violin bowing problem.?

Question

I've played violin for a many years, but my INCORRECT way of bowing has always been bothering me. When i play up bow and down bow, my wrist is not loose and doesn't move up and down with the bowing. Also, my bowing hand tends to hold the bow more to the left, so i'm basically holding the stick instead of more toward the frog. When my hand tries to move more toward the frog of the bow, it'll eventually move back to my old habbit, or that my hand get loose of the bow that i can't control it.

I'm really desperate because my wrist hurts everytime after i practice.

So, please give any advise of ways to practice to change to the right way of bowing.

Answer 1

you should be holding the bow loosely but firmly.

there's an exercise called "baby clutch" that will help you loosen up your wrist and fingers so that when you play, it won't ache.

put down your violin.
hold the middle of the bow with your left hand, and put your right hand fingers in the bowhold.
with your left hand, move the bow up and down, right to left, in some rollercoaster movements. (you could ask someone else to do this) and during all this, your fingers should be almost "glued" to the frog. the feeling in your relaxed fingers during this exercise is what you should always feel while you're playing.

also, when you are playing near the frog, make sure your right hand is hanging from the wrist. and when you're playing towards the tip, your wrist should become parallel to your arm.

if you study violin privately, a violin teacher will most definitely help you with the bowing technique.

Answer 2

Do you pronate your hand? Meaning, your right-hand turns slight anti-clockwise so you see the back of you hand. Otherwise if your hand is angled parallel to the stick, your wrist of course can't move as much because it's moving sideways.

You may also be holding the bow too tight, there is one exercise my old teach sometimes used: reverse the bow and hold the tip instead of the frog and play open strings. Yes, not kidding, you'll feel a lot of weight on the bow and help you draw the bow without exerting your own force.

Answer 3

I used to have this exact problem! Hope I can help you...

This worked pretty well for me.

FIRST, DO SOME EXERCISES TO LOOSEN YOUR WRIST.
Let your hand hand loosely, so that there is a 90 degree angle from your arm to hand.
Then gently swing the hand from side to side for a few minutes.
Then lift your elbow as if you are playing and pretend to have your bow in your hand and practise loosely moving your hand up and down keeping your forearm and wrist as still as possible.
Also try holding a bottle of pills in your hand and shaking is slowly from side to side.

NOW TRY IT WITH THE BOW
Do these same exercises, with the tip of the bow resting on a table or a music stand.
Move your hand up and down, keeping a firm grip on the bow.

WHAT ALSO HELPS
Practise\play in front of a mirror and keep an eye on your hand and wrist.
Correct the position as soon as you notice the problem.
Start by playing slow, long bows, up and down on the A or E string, and moving your wrist so that it "pushes" the bow up and then for the down bow so that your elbow lifts a little and your wrist "pulls" the bow down again.

Also, keep your hand straight don't let your knuckles or wrist go up. And just try to relax, being stiff isn't going to help at all!

BEST OF LUCK! Really, I hope this helps.

Otherwise try doing a Google or Yahoo search on bowning techniques for violinists!

HAPPY PLAYING!

Answer 4

I would say to try to watch videos of violin performances and look at how the professionals have flexibility in their wrists. After you watch a lot, you can imitate a lot better. Also, practice waving up and down without your bow. Keep that motion and add your bow back. It's almost like a vibrato on the right hand if you have good flexibility. Ask your teacher for help. He/she would help you correct it and offer good advice
Good luck

Answer 5

try rotating your wrist before you play/practice
and if you put some rosin on your thumb, it'll tend to stay by the frog
also, if you put your shoulder[right]against a wall and practice, it'll improve your loose elbow and your problem with moving the bow to your left.

Answer 6

Practice makes does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Practice the correct way of bowing until it becomes the NEW habit. It may take a while, but it'll be worth it in the long run. Good luck.