How to Play 'In the String' with Weight and without Tension

[@nazzjazz]

Wonderful insights. Your explanations are so clear and perceptive. The suggestions on how to apply this are golden, and I will use it everyday. Thank You!

[@violinlounge]

Wonderful 👍🏻☺️

[@bangmon1000]

Thanks for explain the weight concept. The importance of the inner string and relaxation. I plan on taking your work shop Weight vs Pressure when I retire.

[@vanessahill3596]

Thankyou Zlata, your tip of using "weight not pressure" has honestly made such a difference to my bowing!! Also the realization that the bow hold is not rigid but that the fingers need to bend and move with each stroke.

[@violinlounge]

Yay!

[@vanessahill3596]

@@violinlounge 😊

[@Zxouf873]

I'm progressing regarding bowing smoother with the weight of my arm, when i started playing I -of course- made a hella a lot of squeak so I thought it was because of pressing too much into the string and that was one of the issues, however i ended up barely touching strings making that hollow sound, founding that balance took time but it was worth it, Another point, was with the tension in my hands without being aware of it, and this is my current issue especially while being in class, after some thinking I found that my teacher is making me too tense because I'm not used to playing in front of anybody actually, so i started being more open to people around me, I don't close the windows or doors anymore, and i do take my practice mute sometimes daring to make the sound addable to others, engaging in this made me less tense, because i started getting used to being around people (though their just my family and teacher lol) I do have a tip regarding tension esp if it's physical, I shake and move my hands in circles before practicing and i always play scales and arpeggios before getting to the study piece, Great video, thank you for sharing

[@violinlounge]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm sure it will be insightful for others as well.

[@iceman1951]

Nice lesson!

[@DivaDeb1234]

My bowing is getting more relaxed every day. This video is a great reminder how to do this. *Make arm relaxed and heavy and transfer that into the bow* 😽

[@violinlounge]

Thanks for watching!

[@LennInTheVan]

The funny thing is that the relaxation part off the video is what helped me most. After watching this video I noticed that I was Tencing up always when I was practicing. This was because I was afraid what the neighbors would say... I tried to relax more and focus on the weight. It took a bit but it really worked out. It also helped with my bow hold - I was still tensing up in the bow hand and that’s why my fingers weren’t always curved. Still working on it but your tips are really good.

[@violinlounge]

Great insight! Body follows mind.

[@gmathesontenor]

Excellent!

[@violinlounge]

Glad you liked it!

[@ohtoriginalhimbeertoni]

Sounds good.. I will try! 😎

[@violinlounge]

OHT Original Himbeer Toni happy practicing!

[@ohtoriginalhimbeertoni]

@@violinlounge Thanks!

[@dominoplay3712]

Dear Zlata, I'm writing you in hope you will give me some good tips about bow tension. I have experienced some issues when playing, my first finger is raising up while playing, so i cant transfer weight into the bow, it getting to the point, when im trying to relax, my bow falls from my hand or quite opposite, when im trying to make a tone, the hand gets really frozen and cant seem to move in any direction. Please, if you can give me any tips or exercise example which i can use, i will be more then grateful since any of my teachers can seem to help me, except saying "just relax", which is easier to said than done. Thank you in advance, best, Lara

[@violinlounge]

DominO pLay You might want to focus more on relaxing your shoulder and arm instead of your hand. In between practicing, put your bow down and shake your arm and hand. To put weight into the bow, more your hand like you turn a key to the left, so it’s easier to lean on your index finger. For more information to play with weight, please watch my free workshop ‘Weight vs Pressure’. You can apply here: www.violinlounge.com/free-workshop

[@gregsanford3848]

Zlata please bump up the volume I have a very difficult time, thank you Gregory from outback Australia N.T

[@violinlounge]

This is an old video, I have a better mic now 😎

[@DivaDeb1234]

Yes I need to study bit more slowly. I will try make my arm heavy and relaxed.

[@violinlounge]

Great, let me know how that goes!

