How To Really Hold A Violin Bow / Paganini's Greatest Secret 

I cannot believe the audacity that same people have in order to call this man creepy. The amount of entitlement to information that is shown in these comments makes me speechless. This man is sharing secrets with the general public that one would usually never have access to, in a easy to understand and organized matter. If you call this man "creepy," regardless of personal opinion, you are rude, ungrateful, and quite frankly don't deserve what he is giving to you. I would like to personally, as well as on behalf of these ungracious individuals, thank you for clearly presenting this invaluable information in such a well-made video.

"never fight the middle finger" sir u are truely teaching in a funny yet very effective way ! love it , many thanks

As a musicologist, pianist and violin teacher I must admit: this is just g e n i u s, thank you so much! I've spent half my life searching for this kind of explanation and presentation. The secret of artistically violin and piano playing is staying smooth, loose and elastic ALL THE TIME, no matter how challenging the music is. The secret to mastery does not lie in some kinds of "techniques" and "tricks" etc. It's really just that: staying smooth every millisecond of your playing - and that's hard enough. Playing shouldn't ever be about "fighting" with your instrument, because if you're fighting - how could you simultaneously pour all your soul and musical vision into your playing? Your attention will be divided and respectively the acoustic result won't touch the people's hearts, because it won't sound "authentic". To produce an a u t h e n t i c sound you have to be fully there, your attention have to be on every single note you play in any millisecond. Otherwise it's just your hands playing while you partial focus on "fighting" with your instrument and partial illuminate the notes or musical phrases with your attention (instead of playing each and every note deliberately). We as musicians should finally acknowledge and accept the fact that if we cultivate stressful, exhausting playing all the time we practice - the musical result will be just that: tense and stressful - our playing will sound like a replica, the music won't "b r e a t h e". We should stop fighting and start c u l t i v a t i n g deliberate attentive practice with our focus on plying every note with as much effort as necessary and as little as possible. The exercises shown in this video are perfect to cultivate this.

I woke up last night and this guy was at the end of my bed.

we need more people like him in life

He's not creepy, he is just passionate about his craft! Aaaand a bit creepy to be honest. Actually, he is probably the most creepy man i've seen in a looong time, but damn knows how to dress well, has perfect manners, looks good, is very experienced in the field and has a wonderfully calm, clear and profoundly poetic way of talking and explaining which probably makes life easier for non-native english speakers wanting to learn the art of the violin. Overall a great, wonderfully eccentric guy producing fine videos and violins! Although I do hope to God he never utters the phrase "let's go ALL the way" again.

Most dramatic tutorial of all time, did a good job though, cheers.

no one makes videos like you. the quality of your information is exquisite, your presentation concise, thorough, and artfully crafted, and by us, greatly appreciated. for your efforts and generosity, you have my thanks.

He uses facial expressions as if he is an alien that learnt everything about human expressions from a book.

He sounds like an Elder Scrolls NPC.

You should be wearing a black cloak and tophat,and drift the backstreets of london on foggy nights.

love it! I found out yesterday, embarrasingly in an interview, that I had been holding my bow incorrectly even through my Grade 8 and no one had ever told me the proper technique 😞. I am having to unlearn bad habits now and start again. This video is really helping thankyou!

Kevinleeluthier, I'm 61 years old and watching the first half of your video has improved my bowing tremendously. I can't wait to watch the other half! Great job.

His speaking is of a great teacher. This was an amazing video and taught me a lot.

Why did it feel like he was trying to seduce me?

I'm so uncomfortable watching this, but I can't look away lol

just three words... Inspiring, Informative and Professional !!!!

10:45 calm down man, take everything you need just dont hurt me!!

The best lesson about the bow ever,

50 years at the violin and this is brilliant. this gentlemen is a gem and a teacher par excellence! If you watch and absorb and unlike most You Tube videos, this is not about himself, it is about his passion...thanks mate!

Great information, and loved the delivery - almost like an old school stage magician. And when he floated the pencil in a straight line.. it really was a bit of magic.

You have to hand it to this guy. He's taken a topic which most people would regard as inherently boring (classical violin technique) and made it compelling and watchable. And it's genuinely useful information.

what I like about your presentation is how you present point by point. the right way, the wrong way, the leeway, the reason why and the story about it!

