Violin Lessons
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
April 29, 2008 8:47pm CST
So now that I'm finally taking some music lessons again, I was thinking about something today. The professor corrected my bowing hand a bit (I tend to hold the violin bow more like a cello bow he says, which is odd because I never played cello). So I was thinking about how as a kid, I would have probably been upset and just kept going on as I have. But now I just was happy and corrected it because I took lessons to learn, so even.
Do you find that you take constructive criticism in lessons easily? Or do you want to debate it? Are you in lessons to learn, or you doubt your instructor?
2 people like this
1 response
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
30 Apr 08
I never held my bow the "correct" way. And I would have just stopped playing out of frustration if my teacher had told me I was holding my bow incorrectly. I would want to know why my way isn't correct and if I didn't agree I would have either quit playing or just quit that teacher.I am that way with everything. There are three ways to do everything,the right way, the wrong way, and my way.And I will choose my way every time.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
3 May 08
I just remembered that my teacher did try change the way I hold the bow but it didn't work. I put my thumb right in the "U" part of the bow. I remember my teacher saying the the men who played before couldn't fit their thumb there so I shouldn't. I didn't understand why I shouldn't and I still hold my bow the same way.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
12 May 08
I tried to correct my bowing and ending up with a new problem... my pinky now does the wrong thing. I can't win.
I think this might be like the kindergarten teacher and the pencil holding. To this day, no matter how many pencil holder correction things I tried, I cannot hold my pencil with 3 fingers. I always use four.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
12 May 08
I am convinced that there are three ways of doing things, the right way, the wrong way, and your own way.It is hard enough to hold a bow as it is. So as long as your thumb and middle finger and ring finger are together, you will be okay. Are you holding your bow any different than the way you held a bow for your viola? You shouldn't.You Have to be comfortable.I guess I have always did things my own way and just assumed that their way wasn't for me because I am lefthanded.So I would just do what was comfortable. Check out this picture I found. it is almost the way I naturally hold my bow. I was Modern when modern wasn't cool.