[@shupesmerga4694]

Dear Ms. Zlata, Thank you for making this video. It made me rethink of what i've read and tried to delve into a long time ago but eventually left the topic because i couldn't understand it clearly. I've read this before in Basic by Simon Fischer but i deemed it a crazy idea or just an abstract though to explain something but i never deemed you can play with your arm weight or using arm weight to drive the hair deeper into the string. I think i got what you're trying to say now but can i ask something just to clarify and confirm what i'm hearing from your video? Here i go... Using PRESSURE and WEIGHT achieves the same effect on the bow to the string right? IT bends the stick or closes the gap of the stick to the hair. I drives the bow deeper into the strings but the effect can be achieved in two ways. The two ways are: Pressure and Weight Using Pressure(index and thumb counter-motion) OR Weight(hanging your arm like a dead weight on the bow). Pressure - the work come from the index finger and thumb counter-motion which is really a heavy task for the index and thumb after playing an FF piece for an hour especially when one is not releasing the thumb consciously. My arm in this way feel floating and is only doing the job of string crossings and striking the bow. The push available feels limited since few finger muscles an only works as much as it could to give a Maximum Pressure can only be achieve using Maximum Work/Effort from few finger muscles. Weight - Letting you arm hang on the bow (but not too much like it's a dead arm right? because the weight of the entire arm is more than enough to crush the sound and obviously the arm can give WAY WAY MORE heavier weight more than what the INDEX and THUMB can give to the bow. It's like leaning your hand to the stick, in this way, my thumb is more relaxed yet my index is pushing the bow to the string but it doesn't require too much counter-pressure from the thumb. The banking or the hair is facing towards me but i can also do it the other way(hair facing out). The push available is tremendous that you don't have to use the ENTIRE weight of your arms since our entire arm is too much for the bow hair/string to handle and there a TONS of muscles working to achieve the effect on the string, because of this, the JOB is WIDELY distributed that the weight needed to the bow is given in a free manner or virtually without using precious resources, or as you say it, RELAXED and EFFORTLESS. By Using Weight, we could achieve Maximum Beautiful weight to the bow on the string but with almost no WEIGHT-GIVING job being done or again... Relaxed/effortlessly. Maximum pressure but Minimal Work/Effort given from multitude arm muscles but working in a small way that it feels like nothing. Still kinda awkward feel for me since i just recently experimented on it and discovered it or at least making a theory on my own after watching your video. It feels like it's still an uncontrollable weight-giving to the bow because i now have a lot of weight available and more muscle to facilitate the weight compare to Pressure-mode which is only just a few muscles from thumb and index finger. Did i get it right Ms.Zlata? Did i differentiate the two ways to deliver the bow to the string well? Thank you so much Ms. Zlata.

[@violinlounge]

Dear Nicola, Thanks for watching and reaching out to me. I will try to answer your questions in one go... Q: Using PRESSURE and WEIGHT achieves the same effect on the bow to the string right? IT bends the stick or closes the gap of the stick to the hair. I drives the bow deeper into the strings but the effect can be achieved in two ways. The two ways are: Pressure and Weight A: Nope, the sound effect is different. There happens something different, weight sounds better (fuller sound) than pressure (suffocates the sound). If you want all the details, you should follow my FREE workshop ‘Weight vs Pressure’, in which I explain and demonstrate: violinlounge.com/services/free-workshop/ Q: Using Pressure(index and thumb counter-motion) OR Weight(hanging your arm like a dead weight on the bow). A: Nope, weight is definitely not dead weight and you still have the counter motion (index, thumb, pinky) you describe in pressure. Q: Pressure - the work come from the index finger and thumb counter-motion which is really a heavy task for the index and thumb after playing an FF piece for an hour especially when one is not releasing the thumb consciously. A: Nope, there are also ways to put pressure from your arm into the string. Q: Weight - Letting you arm hang on the bow (but not too much like it's a dead arm right? because the weight of the entire arm is more than enough to crush the sound and obviously the arm can give WAY WAY MORE heavier weight more than what the INDEX and THUMB can give to the bow. A: Yes, you use your arm when playing with weight for the weight, but your fingers are doing most of the action actually. You transfer the weight of your arm through your index finger into the bow. Q: By Using Weight, we could achieve Maximum Beautiful weight to the bow on the string but with almost no WEIGHT-GIVING job being done or again... Relaxed/effortlessly. A: Exactly, this effects is also hearable in the sound you make. Q: Maximum pressure but Minimal Work/Effort given from multitude arm muscles but working in a small way that it feels like nothing. A: Exactly! Did i get it right Ms.Zlata? Did i differentiate the two ways to deliver the bow to the string well? Yes and no... you got some things absolutely right and some things are (in my opinion and vision) a little different. I strongly recommend en warmly invite you to follow my FREE workshop ‘Weight vs Pressure’, in which I explain and demonstrate everything and much more stated above: violinlounge.com/services/free-workshop/ You will receive a half an hour workshop you can follow anything and anywhere you like and a 44 page workshop binder you can use as a reference for years. I’m sure this will be worth your time and energy. Best regards, Zlata