I want this guy to deliver my eulogy.

If you think this is ''creepy'' you have some issues do deal with which I think this guy can not be made responsible for. I found this video incredibly informative. That which some of the commenters called creepy I in fact call entertaining. It's like he's playing a role of a teacher from 150 years ago. Not natural indeed but that's what makes acting entertaining in the first place.

"Never fight the middle finger." Lost it at that point in the vid! XD

That's Kevin Lee. He used to be captain of the darts team down at the Queen's Legs. Never realised he played music. Now I know why he always had such a controlled wrist action when he threw his darts!

OMG! I am falling in love with the violin. Never has the middle finger and the frog had any useful meaning to me. Another new instrument to learn this pandemic!

Dear god, this video was just too good.

"never fight the middle finger"! This man is a sage!

I love you. This has inspired me so much.

This guy is awesome! Sharing his knowledge and experience for all. We need more people like him in this world.

I watched this on the day after my first lesson when I was struggling with how to hold the bow properly. I got that and SO much more. I literally improved 1,000 % because of this Man and his lessons. Thank you 😊 💓 ☺ 💗 💛 💖 😊

I wouldn't change a thing in this video! :) very helpful overview, even for the absolute beginner!

Your romanticism style is magnetic and absolutely on the "mark". You're explaining to the viewers that the instrument and the player need to be "one". Bravo to your style!

That... That entire video was amazing.

I'm an adult beginner, perfect time for you to turn up on the scene Kevin. Thank you, your tutorial was a gem.

this tutorial was a great pleasure to watch making it a great pleasure to learn. thanks

This is the best youtube video I've seen in a long time. To all the people calling you creepy I'd say they're totally missing the humor and fun. Thanks for the great tutorial. I learned a lot.

As a beginner I can definitely admire that his hands flow"like silk" as he described! But this video is so far the best I've seen in regards to developing good bow technique and it's something I'm going to keep practising and practising

Thank you for explaining how to get that sweet sound I have been seeking for over three years. In spite of watching videos and watching how professionals hold their bows, I was never able to get it right. Your wonderful instructions gave me what I have been looking for. The results were immediate and profound. Even my wife noticed an immediate improvement in the sound. Many thanks, I will use what you have taught and appreciate your help.

Did this creep anyone else out?

I like it...never fight the middle finger.

My first violin teacher was Ilza Niemack at Iowa State about 1950. She used the Suzuki method although, in 1950, nobody knew to call it that. I imitated what she did. It was so easy for me she hardly explained anything at all. The result was that, with the exception of encouraging youngsters to imitate me, I really had no idea how to explain how to play a violin, especially how to handle a bow. I was quite sure that if someone tried to hold a bow based on my ability to explain how, it would literally be impossible. There may have been other people talk about how to handle a violin bow before now but I’ve not been aware of it. I think this video may prove helpful to a lot of people. I’m so arthritic now, I really appreciated the suggestion that I spend time with a pencil in my left hand, holding it as I would hold my bow. Everyone is ignorant, just about different things. This master violinist is no elocutionist and, judging from his facial expressions, not an actor either. But let’s give credit where credit is due. He does know a thing or two about using a violin bow.

Kevin I'm new to the violin and have been watching your videos and have found them to be very helpful. You have a great way of explaining what needs to be done and how to do it. I am already taking lessons and my instructor is very pleased with my bow hold and my bowing. I have you to thank for that. I hope you will keep on making the great videos you have been making. I enjoy your professionalism and highest efforts to attaining perfection. Keep up the great work and thank you very much.

Omg this video helped me tremendously. Immediate difference.

Style ,class And much more fine job .I will ask my students to watch .

