In this post, I'll share some common reasons for why your bow shakes, some solutions, and the tip that has helped me the most at the end.

Bow shakes or bow bounces are annoying. There's no doubt about that. But our modern violin bows were made to bounce! We would never be able to play off-the-string bow strokes like spiccato and ricochet if our bows weren't able to bounce. Bow shakes are nothing to be ashamed of; they are perfectly normal and happen to everyone. Here are some common reasons for bow bounces.

Landing too close to the middle

If your bow bounces after lifting it off the string for a retake, you are likely landing too high in the bow-ie too close to the middle. The closer you land to the frog, the less likely your bow is to shake.

Crash landings

After a retake, you must set the bow on the string for a split second before playing. If you attempt to move the bow as soon as it lands, you are undoubtedly going to get those annoying bow bounces.

Stiff bow hand

If your bow hand is stiff or tense, it is not properly absorbing the "shock" of the string and therefore is much more likely to bounce. Try incorporating some flexibility exercises like the ones seen in this video to your practice routine.

Wrong bow tightness

If your bow is too tight, it's much more likely to bounce. The bow stick should always be curved slightly downwards, not straight across or curved upwards.

Nerves

This is the biggest culprit of bow shakes for me personally. I'm a shaky person in general, but when I'm nervous, it exponentially compounds! First, understand that the bow bounces, 9 times out of 10, sound worse underneath your ear than they do to the audience. Second, if you can get through the first few minutes of the performance, the bow bounces usually subside. Finally, when you're in a pinch, use the following exercise:

Drastically tilt your bow hair

Usually, when we play, we tilt the hair slightly so the bow stick is pointed away from us. However, if your bow is shaking a lot, drastically tilt it so you're almost just playing on one single bow hair. This will greatly reduce your bow bounces.

Do you struggle with bow shakes?