Master the Bow Hold (1)

A must-read for all beginning cellists: Start with this simple preliminary exercise using a pen to develop and strengthen the correct bow hold before playing cello.

CELLO TECHNIQUE

Master the Bow Hold (1): Preparatory Exercise

Before diving into advanced cello techniques, developing a proper bow hold foundation is crucial for every aspiring cellist. Your hand has never held anything quite like a cello bow, which means your muscles need time to adapt to this entirely new grip. This preliminary exercise will help you build muscle memory and finger placement before you even touch your cello.

PEN ON 2ND JOINT*
Place a pen near the 2nd joint of the middle finger.

THUMB NEAR MIDDLE FINGER
Put your thumb on the pen near the middle finger

FINGERS SPREAD OUT
The fingers should be slightly spread apart.

Then, practice with the bow

Once comfortable with the pen, apply the same finger placement to your actual cello bow. The transition should feel familiar since you’ve already trained your muscle memory with the preliminary exercise.

Placing the bow along the 2nd joint allows a deeper hold of the bow, which offers better control, especially for beginning cellists.

The thumb can be straight or curled but not bent inward.

From the audience's view. Notice how the fingers wrap around the bow with the pinky resting on the side of the stick. If you have a short pinky and find it resting on the top of the stick, that's okay, too.

*Some cellists prefer a shallower bow grip by aligning the stick to the 1st joint of the middle finger. That is also acceptable.