Kevin, I'm a late bud, I'd say bloomer, but think that will even take some time, and fearful that the bud will just wither before it blossoms. I only started a month a go. Having broke both hands, crushing my fingers, years ago and Dr's, glad I was not a pianist as I'd probably never be able, again have dexterity in my fingers.Who,d thought I'd want to take up violin, and holding the bow would present me with a problem. My fingers and hand don't seem to want to turn the specific needed way. Its fine making that "C" until I try to apply it fold them around the bow. Such rigid little digits. I love your presentation, and listening to you play and hope one day, I can at least play "scales" that wouldn't have caused Paganini to wince, grimmace, or groan.Thank you. I'll stick with it anyway, even if I am the only one who would hear. PhilipColeman

When I started watching this, I was like "Eeeermmm....". Then I started really watching it, and I was like "What the fffffffuuuuu......" And now I'm totally mesmerised and going to watch the rest of your videos because I'm literally hypnotised and I need this amount of passion in my life. Sir, I thank you. 👏

This is hands down the funniest video on youtube.

Even if your only audience will ever be yourself, the music might as well be beautiful." Love it!

I think this guy knows a 20 minute video about bow holds isnt too interesting to some....so he works the delivery and crazy camera work in to hold your attention

Totally loved this lesson. Thank you, and must entertaining as well :)

I never played any musical instrument or sang, and now my 7 years daughter said that for Christmas she wants a violin. How can I help her to learn it? Unfortunately, I can't afford lessons. That in the school ones, for 15 minutes for 10 pounds, I found if not useless, than not good enough. Can you imagine, I started to teach my daughter to play violin by myself with help of free lessons on the Internet. When I taught her to hold the bow I said that you have to practice with a pencil by my self, from my head, it was my own idea, and when I listened it in you lesson today about the pencil I was really surprise, my God how clever I am and think that you lessons should be good ones, as my head :) Really, I Just started to learn violin with my daughter and glad that we are found your lessons.

I love these videos! I think that those who say it is not in depth enough are only surprised at the seemingly simple exercise and criticize the video without having practiced or learned the nuances through the exercises. "This video contains information for both the beginner and the virtuoso, yet none of it should be considered too simple or too advanced by anyone."

Love it- wish Kevin had made more videos. This is pure gold.

I love this. He is somehow both hilarious and serious at the same time🤣🤣

Wonderfully thorough demonstration! And your dramatic style is very unique, love it!

Wonderful presentation!!! Very great tips and tricks with confidence & trust.

Ive been practicing the violin for 2 months and Ive seen great progress, but thanks to this video I discovered something that ive been missing. It was the emotion and passion in the instrument. That playing the violin is not just stroking the bows hairs in silvwr string, but breathing life in the instrument

Never fight the middle finger.... words of wisdom right there folks...

"While having the secrets of Paganini does not make one Paganini..." SMH I'm crushed!!! Here I thought, after decades playing this thing that if only I had the secrets of.... ;);) Besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I run a music studio and teach classical and Irish. No matter the genre, great tone is great tone and this is an excellent tutorial. Up bow, down bow...really, it's that easy! :D I also teach using a pencil first, same bow hold exactly and a few other things I was so pleased to have confirmed here. I also came away with new stuff...and will keep my students on that pencil longer! (label visible all the time!) Brilliant. Thank you!

Great presentation! It was informative and entertaining. Since I am new I will have to listen to this many times which I look forward to doing. Thank you.

Thank you for this extremely valuable information. Feels like I was just offered a bite of the forbidden fruit. 🙏🏽

This is a great presentation on bowing. Just one more idea though.. I play old time fiddle and some ancient fiddler at a convention once told me early on that you really have to relax your whole body in addition to the wrist. It really really works!!!!!!!

Amazing! Really deep! You just speak to the soul! I am so inspired by your passion, knowledge and ability to explain these priceless magical secrets. And that you speak with confidence in the fact that this is so important. You have lifted my spirits and made me want to play my violin and spin the most beautiful golden sound out of it. You have reminded me how important it is to do so, that it has been for centuries, that musicians were once revered for their dedication, knowledge and contribution to the wellbeing of society. Unlike today post lockdown! 🤣

Please...don't ever say "lets go all the way" again. Great tips though!

This is amazing. (Not just engaging to watch but the info is top notch) And i love the theatrical approach, it’s done so well. And the setting and outfit. I mean just A++

Loved it. Let's go all the way. Ok, I just couldn't be serious there. But, great tips. Thank you so much.

That is one nice-sounding violin! I was literally gobsmacked the first time I tried a really good bow. I was not used to the bow having a shared resonance with the instrument. It was like discovering a whole new world, right in my hands.

