@stringy , @JohnG -

Hope one of these tutorials is helpful. 😊

I believe ALL fingers are necessary for the most control - each finger plays a role. 

Unless you have a physical reason preventing it, I think we should FIRST learn to use ALL fingers.   

Since peoples hands are different, watch as many tutorials as possible - see what important points they have in common. 

I have shared many videos on this subject and I always recommend the FIDDLERMAN TUTORIALS, first.  He stresses the advantage of keeping the fingers closer together, just don't keep fingers straight - the tutorial for VIOLA is the same as the current Violin tutorial.

Here's a great older tutorial by Fiddlerman! 

Also, I feel this 'back-to-basics' video, by Karthick Iyer, can be very helpful for some people. 

Here is a 'right-to-the-point' video on common problems AND solutions (at String Technique). 

My grip problems - stemmed from my thumb slipping & hand migrating up the stick (well past my 1st year) - caused be all sorts of issues when I tried to compensate.  I locked my thumb joint & stiffened my little finger, causing unwanted tension.

Turned out, the cushion pad on my bow sticks weren't thick enough and some were just too far away from the frog for me. 

Here's a good video that addresses this problem (Red Dessert Violin). 

There are MANY video tutorials on YouTube that show how each finger is used in different types of bowing - and also exercises to strengthen fingers. 

If you still have problems after you've developed good flexibility & some strength - then, maybe it's time to suspect the bow as the cause.

@stringy -

You are not the only one on the forum who has expressed they want a light bow hold and end up using maybe only a few fingers. 

I don't believe there's anything preventing you from having a light grip while using all your fingers. 

My expectations for my playing started pretty low, but I believe I'll prevent myself from ever discovering all possible nuances of bowing, how all my fingers can work together - if they aren't even touching the bow most of the time. 

If you want to try to make it easier to keep your little finger touching the bow, maybe start by checking to see if both of your 2 middle fingers are placed far enough down the side of the frog for your hand shape.

Lately, I've been watching some of Daniel Kurganov's exercises and find them beneficial.  I like his bowing, so out of curiosity I looked at this video on his grip - amazingly, his thumb doesn't touch the frog, but all fingers are used! 

So, you may find something like this works better for you. 

I also don't think there's anything wrong with using bow grip aides to help train our hand while we are concentrating on the many other issues of playing.  Or, if something can be added to our bow to just make it easier for us to use (life is short). 

Bow Grip Help for Cello Viola and Violin Thread

Now, I was wondering about violinists who started with guitar or other strummed/plucked instrument and how finger habits that are used for them might effect bow grip or bowing.  Which fingers become dominant?  Is the thumb held different?

What about the finger pads of your right hand - hardened at all, or callused? 

The frog has a slightly concave shape for the middle 2 fingers, but I believe part of the feeling of security, with holding the bow (besides balance), comes from natural skin plasticity & moisture against the side of the frog and stick. 

Seems to me that dry or hardened finger pads might not allow good contact and might hinder the possibility of a good, relaxed grip - if you feel your fingers slipping.

This is always a great topic, because I'm pretty sure we all know that our left hand means NOTHING if we don't learn to use the bow... and where does that start?  

🤣 Gotta LOVE ingenuity!

- Emily