By Care for violin and bow:
Encourage Child to “own” their violin. Have child get out their violin and place shoulder rest, tighten bow. At end of practice child can loosen bow, dust fingerboard, and put away instrument and bow in case after practice. At first parent or teacher will tune instrument.
Bow:
- loosen bow after use (tighten until taut and can fit pinky at smallest point)
- try not to touch the bow hair
- roisin bow to clean oils off bow hair and create some resistance
Violin
- dust roisin off w/ cloth occasionally
Tuning
- download a tuner app for your smart phone or purchase a tuner.
- for large tuners, loosen string slightly towards chin rest before tightening.
- start w/ A string (440) (G,D,A,E – from lowest to highest notes)
- E (generally only w/ fine tuner)
- D
- G
Broken strings
Bridge falls – loosen strings a bit and replace at old spot perpendicular to top of instrument. This usually will occur with dramatic humidity fluctuations.
Sticky pegs – more often when humid, but unfortunately most small violins have sticky pegs. Fine tuners help. There is peg goop for slippy pegs and a little graphite from a pencil on the nut under string helps decrease resistance.
Emily Sunderman 