Violin Techniques - The Bow and the Bow Hand (Part 1)

Professor of Violin Julia Bushkova demonstrates and explains some very important parts of the Bow Hand technique:
Working with the physical properties of the bow,
"seesaw" 2:45
"hanging on the bow" 4:59
how much to hold 6:00
www.bushkova.com

[@deltafour1212]

I almost gave up learning to the play the violin until I found this video. I watched Master Bushkova 3 part series just on Violin Techniques - The Bow and the Bow Hand 20 plus times and counting. There are 1,000's of videos showing and telling you how to bow and grip the bow but not like this one. She breaks it down to the minute details so the beginner can understand. Skin Touch Method is what finally gave me have that "AHA" moment on how lightly you should be grasping the bow. By following her instructions, my pinkie naturally stays on the bow and doesn't fall off. I 'm FINALLY able to bow in a smooth, relaxed motion with no tension at all. The best part is, I don't have that "dying cat " sound anymore! :D Her instructional videos put all others to shame.

[@randomfrog1196]

And in turn, after finding this video and I was wondering if it would even help me (I have double jointed shoulder and my pinky bends straight/locks into place strangely which is a huge hinder) and upon seeing your comment, you also have just inspired me not to quit :-) My Pinky is the biggest problem. It locks in a straight position as soon as I put any weight/pressure on it. It won't straighten and bend without assistance from my other hand unlocking it when it's still under pressure. Thank you!

[@hamwhacker]

Meow 😻

[@ramonfw]

I'm amazed to see such a professional material for free on KZbin. Thank you very much!

[@soulmas520]

It confuses me that you only have 13k subs. This is gold.

[@deborahdey2003]

Not everybody knows the weight of the bow is held by pinkie ! LOL. You just taught me that . Thank you !! :)

[@alexsaldarriaga8318]

This is one of the best videos on right hand pedagogy for the violin I've ever seen on KZbin. It is completely consistent with what I teach my students. I will definitely be forwarding this to them! Thank you Ms. Bushkova. I hope you will come up with a video on the proper form and fundamentals of the left hand.

[@antonioromera8880]

Thank you very much Professor Bushkova. A really valuable explanations regarding right hand and now hold. Nice explained and well structured. A present to all of us who appreciated your videos so much. I hope you keep coming up with more videos.

[@pashmpoosh]

The skin touch method you explain is truly a pearl of wisdom. Thank you!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Glad it was helpful!

[@katsuki116]

My violin teacher taught me similar principles in the very first lesson, and this approach works very well.

[@bandaraelliyadda2174]

Thank you so much mrs , I'm a self learning beginner and I had lot of problems on bow hold ,I feel lot tension on hand , After this I find the way to do it natural,❤️💐

[@MajorTomMusic]

After watching tons of videos, I have finally found the one that actually *does* explain how the bow must be held. I mean this basic two finger principle. Спасибо вам огромное и привет из России! ))

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Рада помочь. Удачи!

[@carywatmore]

Once again I am amazed how simply this has been put forth. I wish I didn’t have to relearn it but am thankful that now I am beginning to know why my sound production is heavy handed. Thank you once again for a lovely video.

[@chriss6356]

She’s back! Yay!!

[@javadmombayni2523]

Great tutorial 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼

[@andeejager1753]

I am very encouraged by these videos and so EXCITED to be playing again. Thank you for posting these instructions and I look forward to more videos

[@sarabande6670]

Thank you so much for this video! I am trying to support my kid in learning the violin so i have been watching all sorts of videos and your lessons are some of the most well explained and helpful. Your videos are gold!

[@Louise-zs9rl]

its like we guide the bow. I had a straight thumb for just over 12 months as well as an issue with the way I was starting and ending notes. Notes on the G string sounded like roadworks! Then one day I moved my thumb in front of my middle finger and started to play continuously moving my thumb, and my playing has improved. I did not realise how important the thumb was until then.

[@caseymccray3861]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. This will highly improve the quality of my practice.

