Print this page to keep with your music to help you remember how to shape your hand positions.
Left Hand Position
The wrist should be straight. Look in a mirror while you are practicing to check. There should be a straight line from the back of your hand all the way down to your elbow.
Make sure that your wrist does not touch the violin or viola.
The thumb should also be straight. Notice how the top of the thumb is a little behind the first finger and only peeks above the fingerboard a tiny bit.
The thumb and whole hand should both stay relaxed. Tap tap tap the neck with your thumb to learn how this feels.
The tips of the fingers should stand straight up, like little soldiers.
If you have tapes on your fingerboard, the edge of your fingertips should be at the edges of the tapes closest to you so the notes are in tune.
Bow Hand Position
Your thumb and middle finger should make a circle. The thumb is bent out.
Touch the bow hair with the back of your thumb to learn how to keep your thumb curved.
The corner of the tip of your thumb touches the place where the frog, bow grip and stick meet.
The middle finger is on the other side of the stick opposite the thumb.
The first finger crosses the bow grip halfway between the 1st and 2nd joints.
The pinky should be curved. The pinky tip should touch the top of the stick above the pearl dot in the middle of the frog.
The bow hand should also be relaxed.
»Return to Resources for Beginning Students