Bow “Seat Belts”

Using a rubber band attached to the frog can help the bow become more manageable for students who are new to string playing. Or, the  rubber band can serve as an aid to correct students who have developed bad bow hold habits.

A rubber band (the “seat belt”) attaches to the frog. The ring finger is slipped underneath the rubber band, making the bow seem lighter and more secure, yet allowing the hand to relax. In use the rubber band aids proper finger placement (reminding the fingers to lay over the frog), and also assists with the hand’s pronation (slant) on the bow stick. The part of the rubber band that gets wrapped on top of the stick can also help the pinky maintain its position on the top (for violin & viola).