This felt like watching The Shining

That 's the damnest thing I've seen. Your pencil bowing is so good, you look like the mime behind the glass... I've had a bow in my hand for forty years and still incredibly in awe of it. I just fell in love with that pencil

Thank you very very much for planning and presenting these videos. Your instructions are extremely useful,. Some of the comments left by viewers are weird. You teach principles and insights which are often simple and valuable at the same time. People who follow your clear instructions precisely will achieve great results. You are much appreciated. Best to you.

i'm 56 and bought a violin, now i need to learn EVERYthing. . . thanks for going so slow and passionately about each step. it helps

lol this guy's a boss

I can't tell if you're extremely ironic or extremely serious, in either case - you're amazing!! I'm learning so much from your videos, and they put a big smile on my face :)

Thats how you should use your bow, but creepy as hell

This guy sounds like he's going to perform magic tricks. Captivating. I'm a newbie, and this is great information. Thank you.

Thank you for your lessons in how to improve the playing of the violin. I have been playing for many years and wish I had seen your videos when I was young. I learned to play without a teacher, so I had many bad habits. However, it's never too late to improve one's technique, which is why I'm so grateful for your video lessons. They not only show me what I've been doing wrong, they also show me what I'm doing correctly. I can't thank you enough!

Kevin, You're stunning, I just kept on listening. I don't care for abusing guys who miss the point of the vid here, just looking for a food to munch, somebody to make laugh of. I choose instead to express my honest thanks. Even though I do disagree with some of your sayings, I do inspire a lot of sense and truth in your theories and I do much appreciate your good means to share your awesome instructionals with us. So... Thanks Bro'!

This is great - thank you. I used to play many years ago as a teenager but never learned the best techniques. Subsequently, I was unable to progress further. I am trying to play again as an adult. It is helpful to have videos such as this one to help correct past technical mistakes.

This is one of the greatest videos on RU-vid.

I'm just starting out - this video is so helpful! You're an excellent teacher and your delivery is really entertaining! Thank you!

I decided to try and play the violin and have been watching many different videos from different sources, I learned more in this 1 video than the 100 or more that I previously watched. Thank you

I love you...your passion...style...thanks for these gems. They work!!!

Dammit!! you should be presenting the Twilight zone! or some suspense tv show!! nice

I have always appreciated the effort of so many masters sharing and teaching their trade on RU-vid . Thanks for bringing the world together.

Some people are just so rude. This video wasn't creepy at all! If anything, it was downright hypnotizing and captivating. I absolutely enjoyed this video and the obvious, overly-dramatic sarcasm at 10:39-50. This is the kind of person from whom I would enjoy learning.

I seriously like your style of storytelling and had a lot of fun while watching this video- will definitely use it to improve my bow technique, thank you so much for uloading :)

great, so after 11 years of playing (8 years with a teacher, 3 without one in my free time) I now have to completely retrain my right hand.

He is embracing the aesthetic and persona of a true Romantic. Comingled with a crazy Zen jujitsu master.

Very interesting video, well done. Perhaps you can use a high quality lav microphone for better quality of sound for your voice in your future videos. Cheers!

He gets to the point right away. I appreciate that. The concepts are are made quite tangible. So many books I’ve seen on violin are so abstract.

Loved it! I am an adult beginner violin player. Extremely helpful and motivating! Thank you.

This was PRICELESS! May the violin gods bless you!

I have watched video after video trying to correct the bounce in my bowing... This video helped me accomplish that task in a relatively short period of time just by applying the concept of relaxing. Thanks!

Excelent tutorial and dramatization of the old romantic days. It feels like someone from that era is teaching us!

never thougt that it is possible to make videos in such a way. Very pleasant to be instructed like this. ☺

Just learning to play the violin now, this will give me something to chew on for sure. When I tried using my middle finger as the guide my hand fell right into place. I can tell you put lots of effort and preparation for this video, I'm sure I'm not the only one. Thank you!

Excellent detail and expressed clearly in a necessarily restrained manner. Well done and thank you. I will be sending this video to some of my students to reinforce what I tell them (which does not differ). There are so many violin teaching videos which are seriously flawed in one way or another that it is refreshing to find such a reliable analysis!