Volume One - Part 4: THE BOW

Preparatory tapes:
Use a middle tape. If the bow is too long, extend the forearm to find the student's tip and add a tape.

Pinky House:
This is a little nest for the right hand pinky that helps the student maintain a curved fourth finger. It is created out of tape and positioned above the button on the frog.

Parts of the Bow:
Frog, middle, tip, upper half, lower half, bow hair, button, and screw.

Loosen and tighten the bow with a student to show the proper tension.
Always loosen the hair before putting the bow away.
Rosin the bow before the first practice of the day.

When introducing the bow to the student for the first time, the teacher strives to have the student experience the feeling that the right arm is relaxed, can feel its own weight, yet it is supported. The student's right elbow should feel loose and heavy in the teacher's hand. With the teacher's help, the student learns to find the ideal balance.

Bow Hold:
Start the child out with the beginner bow hold--thumb on the underside of the frog. This is the best way to create a proper, relaxed, right hand position with the young violin student. (The student changes to the normal bow position at "O Come Little Children".)

Make a circle with the middle finger and the thumb, and then slide the thumb to the first joint of the middle finger. This becomes the basic shape of the bow hold.
Let the student's hand hang at the side of the body. The teacher then scoops the hand up with the fingers of the hand resting on a pencil. Shape the fingers keeping a circle between the thumb and middle finger.
Tap the first finger, the two middle fingers and the pinky. The bow hold must stay loose and flexible at all times.
Now take the bow and place the fingers on the bow. The pinky will rest over the button in its house. The thumb will be under the frog opposite the middle finger.
Place the bow on the left shoulder and tap the fingers

KEEP THE THUMB RELAXED AND FLEXIBLE

Bow Hold Games:
These games teach the student to maintain a proper bow hold in a variety of different positions.

Pinocchio -- place the frog on the nose so that bow is horizontal
Unicorn-- place the frog on top of the head
Space Shuttle--3, 2, 1 - blast off! -- go from the floor to as high as the student can reach
Windshield Wipers-- rotate the forearm in a windshield wiper motion (this is good for learning how to balance the pinky)
3, 2, 1 - Go! -- Have the student pick up the bow and place on the left shoulder with the correct bow hold as quickly as possible, and then tap the fingers.

Shoulder bowing and the first rhythms:
Hold a paper tube in the left hand; then put the bow in the tube. Angle the bow and tube over the left shoulder. This keeps the bow straight and the rosin off the clothes. Place the right hand on the bow and tap the index finger, two middle fingers and pinky to ensure that the hand position stays loose. (Tapping the fingers will continue for many months.) The teacher then assists the student in bowing the Twinkle rhythms--

Teachers should feel free to use the rhythm system that works best for them. The teacher helps guide the student's bow by isolating the use of the forearm. The student then tries bowing alone.

	Clip Title:	Pinky House
	Description:	Making a pinky house for the bow hand pinky finger
	Channel:	104
	Duration:	2'15"

	Clip Title:	The Bow
	Description:	Parts of the bow, care of the bow, bow hold
	Channel:	105
	Duration:	3'29"

	Clip Title:	Bow Hold Games (Group Lesson: Playing Together)
	Description:	Group lesson bow hold games: Pinocchio, Unicorn, Space Shuttle, Windshield Wipers, 3,2,1-Go, shoulder bowing and first rhythms, Kodaly rhythms
	Channel:	113
	Duration:	15'48"

*Tiri Tiri Ti Ti
Ti Ti bend Ti
Grasshopper
Mississippi is a River


Finger Markings	Initial Thumb Position	Perfect Bow Hold