Divide a measure into 16 beats. COunt: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &. Say 1 and 2 louder than the other counts.

Begin at the middle of the bow with a down-bow of course.

The lower staff of the first exercise simply shows what the second violin would play.

The first exercise is for the study of staccato bowing. The dots under and over the notes are abbreviations. It would require much more printer's ink and space to print just as you must play.

A dot takes half of the time value from the note.

The 8th notes must there fore be bowed as if they were 16th notes followed by a 16th rest. You will make a short stroke using the upper half of the bow, and wait for a 16th without taking the bow-hair off the strings.

For this reason you were instructed to divide each measure into 16 beats, and this is a little bit tedious but it is the only way to be absolutely certain that you will bow correctly. Always rest a distinct 16th between each 8th note when you say "and".

In the second measure, a dotted quarter note occurs, which must be played with the same length of the bow, but the movement of the right hand must be twice as slow. COunt carefully, 7 & 8 & and no faster than you did before.

If you have the bad habit of moving your upper arm while playing you should place a little book under your arm-pit and keep it there until you overcome the habit.

These exercises are all to be played with the upper part of the bow and each one should be given at the very least 10 minutes time.

They are not to be considered as a lesson for this week, but they should be taken up occasionally and for many weeks to come.

Use the rest of your time to play other lessons better and bowing correctly.

In the 2nd exercise, two notes are slurred and as they are to be played with exactly the same length of the bow, the right hand must of course move four times slower.

The 4th and 5th exercises require particular attention.

In the 6th and 7th, 3 notes are to be played with one movement of the bow and the same length again. The right movements must therefore be carefully regulated.

In Nos. 11 and 12 special bowing is introduced. Notes are slurred and dotted also. They are there fore to be played with the same movement of the bow (two strokes in one direction), but with a short stop between the notes and bear in mind continuously that the bow-hair must never leave the strings.

This is called semi-staccato, not as abrupt as with dots only.

As notes of every exercise are the same you must commit them to memory. By doing this you will be able to give all your attention to the bowing.

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© 2003 R. Fingerson
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