.

1. Upside Down!
2.Right side up!
TIP: First, start with a pencil. Then, beginners may hold the bow 1/3 of the way up. This makes the bow feel lighter!

Posture

September 22, 2006 at 9:09 pm | In Posture | Leave a Comment

POSTURE

The key to great posture is balance. When forming your posture, do not go to the extreme. A rigid militant stance isn’t any better than a slumped one. Good posture is a perfect balance of the weight centered over the spine. It is so very important that several methods have been developed to train musicians and others in the art of healthy playing and posture.

Breathing is an important part of playing that may be easily forgotten. Breathe as you would with any exercise; breathing helps tremendously with posture and relaxation.

Remember, each person’s body differs. Instead of trying to emulate a visual image of the correct posture, address the points below kinesthetically. In other words, learn how a good posture feels. Don’t be afraid to move as you play. Movement releases tension. Free movement, rather than a statue-like stance, not only helps you to relax, it will enable a more expressive performance.

1. The weight is balanced over the feet. (Don’t lean on the toes, insteps, heels or balls of the feet!)
2. The head is balanced over the spine. (Don’t let head fall forward, back or tilt to either side!)
3. The spine is NOT twisted to the side.
4. Shoulders should be as squared as the body allows, BUT must also remain relaxed.

Here are some links to QuickTime video to help you with posture, provided by
violinmasterclass.com:

Feet, Torso and Shoulders

Straight Bow Geometry: Triangle, Square, Triangle

Use these demonstrations as a guide.

Video Credits: Violin Master Class is underwritten by the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation in support of the teaching and performance of the classical violin. The Starling Project Foundation, Inc., the host of violinmasterclass.com, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Access to this site is free of charge.

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