Routine care and maintenance of violins and bows

The violin is a well-structured and reasonable musical instrument, and it needs to be protected in daily use, otherwise, any small mistakes may lead to changes in the violin's timbre. So how to maintain the violin in daily life? Let's learn about the daily maintenance of the violin and bow.

Daily maintenance of the violins

1: When holding the violin at ordinary times, you should hold the neck of the violin with your hand, and not grab the head (the peg) to avoid loosening the strings. Do not grab other parts of the violin body with your hands, so as not to damage the paint with oil or sweat on your hands.

2: When practicing the violin, put the violin in a suitable position. Do not place the violin in a place where it can be easily touched, such as a table or chair.

3: After each practice, put the violin into the case, cover it with a soft cloth, and fasten the case to avoid accidentally dropping the violin from the case because the case is not fastened. When the case is placed upright, do not put it upside down, the headstock should be upward. When laying flat, do not put it upside down, and the lid of the violin case should be on top. Also, don't put heavy objects in the case.

4: After each practice, be sure to use a clean, soft dry cotton cloth to wipe off the rosin powder and sweat on the violin surface, strings, fingerboard, and bow. From time to time, use a soft cotton cloth to squeeze some toothpaste to wipe the violin board to keep the violin bright, clean, and tone. Never use alcohol to wipe, so as not to damage the varnish.

5: The violin should be placed in a dry, cool place.

6: After the violin has been used for a long time, some dust and rosin powder will accumulate in the violin box. It can be cleaned by the following method: put a handful of washed and fried rice into the violin box through the f-hole, and then gently put the violin back and forth, up and down. Shake the violin body repeatedly, and then pour out the rice covered with dust and rosin powder from the f-hole.

7: When the weather is humid, you can put one or two desiccants in the piano case. And often take out the dryer to dry or bake to keep it dry.

8: The pegs are affected by climate change, and the strings are easy to loosen when dry. You can apply an appropriate amount of rosin powder or chalk ash to stabilize them. It doesn't twist when wet, you can apply the pencil core to make it smooth. Even better if you can buy peg oil to coat the pegs.

9: Due to frequent tuning, the bridge will be inclined towards the fingerboard after a long time, so you should always pay attention to find the bridge is inclined and straighten it in time.

Daily maintenance of the bows

1: The bow hair should not be too tight, the normal curvature and elasticity of the bow should be maintained, and don't forget to loosen the bow hair after use.

2: Rub a proper amount of rosin evenly on the bow hair before practicing the piano every day, do not rub too much.

3: Do not touch the bow hair with your hands, so as not to stain the bow hair and cause the rosin to not be wiped normally, and finally there is no way to make a good sound.

4: Do not use the bow as a stick.

5: Do not place the bow in a certain compartment of the piano box, and always switch the upper and lower compartments to keep the bow in a normal camber.

6: After the bow is used for some time, there will be oil stains on the bow hair and the bow shaft. You can unscrew the screw at the end of the bow to separate the bow hair from the bow shaft, and then use detergent or toothpaste to brush the bow hair and bow shaft, and then use After cleaning with clean water, dry it with a cotton cloth, then install the end screw and hang it in a ventilated place to dry, and then wipe it with rosin again. When brushing the bow hair, be careful not to wet the bow hair bank at the tip and root end of the bow, to prevent the bow hair from falling off as a whole.

7: If the hair is broken, don't pull it off with your hands, and cut it with scissors.

8: After the bow is used for a long time, the small teeth on the bow hair will gradually be worn away and affect the friction pronunciation, so the bow hair must be replaced. Generally, a new bow is drawn for three or four hours a day, and the bow hair will be replaced in about half a year.