How to Smooth Out that Bow
A couple days ago I mentioned having made my debut as a unicycling violinist. For the event I’d worked out my own arrangement of ‘Jingle Bells’ – complete with harmonies and counterpoint all the way through.
Yet during the event I found myself connecting more with the audience when I simply played the ‘Greensleeves’ melody, without adornment – I did manage a little choreography as I ‘strolled’.
The point is, while fast, complex music can surely impress, it is one’s Adagio playing that most directly reaches the hearts of an audience.
A few times I got the feeling that people were so into the beauty of what they were hearing that they momentarily ‘forgot’ that I was riding a unicycle in front of them.
In any case, I just received a couple emails asking about the most important aspect of adagio playing. Namely, how to draw a smooth, beautiful tone.
You’ve heard me say many times that violin playing is a horizontal game. And this is very true. To a great extent the more conscious you are of moving your right hand and arm through space in one plane of motion the more successful you will be at drawing the pure tone you want.
Along the way it is important to remember that the wrist flexes forward at the frog and does not rise up like a cork bobbing to the surface of a pond.
Equally important is the quality of one’s breathing. Got to breathe from the belly so those shoulders stay relaxed and down.
Now, I recognize that some folks have a greater challenge achieving the fine motor control necessary for smooth bowing than others. Nervousness can produce the same loss of control even amongst the normally steady of hand.
When I find myself in this condition – it can happen to anybody – I will do two things. I will go back and forth between drawing the bow as slowly as I can, whilst breathing and consciously directing myself to relax, and drawing fast, vigorous full bows.
The former is a form of meditation, the latter a way to increase blood flow, warm up muscles, and dump adrenaline. Again, while I do both I am breathing from my belly and Consciously moving the bow in one two-dimensional plane – the wrist flexes forward at the frog, not up. Ridding myself of the ‘shaky bow syndrome’ can take half an hour or so. Sometimes more.
If you are challenged this way you must tell yourself three things.
One, my body is fully relaxed. Two, I am in control of my own body. And three, I will not give up.
All the best,
Clayton Haslop
P.S. Now, if you would like some more insight and help into the mastery of the bow arm as a beginner player I believe you could do yourself no greater favor than invest in my Beginners Circle which is currently on Special along with every other course and program I have produced. But you’d better hurry over Right Now to take advantage of this great deal.
