Which Fiddle Bow Hold Should You Use? Classical vs Choking Up
On last fall’s Ireland Retreat, a lot of questions came up about fiddle bow hold techniques and how our guest musicians were holding their bows. It sparked some great conversations, and I realized this is something many fiddlers wonder about, especially as they start exploring different styles of music.
Some players were holding their bows at the frog, while others were holding them farther up the bow. Both approaches have their advantages, and understanding the differences can help you decide what works best for your playing.
The Classical Bow Hold
I teach a fairly classical fiddle bow hold, right at the end of the bow near the frog. I like this approach because it allows me to use the entire length of the bow. Having access to the full bow makes it much easier to play slow tunes and maintain a consistent, rich sound through good bow control.
This bow hold also gives you more flexibility. When you can use the full bow, you have more options for phrasing, tone, and dynamics. That’s one of the reasons I prefer this technique, it allows me to comfortably move between different styles of music.
If you’re working on improving your bow control, you might also enjoy attempting the One Minute Bow Challenge, which my Fiddling for Fun students are currently working on for the month of April, too.
“Choking Up” on The Bow
That said, you may notice that some fiddlers, and even baroque musicians, hold their bows farther up the bow. I often call this “choking up” on the bow. When you hold the bow higher, you shorten the effective length of the bow. This fiddle bow hold can make it easier to play faster passages, because you have more control over small, quick movements.
The Pros and Cons of Each Fiddle Bow Hold
Like most things in music, there are trade-offs when choosing a bow hold.
Choking up on the bow can make it harder to sustain sound for slow tunes. It can also make it more difficult to get those chunky, articulate notes that you often hear in bluegrass and Old Time fiddle. Those sounds are usually easiest to achieve closer to the frog, where you naturally have more weight and control.
What Do I Recommend My Students?
From time to time, students ask if they can try holding their bow higher up. My answer is always the same: it depends on your goals.
I teach classical technique because I find it gives me the flexibility to play all the styles of music I enjoy. But if your main interest is fiddle music, and you find that holding the bow higher up helps you achieve the sound you’re after, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I know some musicians get really focused on what the “proper” technique is. In my opinion, proper technique depends on what you’re trying to do. Your musical goals should guide your technical decisions.
Start With Your Music Goals
That’s why, when students ask about changing their bow hold, I usually start with a simple question:
What kind of music do you want to play?
Once we know that, it becomes much easier to decide which approach will serve you best.
Because at the end of the day, technique isn’t about rules, it’s about giving you the tools you need to make the music you love.
