Supporting Your Child’s Tone: Simple Tips For Better Sound
Are you new to playing a string instrument?
Perhaps your child has just begun learning a string instrument.
As you listen to them practice you might find yourself wondering how you can best support the development of their sound.
Some issues with a student’s tone are easy to fix, while others may require a bit more work. Of course, you can refer to their teacher for help, but as a parent, your support plays an important role in helping them improve.
In this blog post, we will discuss some common challenges in tone production and offer practical tips to help your student or child create a more beautiful, resonant sound.
Rosin
One of the simplest fixes for poor tonal quality could be something as easy as adding more rosin to the bow. If your child’s sound is soft, dull, or lacks clarity, they might need a bit more rosin.
What is Rosin?
Rosin is a sticky substance made from the resin of pine, spruce, fir, or other types of coniferous trees. Rosin helps the bow “grip” the strings and creates the necessary friction to produce sound. When there isn’t enough rosin on the bow the sound can be weak and unclear and the bow won’t dig into the string.
The amount of rosin needed will depend on the individual player and their instrument. Generally, you can tell when your child needs more rosin by the sound they produce. Too little rosin leads to a dull or weak tone, while too much can create a harsh, scratchy sound. Excessive rosin can also make the bow feel sticky and hard to move. Have no fear - if your child has applied too much rosin, the rosin will come off the bow while playing and you can then wipe the excess off with a soft cloth.
A few swipes of rosin on the bow should be enough—remind your child to keep the bow clean by wiping off any excess rosin after playing.
Tip: If your child’s tone is too dull, unfocused, or scratchy, check if the rosin application is the issue
Bow Hold
A proper bow hold is one of the most fundamental aspects of tone production. A comfortable bow hold allows the player to transfer the arm’s weight and energy into the string.
Things to Check:
- Ensure that your child’s fingers are curved naturally on the stick and their grip is not too tense. Violinists and violists should place their pinkie on top of the stick with a slight curvature.
- The hand should be relaxed, but firm enough to control the bow.
- The wrist should be flexible
Encourage your child to practice playing in front of a mirror to check their posture and bow hold. You can also ask their teacher for specific advice.
Encourage your child to practice bow exercises like spider crawls (climbing up and down the stick of the bow with the fingers of their right hand) and others. Read about more bow exercises in this blog I wrote.
Weight - Speed - Placement
Lastly, tone production issues can stem from three areas of sound production - bow weight, bow speed, and bow placement.
First, weight has to do with the arms natural weight on the string. If there isn’t enough weight on the string - the sound will be dull and unfocused. The appropriate bow weight will produce a present, strong sound.
Secondly, bow speed is how quickly the bow moves across the string. If your child moves the bow too slowly, the sound may be broken up and inconsistent. Practice moving the bow smoothly and evenly across the string while using the whole bow.
Lastly, be sure the bow is placed at a good sounding point between the fingerboard and the bridge.
Conclusion
If your child is having some challenges in developing a consistent tone try helping them solve the issues with some of these ideas in mind. As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher and your support matters in the development of their musical abilities!