[@shupesmerga4694]

Zlata Brouwer Thanks a lot for giving the time to answer my questions Ms. Zlata. I see a lot of reworking to do with my playing. Again, Thanks a lot. :D

[@violinlounge]

Happy to help! Just reach out to me if you have questions.

[@shupesmerga4694]

Zlata Brouwer Hi again Ms.Zlata. I seem cannot re-watch your workshop video. I haven't finished it the last time but now whenever i try to watch it again and subscribe again to your videos. I can't find or the video or link doesn't seem to show up or am i just missing that link somewhere. I can't find the link to the video for the "subscribed" users and nothing shows up in my email as well. Thanks.

[@violinlounge]

Hi Nicola nilo martino, Please send an e-mail to [e-mail] with your request. I will send you a reply with the log in details. Thanks, Zlata

[@shupesmerga4694]

Hi Ms. Zlata, Can i still use the weight of my arm even at the tip of the bow? Seems like the rotation of my forearm resulting to pronation of my hand thus giving weight to the index is doing the work at the tip rather than the index and thumb only. Is that right?

[@violinlounge]

Hi Nicola, Yup, you can use weight on every place of the bow. When you bow at the tip, your hand will be pronated (hope I translate correctly from Dutch) and the weight of your arm will be transferred trough the index finger to your bow. At the tip there is a lot of activity on the index finger and going to the frog the pinky will slowly take over the work. Hope this helps you! Thanks for watching! Best regards, Zlata

[@shupesmerga4694]

Oh yeah! I'm so happy to be on the right track :D I just found a pianist friend and we've been doing Suzuki Book 4 lately like Vivaldi and Seitz and all my technical problems flushed out when i want more power and do more than what i can. It seems like my technique isn't yet capable of what i conceived in my mind so i will train myself again in straight bowing, a faster one where i can reach from one tip to another in a matter of 2 beats or less and together with it, tone production. Thanks again Ms.Zlata :D

[@violinlounge]

Seitz are nice concerto’s and of course you can learn a lot from them. Practicing together is more fun than practicing alone. Have fun with your piano accompanist!

[@ahmedsaleh5141]

The main concept you mention I guess is that whenever you focus too much on other things than being relaxed you forget and the tension build up again. I can't agree more ..... I always play much better if I am relaxed and doing it naturally not really thinking about it. I f I get nervous playing in front of people I feel I need to focus on every step I do and I end up building tension and sounding bad

[@violinlounge]

Yes, exactly, I've got a video coming up in February about bow shakes in performance. I'm sure you'll find it very useful.

[@ahmedsaleh5141]

@@violinlounge yes I would love to watch that thanks

[@violinlounge]

Ahmed Saleh stay tuned! (Pun)

[@davedonnie6425]

I was working on string crosses for around 20 minutes and felt some shoulder fatigue/pain. I can feel that the weight is transfeered to the string, but it still feels like my shoulder is very heavy and feels like a lot to move the elbow to a different string

[@violinlounge]

Try to keep your shoulder down. Also; a lot of (fast) string crossings back and forth are to be done with the wrist and fingers, not the shoulder

[@FTA-0]

My hands are slightly shaking all the time.. but still I want to play violin, but I can't play for a long time as I get tired and my arms hurt me after about 5 minutes.. so no much improvement but still fine :)

[@violinlounge]

Sounds like you are doing way too much work and have too much tension. I would like to offer you this free workshop about playing effortlessly. I’m sure some of the tips will help you. Check it out here: violinlounge.com/services/free-workshop/

[@FTA-0]

Zlata Brouwer Thank you very much.. it's a health problem..

[@violinlounge]

igiveup851 Very sorry for you to have a health problem that limits your violin playing. Try not to pull up your shoulders. This often causes a shake in your bow. All the best, Zlata

[@FTA-0]

Zlata Brouwer Thank you :)

[@aneeshal58]

❤❤