Video on Teaching the Use of the Whole Bow

Teaching foundational right-hand techniques includes:

  • Use of the whole bow
    • “Partial Bow Approach” (Suzuki)
    • “Half Bow Approach” (Applebaum)
    • “Whole Bow Approach” (Bornoff)
  • Drawing a whole bow that is straight/parallel to the fingerboard and the bridge 
    • Upper half of the bow right-arm/hand mechanics: moving forearm
    • Lower half of the bow right-arm/hand mechanics: moving the whole arm
    • Middle part of the bow-right arm/hand mechanics: combination of whole arm and forearm
    • The whole bow: bow tilts in the lower part of the bow
    • Role of fingers in changing bow direction
  • String crossing
    • Elbow movements between adjacent strings
    • Elbow movements among distant strings
  • Center and leverage balance
    • Center balance: bow held with the thumb and two middle fingers only
    • Leverage balance: bow held with the thumb, index and pinkie only
  • Six basic bow strokes with appropriate articulations
    • Simple detaché: moving bow in up- and down- directions with no stopping between the notes and now articulations 
    • Simple staccato: moving bow in up- and down- directions with abrupt stopping between the notes and now articulations  
    • Martelé: moving bow in up- and down- directions with abrupt stopping between the notes and with accented articulations 
    • Connected (simple legato): playing all notes under the slur within one bow direction with no stopping and no articulations
    • Hocked bowing (slurred staccato): playing all notes under the slur within one bow direction with abrupt stopping and no articulations
    • Portato: playing all notes under the slur within one bow direction with slight separations and tenuto articulation
  • Bow discipline
    • Bow division in two, four, and three equal parts (tape markings)
    • Transporting bowing: Crawling Bowing (when moving towards the lower part of the bow) and Zoro Bowing (when moving towards the upper part of the bow)
    • “Three Dynamics Lanes”
  • Right-hand pizzicato
    • With no bow in hand
    • With bow in hand
    • Basic principles of right-hand pizzicato:
      • Placing the finger before pulling the string
      • Pizzicato & vibrato

Desired outcomes:

  • Use of every part of the bow while maintaining the straight bow
  • Elbow movements when string crossings 
  • Sense of center and leverage balances
  • Six basic articulations
  • Bow division  and transporting bowing
  • “Three Lanes”
  • Right-hand pizzicato

Course handout:

Right Hand Pedagogy Course Handout