Your gift of music may be more valuable than you know
While Dr. Suzuki intoned “Beautiful tone, beautiful heart,” music is also important to the human brain. Humans are hard-wired to recognize the cornerstones of music: pitch, rhythm, and intonation. A person with no musical training at all can discern an out-of-tune note. Apparently verbal communication, a critical survival tool, uses these same elements.
Music makes the brain grow
Childhood music lessons actually enlarge portions of the brain. German researchers found that the brain area used to analyze musical pitch is an average of 25% larger in musicians. The younger the musical training begins, the larger the area.[1]
Students in music generally test higher
One ten-year study from Dr. James Catterall analyzed data from over 25,000 students from the U.S. Department of Education. This study showed that students involved in music generally tested higher than those who had no music involvement, without regard to socio-economic level. Test scores were higher in standardized tests, such as the SAT, but also in reading proficiency exams.[2] Another study by Dr. Lewis Thomas of 7500 university students revealed that music majors scored the highest reading scores among all majors, including English, biology, chemistry, and math. In the same study, 66% of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any major, including biochemistry (44% admitted).[3]
Things 4 Strings® patented bow accessories will give your child a head start, no matter whether your child is involved with:
*Private lessons *Class instruction *Suzuki™ Program *ANY method book
Your child will progress faster if you make a Things 4 Strings® bow accessory part of the initial package you rent or purchase.
Meet Things 4 Strings® Accessories
Bow Hold Buddies®
How to Install Bow Hold Buddies® Accessory Set
How to Use Bow Hold Buddies® Accessory Set
Cellophant®
How to Install Cellophant® Accessory Set
How to Use Cellophant® Accessory Set
"I originally bought this for my daughter that had just started cello, but found that my son with 2 years experience also liked to play with the cellophant. It really helped reinforce his correct hand position! Great Product!!!" -- L. Martin, Parent
FAQs
How is a Things 4 Strings accessory an Exceptional Value?
Perfect Bow Hold in One Class! The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University Study http://bit.ly/BowHoldBuddiesStudy found that Bow Hold Buddies® accessories allowed the majority of students to formulate a correct hold after ONE class.
Teachers found Bow Hold Buddies® accessories "efficient" in a group setting because they not only teach a proper bow hold but are also fun to use. They agreed that the device helps to keep the pace of students' learning of right hand technique at the same level so the group class can progress at a steady pace, and no students are left behind. There was no need to stop and correct bow holds.
"Students can visually see where their fingers need to go. Now students can focus on other aspects of sound production and learn left-hand technique."
What are the accessories made of?
Things 4 Strings accessories are made in the USA of the finest medical grade silicone rubber, so those with latex rubber allergies have no concerns.
Can the accessorized bows fit into the instrument case?
There are many makes and styles of cases, and just about all them can accommodate an accessorized bow. However, sometimes you have to be a bit creative.
Most violin/viola cases have two bow storage racks, and the rack that will NOT close opposite to the chin rest will usually work.
Always close with extra care the first time, to make sure there is room.
If there is not quite enough room, or, if accessory interferes with the bow clip/spinner, then simply abandon the rack system. Just lay the bow on the belly of the instrument (protected it with a blanket or cloth) nestling the accessorized frog end of the bow into the scroll storage area.
However, with some very small outfits, say 1/16ths, we find it just as easy to tuck the bow in the music tote bag after lessons.
Hard cello cases afford plenty of room to stow the bow (perhaps with the help of a rubber band) to the bow clip or, wrapped in a cloth, under the fingerboard. For cloth cello cases, the bow will fit in deep enough that it won’t fall out during transport.
What size do I need to buy?
Things 4 Strings accessories are indeed universal-fit, One Size Fits All, useful for both children (as young as three) and adult hands.
The Bow Hold Buddies set, if installed on the correct sized bow for the player, adjusts for a custom fit by sliding the Hold Fish pinky support (included in the Bow Hold Buddies set, and available separately) along the bow stick to be up next to the ring finger.
What happens when “the training wheels” come off?
Of course, student bow holds need monitoring/refining until....always!
But for most students, when the time has come for their Things 4 Strings accessory to be removed from their bow, the hand has learned the basics of what to do – and to be relaxed while doing it.
This is especially true for kinesthetic learners; visual learners may require a more thorough bow hold re-explanation once the accessory is removed.
[1] Nature, April 23, 1998. [2] Dr. James Catterall, UCLA, 1997. [3] The Comparative Academic Abilities of Students in Education and in Other Areas of a Multi-focus University, Peter H. Wood, ERIC Document No. ED327480. The Case for Music in the Schools, Phi Delta Kappan, February, 1994