Ms. L. -- Problem Solver Extraordinaire

The double stops went well in my lesson today. Ms. L. seemed pleased. I certainly was pleased. 

With Kreutzer #9, I told her how tired and weak my third and fourth fingers felt on those 4-3-4 fingerings. She acknowledged that lack of finger strength might be a factor, but also had me work on bringing my thumb under the neck and getting my index finger away from the neck. This relaxed my hand and allowed me to reach much further. Then, where there's an open A between 4-3-4 sequences, she had me pick up my fingers more and slap them down--again, with relaxation. Reaching back for a B still wasn't easy, but it was definitely easier. Yeah, Ms. L!

Left hand adjustments have always come more easily to me than right hand adjustments. My new bow hold is still a work in progress. Here are the things I have to adjust relative to the bow hold I'm trying to get away from:

• Rotate my hand inward. Actually, she suggested today that I might need to think of it in terms of rotating my whole forearm. 
• Have the side of my index finger in contact with the stick, between the first and second knuckle (but closer to the first). 
• Keep more distance between my index and middle fingers.
• Curve my thumb.
• Curve my pinky.
• Sink my hand down into the bow. 
• Squeeze the thumb and pinky to gain more control over the bow when playing near the frog. 

As I work on this bow hold, I have to stop and adjust constantly. When I do have it right, though, it's amazing. Everything flows so easily. It sounds as though someone much better than me is playing. :-) If I can stabilize this new and improving bow hold, it will be so worth all the work. Thank you, Ms. L.!