The Best Bow Holds and Playing Positions of Gardner School students!

This week I have 3 practice recommendations:

1) Practice Bow Holds! The bow is held with the right hand (regardless of being "lefty" or "righty") The thumb is bent on the silver part of the bow's frog, the middle and ring finger hang over the frog, and the pinky is on top! 

2)Violinists can also practice playing position (see photos below- make sure that the violin is over their shoulder and not on their chest!) To get into playing position, have your violinist show you our "violin statue-" remind them by saying "out, upside down, on your head, over your shoulder" or click here to see how! or this video of violin statue (the first video)

 3) and practice our first rhythm: "Mississippi stop stop" on the E string. Make sure your violinist always starts with a down bow- bowing "down up down up down up." A good way to start learning this rhythm is to say "Mississippi" and they just play the "down up part," like this (the second video)