Holding the German bow: article by Robert Oppelt

Special thanks to Jason Heath for recommending Robert Oppelt's online article about the various German-bow grips used by professionals.

Robert Oppelt is the principal double bassist of the National Symphony Orchestra, the resident orchestra of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (source: http://www.robertoppelt.com/index.html)

Jason Heath has aptly summed up the various German-bow grips that Robert Oppelt has identified as follow:

1. Two fingers on top, free thumb
2. Like the previous, but only the first finger applies the weight
3. Two fingers on top, assisted by the thumb on the stick
4. One finger on top and thumb on top
5. Fingers on top, thumb buried under first finger
6. Side of the thumb on top along stick, fingers on side (or tip of first finger on top)
7. Similar to (6), but the thumb is less on its side, more on its tip
8. Thumb on top along stick, frog deep in hand
9. Thumb along stick, frog very deep in hand, wrist very bent
10. Straight thumb, bow further out in fingers and thumb
11. Thumb wraps over stick at about 45 degree angle, stick not completely deep in the hand

To find out which is his preferred grip, please read Robert Oppelt's article here: http://www.robertoppelt.com/page8.html