From Degrees to Feel: First Principles of Embodied Rotation

To have good control of the instrument requires precise control of very fine degrees of rotation. Just how fine? Consider this: for the left hand there are all the fingerboard positions, plus the different angles of different strings, not to mention various angles of hand frames for different configurations of intervals (e.g., major 3rds vs. minor 3rds).

With the bow arm, there is not only the different positions of the strings, but also various parts of the bow along its length. In order for the two sides to work together, the rest of the body must participate too, organizing itself into very precise degrees of rotation. And depending on the individual body, those degrees will shift according to a person's own alignment patterns.

Beyond basic descriptions like pointing the scroll at a 45-degree angle or "more to the left/right," there is much finer precision. For instance, in any given moment, the chest is rotated a certain amount, the lower spine counters in the opposite direction, and the lower body generates torsion in varying directions—with the ankle, foot, lower leg, and upper leg all participating in the whole chain.

However, we can't be thinking about this in mathematical terms when performing—well, not even when practicing! With the hundreds of joints and all the complexity of the human body, we need to translate this into a feel-sense in our playing. So, to pinpoint how exactly far left or right each individual's scroll should point at any given moment (because that's not static), we must factor in how the whole body cooperates. We start from a first principles understanding of what the body needs to do for that specific motion or posture, then explore the most natural way for our body to execute that motion. Along the way we might discover that our body has inherent difficulties with certain rotations in specific directions even without the instrument, so we need to teach our system to make that movement first. And finally we expand and refine the range we need to arrive at the most efficient and easy way each of us can accomplish that action successfully.

Swinging is one natural method to help us map the complex trajectories our body parts need to follow. It allows the nervous system to self-organize, using gravity and momentum to find the path of least resistance—which also leads to efficient leverage. My belief is that many of the difficulties of violin playing come from its asymmetrical nature. If the trunk isn't organized well enough, the limbs eventually hit a wall in natural motion—and that's where the root of many technical difficulties lies. Swinging provides a dynamic key to this puzzle, offering a natural mechanism to restore symmetry and fluidity. I will share more about this in future posts.
(This is inspired by the brilliant Paul Rolland’s teaching of the swinging motion for beginning students. I’ve been building on it and finding it effective to help both myself and advanced students. Check out his material on preparatory arm swings to see what sparks for you.)