[@matthieuvankints3343]

Thank you for taking your time to make and post these video's, much appreciated! I was pointed towards your video's from a post on violinist forum and after 5 min I understood why.

[@rizgarkurd9959]

Im teacher ,kurdish ,love to learn from you ,ur way is very simple and easy ,lovely

[@ViolinStimme]

Excellent. Julia is the only violinist demonstrating bow technique who does a down bow change with the correct wrist action. All the ones I checked out do the down bow change with an up bow wrist!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Thank you, Roger.

[@TanTran-gn6hj]

I like the feeling of being in a college class watching your videos. Most other videos feel like I'm in a Suzuki class for 5th grader

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Thank you so much! Truly appreciated

[@ravisub4265]

As always, so very informative..thas for sharing your experience in a distilled manner

[@jasminefonssus2243]

This needs to be seen by more! So many videos just tell you the shape of hand, and say ‘no tension’, then they again tell you to lift the pinky and I am so confused about how to hold the bow with one hand without violin. Lol now I understand you only lift pinky on violin. That really solved my confusion. I can now go back and adjust as I now know the mechanism of bow hold. Thank u so much for the explanation!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I am glad you have finally found the right explanation.

[@serenatatv4825]

Hello! I love your videos! I hope that you are still making videos! thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

[@rayyoshida7963]

Really really good explanation. Thanks

[@patriciacorella-brackin872]

So needed this lesson! I've only been playing about a month but I've been struggling with my bow hold I've been watching video after video trying to figure out the bowl hold. It makes more sense than anything I've seen so far thank you!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

You're so welcome!

[@itsnlee]

I appreciate your videos, they are very insightful for a beginner like me.

[@philostreet781]

Excellent demonstration about the art and science of bow technique🙂

[@evaadams4243]

Just subscribed! thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!

[@solid_amouri307]

Excellent lesson

[@CMDREagle131]

Thank you so much for sharing this and going into how the hold should feel. I am new to violin, and have so far learned from different teachers on KZbin, but none of them have gone into such great and easy to digest detail as you have. I'd like to thank you so much for helping me figure out how to relieve my right hand death grip on my poor bow!!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I am glad that you finally found what works :)

[@philippadianethomas8436]

Brilliant teacher! Thank you. Px

[@MadhukarShivshankar]

Thank you madam.

[@sarcocytsi25]

Very good wish you all the best!!!

[@shpetimeballa5958]

Thank you 🙏 very much ❤️

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

@1:47 "...the weight of the bow is held by the pinky, which: everybodyknows... " Except me.... Your delivery of humor with a poker face, is even MORE funny then the simple fact! IMHO

[@BluegillGreg]

Thank you!

[@BDRHDG]

Terrific absolutely terrific wow you are such a good teacher thank you so much I bought my violin recently a couple of months ago with the bow did not know actually what to do with it I've never played the violin but you make it seem so interesting besides I love violin music I would love to play something thank you for your videos God bless you

[@jujuekviolin]

Thanks for your video

[@williamrobinson7435]

This makes the most sense of any of the videos on basic vln tech I have so far seen. Anyone out there ever heard of Galamian Technique? The Point Test? The Riccochet Exercises? It's 2021, Babies!!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Thank you for your comment. Galamian's technique principles came mostly from Konstantin Mostras, his main teacher in Moscow who was very big on exactly that type of technique. Those who are familiar with the 'modern' Russian school (early XX century and up) are certainly acquainted with what here we know by the Galamian technique. I am not sure what the Point Test is. Ricochet uses one "c" :)

[@williamrobinson7435]

@@ViolinClassUSA Thank you. The Point Test is an exercise used to determine the ideal violin angle for the length of a particular student's arm. The Ricochet exercises are a series of exercises which turn the natural bounce of the bow, gradually & by degrees into a smooth and connected legato, thereby informing every type of spiccato. Thanx 4 spelling correction..but mea non culpa.. It was an intervention by my phone! 🤣

