echnique comes from teachers not fully
understanding their own movements, or perceiving a portion of the
action required and laying all stress on that one feature alone. But
unless one goes to the prime source of the matter a perfect staccato
cannot be attained.

This most important factor, as I should have thought everyone of
common sense would at once perceive, is nothing less than the wrist.
Yet I have known some teachers who confine their attention to the
action of the fingers, letting the wrist follow as best it can. It is
from such teachers, usually, that we receive the preposterous
statement that the upper half of the bow only should be used for this
bowing; some, even, limiting it still further to the up-bow. Now if
the wrist be first well exercised the co-operation of the fingers
will come naturally, and a perfect staccato from end to end in either
up or down stroke will be attained.

It should be practised slowly and firmly at first on one note thus:

[Illustration: Musical notes, etc.]

The bow remaining on the string between each note. The action is
really no different to ordinary bowing; it is simply a short crisp
stroke of about an inch in length, a short interval of silence
(without lifting the bow) and then another similar stroke in the same
direction, this being continued to the end of the hair. The part
played by the forefinger is to impart a certain "attack" to each
note, and is best produced by a slight turn of the wrist instead of
an independent pressure of the finger itself. This "attack" is what
the Germans call "ansatz," and consists in making a slight sound at
the initial impulse of each note somewhat resembling the hard
pronunciation of the letter "K." This is a most important sound, and
one that adds greatly to the crispness of one's playing. It should be
produced in the hand, however, as if the arm is called on for this
purpose the tone will become gritty and harsh. In commencing the
study of staccato bowing it is well to confine oneself to the up-bow
form at first. Great care must be exercised when reaching the lower
half of the bow that the notes remain of equal duration and loudness.
Just below the centre of the bow there is found a curious turning
point, a sort of corner that is very difficult to get round. It is
even more noticeable in down bow staccato.

This turning point is in the wrist, for at that part of the stroke
the most important change in the position of this joint takes