How to Hold a Conducting Baton

Conducting an orchestra, band or choir is a highly specialized skill that takes years or training and practice to master. But the first step to becoming a conductor is learning how to hold the baton properly. The baton shows the players or singers where the beat is, but it also shows them the expression and phrasing of the music, and it should be a flexible extension of the conductor’s arm.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Hold your right hand in front of your chest with your palm facing upward and your fingers curled naturally as if around an imaginary fishing rod.
2. Pick up the baton with your left hand and set it in your right hand. The grip should hover just above the palm of the hand, and the baton should be resting in the crook between the first and second knuckles of the right index finger.
3. Slide the baton back and forth until you find the point at which it feels perfectly stable and balanced. The baton should feel perfectly secure in your hand even before you close it.
4. Close your fingers and thumb around the baton. Your hold on the baton should be relaxed but secure.
5. Without changing your handle on the baton, turn your right hand so that your palm is facing toward the floor.
6. Raise your hand into a “ready” position. You are ready to conduct!