Violin Bowing

A series of images to help beginner violin students learn how to bow straight on the violin.
Designed to help younger children when first starting lessons.

Square Position

Place the middle of the bow on the A string half way between the end of the finger board and the bridge. The bow and the strings together should form a cross as shown on the left.

Keep your elbow square and your forearm level as shown below. Remember to hold the instrument up with your left hand holding the body of the violin.

Keep your shoulders back and the violin up. When sitting do not use the back of the chair to rest on rather sit forward and use the chair as if it were a stool.

The only difference in posture between standing and sitting should be the legs as shown. Remember to keep your back arched or curved when sitting and to sit up straight.

You are now ready to play your first note. Draw or pull the bow down across the A string. Try to keep the shape of the cross as best as you can.

Start closer to the frog of the bow and repeat this downward motion. Note how the bow hold changes slightly throughout the entire movement as illustrated by the images on this page. When happy with the result try going the other way.

Do not press down with the bow as this can lead to an unpleasant sound. The sound is drawn from the instrument and the movement of the bow across the strings.

Move back and forth between playing and rest positions regularly, stretching your left arm as it hangs beside you by make a downwards facing fist and turning it clockwise.

Now try bowing on the other strings. Raise your bow arm when playing on lower sounding strings and drop your arm when playing on higher sounding strings. Keep your elbow in line with the bow as shown in the images.

Do not turn or rotate the violin when playing on different strings, that would be wrong. Keep it at the same angle.

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