BOWING WORLDS20 :: StringQuest

The thumb acts as a hinge and supports bow-motion adjustments.

Task Detail: THUMB HINGE

A hinge is a flexible joining piece that allows the rotation and pivoting of a part, a door, for example.

The thumb’s range of motion includes the action of bending just like a door hinge.

The last segment of the thumb functions as a hinge, by flexing and extending, as the bow is drawn across the strings.

Change of bow-direction motions requires the ability to perform flexible bow-hand rotation and angle adjustment so that you can change smoothly from down-bow to up-bow.

When the thumb hinge is not free to move, it causes the thumb joints to lock. The unfortunate result will be a chain reaction of locking, continuing to the wrist and the bow-arm. In addition, the other fingers on your bow-hand will become rigid and have extremely limited flexibility. You must keep the thumb flexible while securing a strong, controlled, loose, tactile sense.

The thumb hinge begins in a curved position and then straightens slightly while performing the motions of the down-bow. The thumb hinge returns to the original position when changing to the up-bow.

Keep the thumb hinge loose, flexible, anchored and springy.

The Thumb Functions as a Bow-Hand Hinge.

Introducing the Bow Parts of the Bow     The Stick Horse-Hair The Tip The Frog The Winding How the Bow Works

Rosin Preparing to Hold the Bow Stick Training Exercises Bowing Terminology    Down-Bow     Up-Bow

Bow-Hand Set-Up   Finger Tasks and Functions The Thumb Meet ARC Finger Segments The Index-Finger

Bow-Hand Pronation   The Center-Finger and Ring-Finger Bow-Hand Fulcrum Ring-Finger Propulsion Bass Bows

Pinky Bow-Tasks ‘Casting’ the Bow-Hand   Bow-Wrist Tasks   Rotational Inertia   Arco   Clay Smile Exercise   Meet ANGLE

The Bow-Arm Box The Shoulder Arc Bow Contact-Point     String Lanes Bow-Segment Mastery Bowing Exercises

Finding the Bow Contact-Point “Painting With Sound” Bowing Exercises Menu Bow Taps Bowing Traditions

Perform Down-Bows     Perform Up-Bows The Art of the Bow-Change Articulations Staccato     Legato

Mastery Checkpoint One Building Bow Control Bow Speed and Bow-Arm Motion Bow Planning and Distribution

Slow Moving Bow Strokes Individual Bow Segments Traveling the Bow Bowing Dynamics Mastery Checkpoint Two

Advanced Techniques Slurs and Articulations Slur Training Locating the Bow’s Balance Point Ricochet and Spiccato

Exploring Ricochet Ricochet Control Spiccato Training Spiccato Control Spiccato Brush Strokes

Multiple String Crossings Virtuosic Bow Strokes Arpeggio Bowing “Flying” Staccato Mastery Checkpoint Three

SCROLL’s List of Bow Strokes