Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Dimitry Olevsky. Dimitry Olevsky is a Musician specializing in Violin based in Los Angeles, Callifornia. In addition to solo and chamber recitals, Dimitry performs with symphonic and operatic orchestras globally. As both a concert violinist and teacher, he uses traditional methods incorporated with disciplines and principles of Sports Psychology for musical advancement, emphasizing social, mental, and artistic performance. 90% of his students have been awarded the Certificate of Merit® (CM) by the Music Teachers’ Association of California® (MTAC). In addition to his private violin studio, he is on the faculty at the following institutions: the Colburn School, the Windward School, and Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences. Dimitry holds a Bachelor of Music from California State University of Long Beach, and a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He also holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from UC Santa Barbara under the tutelage of the renowned violinist Yuval Yaron. During his studies, Dimitry was the first violinist of the Young Artists String Quartet in residence, a Concerto Competition winner, and concertmaster of the UCSB Symphony.
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Playing music is delightful, most people who play music actually develop more intelligence. A violin is a very common instrument, which is in the string family. An orchestra is composed of many string players and half of those players or so play the violin. Playing with a bow or "arco" is very important. It is equally important to understand that you just do not play with a bow, you have to prepare it so you can play with it.
Steps
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Take your bow gently out of the case. A bow is just as fragile as it looks. Take care in handling your violin.
If your bow has a slight arch or is almost straight, that means your hair is too tight. Use the screw to tighten or loosen the bow hair. Be careful not to make it too tight or loose, see "Tips" for a method of checking if the tightness is good.[1]Advertisement
Spin the screw to the right to make the bow hair tighter.[2] If your hands are sweaty, wet, or it is just hard to spin the screw, try putting your shirt, or a piece of cloth over it. The process should be much easier.
Rosin the bow with the orange, green, or yellow piece of dried pine tree sap. This is called the "rosin."
Use the rosin and rub it onto the bow hair, up and down repeatedly, about 5 or 6 times. You are welcome to do more. Some do more than 20. See the effects of different amounts of rosin in the "Tips" section.[3]
Congratulations! You have prepared your bow and now it is time to play that wonderful music!
Community Q&A
- QuestionHow do I hold and use the bow?
Community AnswerPut your thumb in between the stick and the frog so that the cuticle is touching the frog, and have your pinkie rest on top of the stick. - QuestionHow can I tell whether the bow strings are too loose or too tight?
Community AnswerYou should be able to fit your pinkie in between the strings and the stick. - QuestionCan I touch the bow strings?
Community AnswerIt's a lot better if you don't, because human hands are oily and the oil may damage the bow strings. The strings are very delicate.
Video
Tips
- When you are done playing, gently wipe the wooden part of the bow with a cloth. This will remove the sticky rosin.[4]Thanks
- Be gentle with the bow, but play powerfully, if needed. You can do this by adding a little bit more pressure, or put more speed to it.Thanks
- "Righty tightly, lefty loosey." Remember this when you tighten the bow.Thanks
Warnings
- Do not poke or file the rosin too hard or too much, because doing so will break the rosin.Thanks
- Do not touch the bow hair, the oil on your skin coats the rosin, resulting in a small, gravelly sound.Thanks
- Never put the small tip of the bow on the ground. The tip is especially fragile, and can cause damage, if it is not used correctly.Thanks
- If the whole set of hair breaks, do not try to put it back together, get the company to fix it, or buy a new bow.Thanks
- If several of the bow hairs break off, make sure to rehair the bow. An uneven distribution of bow hair can cause uneven pulling on one side of the bow. If not fixed, this can cause the wood of the stick to warp.Thanks
- The rosin is sticky, so don't touch it.Thanks
- Do not swing the bow around or do anything that could cause damage to the bow and/or surrounding objects and people.Thanks
- If a hair breaks on the bow, snip it off as close as you can with a nail cutter or small scissors.[5]Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Rosin
- Instrument Bow
References
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