[@jo-yk3iu]

Big thanks ♥️♥️♥️

[@erikhn9331]

Very fine video indeed! Same class/level of clear instructions and explanations as the old Menuhin tutorials (UK/BBC production from the 60’s, I think). Thank you for the word skin touch 👍One of my teachers said, that the bow is not held by the hand but it lies in the hand 😉

[@lesleychamberlain9568]

Very informative

[@brendachatterjee1758]

Your explanation has helped me so , so much . I wish that I had seen this when you first made this video. It would be good if you could do another on holding the violin. Tension happens without intent and relaxing is so difficult . Tension seems to build all on its own especially when one is trying to improve. Thank you very much indeed. Bren

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Have you checked the videos on the basics of the Left hand? I speak about holding the violin there and also in the shoulder rest video

[@Yokeniku]

It's hard to call it quits if as a beginner you bought a relatively expensive violin. But if so, one must be really frustrated to call it quits. I feel that kind of struggle. This video really helped! Thank you!

[@NicoloP3419]

bravo

[@nikirose4992]

Helped a lot thank you!!!!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

You're welcome!

[@SunilAruldas]

Thanks

[@ViolinClassUSA]

thank you

[@brendachatterjee1758]

Looking forward to bow techniques part 2

[@ViolinClassUSA]

One beat of the metronome contains either two (duplets) or three (triplets) motions of the wrist. There should not be any problems transitioning to triplets Physically as you keep the hand motion exactly the same. It looks like you are having (or have had, by now) some trouble understanding how you need to MOVE THE BEATS so that they contain three oscillations (for triplets) and not just two (in duplets).

[@vaggelispantazidis3737]

your videos are amazing i want to ask if its possible to make a video about the thumb position.. because no one explain it thank you

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Watch my video "Answering your questions" from 2018. I am showing it there.

[@albertovieira588]

Congratulations for the work ! I'd like to know if these techniques work for viola students too.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Yes, of course. Most of violin techniques work great on viola (and some even on cello)

[@traditionalirishmusic9550]

Is there a video on putting weight into the bow, I have heard that it dramatically improves tone, but can’t find anything about it, thanks for taking the time to do these videos.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

One cannot put any weight into the bow - if you want to have more weight, you can just take a heavier bow. People use this catchy word (weight) very indiscriminately.

[@Poreckylife]

Did you mean actual physical weight or did you mean bow pressure?

[@cascanicoff5763]

My little daughter is have some problems with her bow hold, it is her biggest weakness on the viola (far outstreched pinky, tension in the grip, etc). I hope this video can help us fix it. Thanks, Julia (Ms. Bushkova)

[@ViolinClassUSA]

You are welcome. Make sure your daughter's bow is as light as possible. Meanwhile, she should hold the bow aways from the frog

[@rizgarkurd9959]

U great

[@samersyouri7864]

Will you please make a lesson about how to get ride of bow scratches and squeak

[@ViolinClassUSA]

The causes for those things are very many... too many to address in one video

[@hoanhtai454]

Hello. Thank you so much for these exercises, they're really helpful for a beginner like me. I'd like to ask: when all the fingers are on the bow moving up and down, should the thumb remain round and fixed in place, or does it move along with the others? Thanks (and sorry if it is a dumb question).

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Hi, no question is a dumb question. The thumb is a fulcrum, so it does not "move" per se, but it still, of course, rotates from the left to right and back.

[@hoanhtai454]

@@ViolinClassUSA thank you so much :) As an adult selft-taught learner, all your videos help me a lot

[@PeterRauer]

Is it normal for professional violinists to hear this noise (or harmonics) when shifting? Thank you. I love Julia's videos

[@ViolinClassUSA]

No, not for professionals :) By professional level, our shifts are much faster so that there is no noise at all. But since I am explaining the basics here (mostly), I do want the students to hear the surface noise rather than the 'siren' noise.

[@rizgarkurd9959]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@lordofooo4386]

I was ready to call it quits, then I found this video!

