How To Set Your Bow Free

Many years ago I felt the need to ‘free up’ my bow arm. What I did was as simple as it was effective. Here’s what you do.

After you’ve warmed up on a scale for a few minutes begin playing the scale with separate bows. Begin at, say, 120 ppm with each beat getting a full bow. If you can’t control the bow at this tempo – it moves wildly between the bridge and fingerboard – find the tempo that’s right for you.

Now, once you have a tempo you can play the scale with separate, full bows tip to frog while staying relaxed, gradually increase the tempo.

Remember, the shoulder must be relaxed and down; the elbow joint fully relaxed; the wrist fully relaxed. What you will focus on is moving the hand up and down in a straight, horizontal line.

Perhaps first you want to use a two-octave scale and remain in first position. Once your pumping up and down quickly, and staying in control, move to a three octave scale. Then add arpeggios.

If you really think you’re hot, try doing it in harmonics – the contact with the string is much more ‘slippery’.

Do this for 5 minutes, several days in a row, and you will have yourself a much freer bow arm, guaranteed.

But remember this, you must stay relaxed, move the bow Horizontally, and use minimal – if any – finger movements.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The above is just one of many, many techniques I have to liberate your playing. For a plethora of effective, there is not a more comprehensive DVD course available than ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery”.