how to hold a German bow from orchestra teacher Joe Dyvig

1. How to hold a German Bow
by Joe Dyvig, Olympia School District

2. Hold the bow in the left hand
at the tip. The hair facing
out, as if sitting on a table

3. Gently bend the thumb.
Prepare to set bow on the
contact point of the thumb
This is where on the
thumb the bow lands Note the
direction of
the curve of
the thumb!
Note the gentle,
natural curve of
the fingers.

4. Set bow on contact point of the
thumb where the stick and the
frog meet. Contact point of the
thumb acts as the table.
The bow is still in the same
flat position!
Where the thumb
lands on bow!

6. Slowly rotate
clockwise, from your
perspective, until the
thumb is pointing
straight down.
The index finger is
supporting the weight
of the bow at the first
knuckle.

7. Rotate back and forth slowly like a windshield wiper.
Transferring support between the index finger and
pinky

8. Lay middle two fingers across bow in a relaxed fashion.
Voila! You have a bow hold!
Make sure your fingers are gently curved
as you hold the bow

10. Relax
your right
hand
down at
your side

11. Raise your
right arm
parallel with
the floor.
Leave your
wrist and hand
relaxed in the
“zombie” hand
position

12. Hold the bow in
your left hand and
put the bow in
your right hand
while keeping your
fingers relaxed

13. The picky is gently curved and the side
of the tip is in contact with the ferrule.
The thumb is on top of the
stick, generally in-line with it.
Index and middle fingers are
together and remain curved. The
index finger touches the side of
the stick and the middle finger is
on the frog.
The relaxed ring finger rests in the mouth of
the frog, but does not contact it.