One of our most popular products for young violinists and violists is the Bow Force. We asked its inventor, Becky Fields, a dedicated string teacher with more than 40 years of experience, to explain how she came up with the idea for this unique and effective teaching aid. Here’s Becky’s story.
Becky Fields, Inventor of the Bow Force, Explains the Reason for Her Invention
To successfully learn violin, the student must first learn technique. The concept of a sturdy, easy-to-use bow guide as a learning tool grew out of my study of the Suzuki Method. Developed in the mid-20th century by famed Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, the method encourages students to learn by listening to simple pieces and their variations, then playing back what they have heard. Suzuki believed that, just as children learn to talk before they learn to read, learning to play before learning notation was the most effective path to success. He also believed that even very young children could learn violin if the learning steps were small enough and the instrument was scaled to fit their small bodies. The secret of the Suzuki Method is that students are encouraged to “feel” the music. The teacher’s role is to help the student relax and enjoy the experience.
Learning violin, however, requires proper form and execution. Very young and beginning students often have difficulty mastering the arm and bow position needed to achieve a pure tone. A bow guide helps the student keep the bow in the proper position on the string. My long experience with other bow guides taught me to see what worked and what didn’t. When I decided to design my own, I knew it had to be both sturdy and easy to use. I named my invention the Bow Force.
The most difficult skill for new violinists is not placing the left-hand fingers on the fingerboard. It is, in fact, learning to maintain correct bow and arm position. The graceful flexibility of the bow stroke comes from a related set of motions in the fingers, wrist, arm, and shoulder of the right arm. This fluid motion keeps the bow positioned properly on the string and allows for smooth, straight bowing. Rigidity in any part of the bowing arm creates pressure on the bow, causing it to drag unevenly across the string and distort the tone. The patented, hand-crafted Bow Force is designed to help the student position the bow properly for firm, fluid contact between bow and string.
About the Bow Force
The Bow Force mounts on the center bouts of the instrument in seconds and folds flat for storage. It is soft, safe, and sturdy, and it is available in sizes from 1/16 to 4/4 in several colors, so it can grow with your students.
With a bow guide like the Bow Force, your students will be making great musical strides in no time! Pick up a Bow Force today, or browse our full selection of teaching aids.
