Balance is at the core of any bow stroke. We continue to develop our sound in our search for complex and beautiful colors, but at the very base must be a perfectly balanced bow on the string. Learning how to find this balance and then allowing the arm to swing freely is the the first step to finding your own sound.
Balance
Arm Drop
I learned this exercise from Richard Aaron when I was very young. It has stuck with me to this day and I both practice it myself and teach it to my students. In order to really let go of our weight, it helps to start by dropping the arms and then directing that fall.
Pointillism
I learned this concept much later on, from Ralph Kirshbaum. He also advocates for a wonderfully freely swinging arm, but has a great emphasis on its perfect balance throughout. Through truly listening and feeling the balance of the bow, we can begin to access the best qualities of our instrument and the core of our expression.
Balance in the hand is complex and its better not to overthink it. Instead, try this simple exercise which teaches each of your fingers its unique purpose in the bowhold. As you use different combinations, fingers will take over roles that other fingers previously had and by the end of this exploration, your fingers will have an entirely new perspective! I edited this video for brevity, but I recommend using each finger combination for the duration of the Feuillard tune.