[@rons-topic1067]

I am taking help from Simon Fischer book. It's helpful but it's hard to make out everything from book. But this video is helpful

[@ViolinClassUSA]

It is hard in general to "translate" printed instructions (from books) into physical understanding. That's why I do videos instead.

[@rons-topic1067]

@@ViolinClassUSA thank you so much for your effort. I am from India and here we don't have good classical music teachers just like the west. So we try ourselves by the help of your videos. Your videos helped me nearly upto 60 % in improving.. thanks a lot once again.

[@mariastankiewicz1480]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@dmitryklochkov810]

Are the pinky finger is supposed to go on a specific facet of the bow? If so, on which one? When you are holding the bow without a violin, it looks like your pinky goes to the top facet, but when with the violin, your bow is tilted towards the violin's scroll and it looks like that your pinky goes not to the top facet but to the one closer to you.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

That was a keen observation, good for you! If one plays with flat hair, the pinky is placed on top of the bow. If one holds and plays with the tilted bow (stick held at an angle to the string), the pinky is placed "behind" the other fingers' point of contact (i.e. not on the top "facets" of the octagon, but the one closer to the player's body).

[@michaelsoza4183]

first class

[@thundivalappil]

Hi Mam Would be great full if you can give a good insight on third, forth and six major/ minor in double stop. Also I have a doubt on double stop notes on same string note. Example G, F and A are in double note. I do I opt different strings to make double stop.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I already have videos on double stops. And yes, on any string instruments a double-stop can be played only on two strings, never on one.

[@thundivalappil]

@@ViolinClassUSA Thanks a lot

[@ViolinClassUSA]

6:57

[@jaberhamzehpour7486]

Hello Julia Would you kindly tell me why my bow vibrates during down bowing ? I appreciate your answer.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Thank you for your comment. For any in-depth questions, please use the channel's email provided in the description of the latest video.

[@xiaoleideng]

I tried the demonstration on D/G string at 2:00. My bow is moving towards the side of G string unless my thumb is pushing downwards at the hair. Is this intended or am I doing something wrong?

[@ViolinClassUSA]

What you are doing with your thumb is correct. The thumb counteracts the weight of the bow produced by gravity

[@sasssssa6565]

Sometimes my bow fall down , so I think I must put most pressure on my bow grip. I don't know what I'm supposed to do ! If someone have some tips for me that will be very kind

[@evlx1240]

le mental c la vie hold it as the mrs bush kova said and hold it with force on the violin and if it makes a screeching sound then hold it lighter. I’m not really good at explaining since I’m a student but hope this helps you!

[@humanbeing1429]

While teaching beginners, they find it difficult to grasp this concept. Do we start teaching them this technique right from the start or wait sometime?

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Do you mean, holding the bow with the pinky? There are many aspects to look at when you look at a beginner. Is it a child or an adult, how muscular they are, how heavy their bow is, and much more. I would not have any beginner try to hold the bow with just the pinky *at the frog*. But more toward the middle of the bow - yes. You many want to see my Violin Basics (Bow hand 1 and 2).

[@stringpriest]

What if the pinky is slipping off the bow???

[@ViolinClassUSA]

In which part of the bow?

[@Helz777]

OK. I can do this. Starting violin. I no longer care how old I am or how short my pinky is....

[@rizgarkurd9959]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@rizgarkurd9959]

Hello

[@qrst2008]

1:51

[@jaykishanmehta3929]

I want in hindi

[@kimseniorb]

I sense a russian accent there

[@alforliniteaching5670]

:-) :-)

[@joselinraj156]

Where r u from mam your beautiful

[@annajeehee]

You need to address the thumb cause a lot of people do it wrong

[@MajorTomMusic]

No need to if you actually watched this video. Once you get the concept of holding the bow with two fingers (thumb and pinky), you won't ever hold it the wrong way, otherwise you drop it.

[@mikegemini9503]

No way! Ничё-си!