Holding a bow of Viola properly:

1. Tighten the bow before using it. Look at your bow to see if the hair almost touches the main stick. Rotate the screw at the end of the bow clockwise to tighten the bow. Count how many times you rotate the screw while you tighten the screw. Once you can fit your pinky between the hair and the stick, stop tightening the bow.
Always loosen your bow by the same number of rotations whenever you’re finished playing.
Warning: Be careful not to overtighten the bow or else the hair may break.

2. Put your right thumb between the leather and the frog on the bow. The frog is the part on the bottom of your bow that holds the hairs in place. Hold your bow so the tip points to the left and so the frog is on the right. Place your thumb on the small space between the frog and the black leather wrapped around the bow’s stick.
Don’t put your thumb in between the hair and the stick.

3. Place your middle and ring finger on the flat side of the frog. Wrap your middle and ring finger around the bow so they’re on the side opposite of your thumb. Keep your 2 fingers together as you hold the bow or else it could fall. A good rule to remember is placing your ring finger on the dot that’s on the frog.

4.Curl your pinky on top of the bow’s stick. Set your pinky down on top of the stick to help support the bow’s weight. Keep your pinky curved by pressing down on the back of the bow. Apply a small amount of pressure to make sure you have a firm grip. If you ever move your pinky, your bow will easily drop and be difficult to play.

5. Wrap your index finger around the bow’s stick. After all your other fingers are in place, hook your index finger around the bow’s stick. Press the pad of your finger down on the side of the stick so you have a firm grip. Don’t touch the hair with your fingers since you could leave fingerprints on them and cause your bow to slip while playing.

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