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Trouble bowing/Beginner
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Linda Ellis
Australia

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August 19, 2015 - 5:54 am
Member Since: August 16, 2015
Forum Posts: 3
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Hi guys, I've just started playing the violin and am working on my bowing technique. I'm having a lot of trouble bowing clearly from the D string to the G string then. I am finding that the G string is being accidentally played. I've tried to angle my bow to see if I can play clearly between the strings but still have trouble. violin-student

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
August 19, 2015 - 7:32 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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Your bowing arm can be considered a set of "hinges" - shoulder, elbow, wrist, even fingers.  I found that difficult as well to start with - and as described by other members on the forum, for the four strings, imagine the bow moving in four different planes.  The widest separation of the strings, both vertically and horizontally occurs close to the bridge, the gaps between them lessening as you move towards the fingerboard - I'm not suggesting "normal playing" close to the bridge, but it may be easier to separate the strings if you try that first.   Just as your fingers of the left hand get "accustomed" to where they should go for correct intonation, the muscles in your right arm, and all the "hinge points" involved will gradually "learn" where the four primary bowing planes are.   Of course, when you move on to INTENTIONALLY playing two strings at once (double stops or drones) you'll have seven different planes the bow needs to move in !

Other folks suggest "imagining a string between each string" - and for individual strings - that's the one to MISS, and for double stops, that's the one to hit !!!

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 19, 2015 - 7:34 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Try two things. If you are only hitting the G then drop your arm a tiny bit for the right angle. Secondly, don't play way too far from the bridge. The angle is tighter the closer you come to the fingerboard. Don't play too close either as you will require more pressure and a slower speed to get a good sound. For now, as a beginner, stay between the bridge and the fingerboard. :)

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but the one who needs the least."

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