Should I loosen violin strings?

The strings should be fine providing there is no large change in temperature or humidity in the place the violin is going to be stored. If you know that the violin will be subject to changes in temperature and humidity, then it would be advised to loosen the strings.

Should violin strings be tight or loose?

Always loosen a string before tightening it. Even if you tighten it a bit and then stop, intending to tighten again, slacken it a fraction first and then tighten it.

Should you loosen violin bow when not playing?

Two good rhyming tips to remember are: "lefty loosey, right tighty" and: "tighten for playing, loosen for staying." You must tighten the bow (add tension) to play, but when you're finished, you should loosen the bow's hair (remove the tension) before you put it away.

Will tightening the strings on a violin do?

If the pitch is too low (too flat), make it higher by tightening the string. If the pitch is too high (too sharp), make it lower by loosening the string. FINE TUNERS: Use to tune small differences in pitch. To tighten, or make the pitch higher, turn the fine tuner clock-wise.

How tight should the strings on a violin bow be?

A good rule of thumb that I use is a pencil width. If you tighten your bow a bit and can just fit a pencil in between the bow hair and the stick in the middle of the bow, that is enough tension. You can also use your pinky, but in this case, only the tip of your pinky will fit.

How to tune a violin with loose strings from Kate Conway

What happens if you don't loosen your bow?

with carbon fiber or fiberglass you are unlikely to damage the bow itself. What leaving it tight will tend to do is stretch out the hair. Loosening consistently will postpone that day, and save you SOME money. Wooden bows are much more of a problem, much more likely to lose their curve and camber.

When should I loosen my violin bow?

Loosen the hair when you're done playing or even just taking a break. You might get distracted and not come right back—a bow under tension is much more vulnerable to breaking than one that's not.

How long do new violin strings take to settle?

If you've fitted new strings to your instrument, they will take some time to stretch and settle. With most modern violin strings this is usually fairly quick, one or two days, but strings with a synthetic core or gut will sometimes take a week or two to settle.

How long does it take to break in violin strings?

Keep playing

Breaking in new violin strings isn't a uniform process for everyone. Generally, it takes up to 3-7 days for the strings to settle. Unlike gut strings, synthetic strings may initially sound metallic or too loud with a lot of surface noise.

Why is my violin so hard to tune?

Many factors can contribute to problems with tuning: ill-fitting pegs that slip or stick; fine tuners that don't work; old strings that have gone false. One of my adult students this week had decided to get fine tuners on all his strings to make it easier to tune.

What happens if you don't loosen violin bow?

As I pointed out in my answer above, every time you tighten or loosen the bow, you add wear to the screw, the eyelet, and most importantly, to the stick. This is what kills or severely damages bows eventually, if they don't get dropped first.

Why does my violin sound scratchy?

Too much rosin on the bow hair produces a scratchy, unpleasant sound, while too little will cause the tone to fade out during your bow stroke. Finding exactly the right level of rosin to apply is like everything else involved with learning to play the violin… it takes practice.

Should I Untune my violin after playing?

If you loosen your bow, should you also loosen the strings of your violin? Answer: Nope! Please don't untune your violin. It is better for your instrument, for your strings and save you a lot of work!

How long do unused violin strings last?

Regardless of how often you play, your violin strings should be replaced at a minimum of every 9 to 12 months. String Material—Certain materials wear out faster than others. For example, violin strings that are made from gut sound very rich, but the material doesn't last as long as steel fabricated strings.

Should I change all violin strings at once?

You may change all violin strings at once but you should NEVER remove all the strings at the same time. You can also wait a day or two between changing each string, so the bridge doesn't move as the strings settle.

How often should you rosin a violin bow?

Typically, students should re-apply rosin every four to six playing hours, which equals about two times per week.

Why do violins go out of tune?

Most often, violins go out of tune because of changes in temperature, humidity, and stretching of strings.

Should I loosen my bow after playing?

It is very wise to loosen the bow hair after every use. The bristles that are exposed to a permanently streching will, of course, be damaged sooner than the bristles that can rest. Also it's very wise to loosen the bow for the good sake of the bow stick itself.

Why does my violin bow bounce on the strings?

Correct your bow grip to reduce excessive pressure, which can be one of the primary offenders for a bouncing bow. Keep your grip soft (but also not too loose), and your thumb relaxed. Additionally, avoid tensing up when you're playing, especially in your wrist and shoulder.

Why is my bow harder tightening?

When the environment gets very humid, the hair on the bow will stretch. This could cause a lengthening of the bow hair which might make it difficult to tighten all the way. If this happens, DO NOT continue to tighten your bow past the resistance that your tension screw will give you!

Should a violin bow be straight?

You can 'round' this a bit at the tip, but in general your bow must be straight during the whole bow stroke.