Explaining the Irish Fiddle Bowhold

Have you tried this alternate bow hold before? Do you prefer it over the classical version?

Thanks so much for this video. Can't wait to try this tomorrow morning (it's late and my neighbours are already mad at me🤣) As a learner I have been having a bit of a bow shake problem and I have a feeling this will help. x

The classical bow hold can produce ‘shaker bow’ whilst performing which is not ideal. Máiread ní mhaoinaigh of Altan & So many Cape Brenton fiddle seem to as well. I think the shorter and quicker fiddle Bowing the longer the distance between the bow/ string contact point to bow hold point will provide shaker bow on fast tunes easily. We are not classical players and I think there might need to be a fiddler acceptance group hahaha our technical bag is very different

It's also a common Donnegal style hold

It also has to do with the balance point of the bow it the balance point requires you to hold it more like a classical player because of the weight distribution then there is no choice. So an excuse to to bow shopping :)

May i ask were is your thumb i cant see it

This is so reassuring! I've had a violin for nearly 20 years but I haven't worked hard at it. About a year ago I got an accordion, and recently got a book of Irish music arranged for the piano accordion. I just decided I'd start learning the Irish tunes on the fiddle as well. When I do a classical bow hold but on the wire wrapping, it just feels so much more balanced and comfortable!

Getting back into Irish FIddle after many years. I tired this bow hold on my brand new violin bow and Fiddle. I can't go back to the classical way, not now. Thank you for High lighting this

LOVE this! I have NEVER felt comfortable holding it the 'normal' way...my fingers and hand look like it belongs to a T-Rex! I hold the bow with my little finger off and my fingers up further and it is so much more comfortable! I'm sure purists would hate my bow hold! 😂

Please don't refer to this as an "Irish bow hold". It's merely an alternative bow hold that's probably far more common amongst OT players than anyone else. There is no such thing as an "Irish bow hold" and many players (including almost all of the greats) use a normal bow hold. It's perpetuating a falsehood to refer to it as this. Thank you.

Thank you for your information. I don't play the fiddle but I would like to try and because I have arthritis this may help me.

I don't see this being used much in Scotland, where it would probably be less than ideal for airs and Strathspeys. In Irish sessions you mainly hear jigs, reels and polkas where it might work quite well. But a lot of the legendary Irish players use a conventional hold, so it's a personal choice - see Kevin Burke, Liz Carroll, Tommy Peoples etc as examples.

Thanks ... this may help with my arthritis issues in my right shoulder.

I'm an adult, not complete beginner but not intermediate. I can read music, I can pick out the music easily. First position notes, no problem at all. However, there's no other way to say this, my bowing sucks balls. My dog looks at me like "Seriously, it doesn't take that long to kill a cat." I'm very close to being able to tune by ear. Intonation, I can tell right away when I'm off by even a little. I'm beginning to think a fiddle bow is a tool of the devil. I can get a good sound bowing open strings, just long, slow bows and I love how it feels, just the sound combined with the physical sensation is unbelievable. But if I'm playing anything faster than a half note, I make my own ears bleed. My bow is straight but changing direction sounds terrible. Can you recommend anything? I understand bowing is the hardest part so am I just impatient?

Are any of your fingers on the hairs? or strickley on the stick

As a new player should I concentrate on learning classical or can I just roll with Irish Fiddle hold? I find this hold infinitely more comfortable.

Yes I tried it. I can play faster. Thanks so much. Its very helpful. My problem of not being fast enough to play Irish music (The faster stuff) has been a rodblock for a long time . I thought my arms were too short so I bought a 3/4 violin bow, which helped, but the tone is not as rich. I've been experimenting with your method today and am already seeing significant improvement.

Yes, exactly! I've seen the thumbnail and managed to "avoid" it in favor of mastering my classical bow hold first, but today I cracked and tried it out and.. boom! The difference is huge, and everything about fiddling happens far more naturally than when doing it with the stiffer classic bow hold - like that up and down of your wrist, the shorter and gentler strokes, it all just happens! Thanks for this great tip and your excellent explaination!

I just started fiddling a few months ago so I have no idea what I'm talking about, but is this grip used because shorter bows are better for dancing music?

I'm self taught and learning late (started at 30). All I really want is to play Irish fiddle tunes well. So like anyone else i just searched "how to hold a violin bow" and of course just assumed the classical hold was the only way to do it.

Anyway I was having lots of trouble. So I was watching videos of folk players and saw someone doing this hold. It kind of blew my mind to see someone playing so well with what I thought was an unconventional technique. I decided to try it for a lark and like you said, just an immediate difference. So here I am googling it to see someone else talk about it.

Thanks for sharing, makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one that the classical bow hold wasn't working for.

Oh, you should have told me that you made a birthday present (12.08) for me last year :-). Thank you so much!

None of the great Irish/Scottish fiddlers use this bow hold as far as I can see. Thinking Kevin Burke, Ali Bain, Martin Hayes, Hanneke Cassell and others. Reviewing your videos, you actually hold the bow a lot closer to the frog than in this video.

I found this hold about a month ago and it has made such a difference for me! Thank you for sharing so others can give it a try

Very cool video and thank you for his! Do you find the Irish bowhold prevents you from doing classical music or impacts your ability to have the dynamic range that a classical bowhold has? I have used the classical bowhold all of my violin playing life and it feels constricting so just wondering your thoughts. I'll definitely give the Irish bowhold a shot! :)

l've been playing fiddle for a couple months now, self taught, and l find the higher grip to be way more instinctive when playing, the only problems l come across is that l have less bowlength for long notes and that l get cramps quite easily when l'm playing fast, if anyone has advice on that please lemme know :)

I can't wait to try this; thanks!!

what fabulous playing, fab sound and great Irish sound

Hi Hannah. Very good tip. A shorter amount of bow is better for the tunes. My dad uses a 3/4 bow and prefers it.

I naturally hold the bow higher but not as high as you do. I'll try it as you do, see how it works. Thanks for the tip 😊