Bow Hold

Touch Points

The diagram below maps out the bow-to-hand contact points that Professor Suzuki recommends the violinist use to hold the bow.
Dr. Suzuki's technique was developed by Karl Klingler, well-known violinist in Berlin, Germany in the 1920's.(1) Suzuki was the only student of Klingler, who in turn had been a pupil of Joseph Joachim, famous Hungarian violin soloist and composer (1831-1907). Joachim studied in Vienna with Mendelssohn and in Leipzig with Schumann.(2) Knowing this helps us to understand that the techniques taught here are not merely "Suzukian", but have been passed down from the great masters.

The thumb and middle fingers carry the bow. Suzuki teachers often refer to this center axis as, "the bunny rabbit's mouth," with the index and pinky finger being "the ears" stabilizing and completing the bow hold.

Beginner's bow hold:

The beginning violin student may start by placing the thumb half on the silver ferrule, and half on the horse-hair on the outside of the bow's frog. When the hand strengthens and becomes consistently rounded, stable, and relaxed, the student can move to the professional bow hold by bringing the thumb in to the stick. This transition could occur at any time during the first year of study or much later, according to Evelyn Hermann in the Vital Points portion of her book Suzuki: The Man and His Philosophy. Evelyn Hermann founded the Suzuki Institute of Dallas in 1973, and her work is an excellent reference.

Another important aspect to note in the above picture is the angle at which the fingers point downwards towards the screw at the bottom of the bow. The middle two fingers are not perched with finger tips on top of the stick, but come down slightly to secure the angle of the bow hair. The pinky finger, however, does sit on top and aids in controlling the tip (top) of the bow. The fingers are not overly spread out, but are just close enough to support one another. Also, the index or pointer finger does not wrap around the bow stick, but rests on top at the curve of the first knuckle. Carefully using this bow hold, keeping the thumb powerful and the hand soft, will greatly assist in the production of a beautiful tone.

Professional Bow Hold:

"Panda Power", is an expression common among Suzuki teachers that refers to the rounded hand and powerful thumb. (see picture to the right) It is told that the expression began on a day when the children were excited about the arrival of a panda to the zoo in Japan, and Dr. Suzuki creatively used their enthusiasm towards their violin playing. With "Panda Power" the hand remains relaxed, and the thumb opposite the middle finger carries the power of the down-bow, while the lowered elbow draws down and inward. With the up-bow, the thumb and ring finger are gentle yet strong and move the bow until the frog reaches the strings and the thumb may bend slightly more. Especially note the contact points of the pinky and thumb. 

References:

Footnotes
(1) Shinichi Suzuki: The Man and his Philosophy, Evelyn Hermann, 1981 Athens, Ohio, Ability Development Associates, Inc
(2) Collins Encyclopedia of Music, Sir Jack Westrup, F.L.I Harrison, 1984 London, William Collins Sons & Co Ltd.