Hand gradually moves off frog towards tip

[BassBot]

I've had this problem with my French bowing recently. As I'm playing, my hand tends to gradually slip and move towards the tip. I even use a rubber grip. The three fingers on the frog tend to slide towards the tip and push the index finger until it comes off the grip. It causes me to have regrip the bow on the fly. Perhaps the momentum of my wrist motion gradually pulls the fingers with it. These fingers are not gripping, but just laid gently on the frog.

It sounds like a stupid problem. But it's been bugging me and my teacher doesn't seem to have an answer. He claims my technique is fine. Is it normal to have to regrip the bow while playing? Is there something technique-wise that could counter this problem?

[jfv]

This happens to me too, heck its a better problem
to have than cramped fingers from squeezing too
hard on the bow

What my teacher told me is, when you notice the
hold has slipped from the correct position, stop,
reset hold, go on...

I'm told over time the problem goes away, I
dont think its happening to me as much any
more either.

Practice practice

[BassBot]

Yeah, that's probably true. I'v only been playing seriously with the bow for a little over a year. Thanks!

[Jeff Moote]

Originally Posted by jfv

This happens to me too, heck its a better problem
to have than cramped fingers from squeezing too
hard on the bow

That's for sure. I came from having that problem to a relaxed hold with my latest teacher, but we had to work really hard to get me to relax (my whole body actually - I guess I'm a pretty intense person!)

[thedbassist]

Originally Posted by BassBot

I've had this problem with my French bowing recently. As I'm playing, my hand tends to gradually slip and move towards the tip. I even use a rubber grip. The three fingers on the frog tend to slide towards the tip and push the index finger until it comes off the grip. It causes me to have regrip the bow on the fly. Perhaps the momentum of my wrist motion gradually pulls the fingers with it. These fingers are not gripping, but just laid gently on the frog.

It sounds like a stupid problem. But it's been bugging me and my teacher doesn't seem to have an answer. He claims my technique is fine. Is it normal to have to regrip the bow while playing? Is there something technique-wise that could counter this problem?

Where do you place your thumb while holding the bow?

[BassBot]

My thumb is bent and resting between the frog and stick. I assume the angle of the thumb to the stick/bow is different for alot of people depending on your hand anatomy.

As I was practicing last night, I noticed that my wrist motion on an up-bow sometimes causes my whole hand to tilt towards the tip. Then, the fingers on the frog tend to move off the frog and become even more tilted. In other words, if the bow is the x-axis, my fingers start pretty much parallel to the y-axis. Then, after an up-bow, they end up a 20 degree angle to the y-axis (i.e. my fingertips are pointed down AND back a bit). When you move your wrist back and forth for down and up bows, respectively, do you keep your fingers and thumb in the same position or do they tilt a bit as well? It's hard to keep them still when they are so relaxed and not grounded to the frog (i.e. gripping the frog).

[thedbassist]

Ideally, your thumb should have no dependence on the frog of the bow. I place my thumb on the side of the frog, and have not experienced and slipping of the bow or my hand moving, although I use to have to regrip when my teacher didn't correct me on my bad bow technique(I have since moved onto a professional bass player for a teacher and he has greatly helped with my bowing technique and bow hold). Also, a good idea would be to play in front of the mirror to see what you're possibly doing wrong so you can fix it and become better for it.

Originally Posted by BassBot

My thumb is bent and resting between the frog and stick. I assume the angle of the thumb to the stick/bow is different for alot of people depending on your hand anatomy.

As I was practicing last night, I noticed that my wrist motion on an up-bow sometimes causes my whole hand to tilt towards the tip. Then, the fingers on the frog tend to move off the frog and become even more tilted. In other words, if the bow is the x-axis, my fingers start pretty much parallel to the y-axis. Then, after an up-bow, they end up a 20 degree angle to the y-axis (i.e. my fingertips are pointed down AND back a bit). When you move your wrist back and forth for down and up bows, respectively, do you keep your fingers and thumb in the same position or do they tilt a bit as well? It's hard to keep them still when they are so relaxed and not grounded to the frog (i.e. gripping the frog).