Maintenance & Repair

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Violin Tuning

Title: Mastering the Art of Violin Tuning: Essential Tips and Techniques

Tuning the violin is a fundamental skill that every violinist must master to produce beautiful, harmonious music. Proper tuning ensures that each string resonates at the correct pitch, allowing for precise intonation and a balanced sound. In this guide, we’ll explore the process of violin tuning, from basic techniques to troubleshooting tips for maintaining optimal tuning stability.

What to Do When Tuning the Violin: Tuning the violin involves adjusting the tension of each string to achieve the desired pitch. Here’s a step-by-step guide to tuning the violin:

  1. Prepare Your Tuning Device: Before you begin tuning, ensure that you have a reliable tuning device, such as an electronic tuner or tuning app, to assist you in accurately adjusting the pitch of each string.
  2. Start with the A String: Begin by tuning the A string, which is the second string from the left when holding the violin in playing position. Play the open A string and use your tuning device to adjust the tension until the pitch matches the designated A note.
  3. Tune the D String: Next, tune the D string, which is the third string from the left. Play the open D string and use your tuning device to adjust the tension until it matches the designated D note.
  4. Continue with the G and E Strings: Tune the G string, the fourth string from the left, followed by the E string, which is the rightmost string. Use your tuning device to adjust the tension of each string until they match the designated G and E notes, respectively.
  5. Check Your Tuning: Once you’ve tuned all four strings, double-check your tuning by playing open strings together or playing simple scales to ensure that each note is in tune relative to the others.

Tips for Troubleshooting Tuning Issues: Even with proper tuning techniques, violin strings may occasionally struggle to stay in tune due to factors such as temperature changes, humidity, or string age. Here are some tips for troubleshooting tuning issues:

  1. Stretch Your Strings: New strings or strings that haven’t been played in a while may need to be stretched to settle into their proper tension. Gently pull and stretch each string along its length to help it settle and hold its pitch more consistently.
  2. Use Peg Compound: Apply a small amount of peg compound to the pegs if they are slipping or sticking. Peg compound helps lubricate the pegs, making them easier to turn and helping them hold their position more securely.
  3. Adjust the Fine Tuners: If your violin is equipped with fine tuners, use them to make minor adjustments to the pitch of each string. Fine tuners provide greater precision and control over tuning compared to the pegs, especially for small adjustments.
  4. Monitor Environmental Conditions: Keep your violin stored in a stable environment with consistent temperature and humidity levels to minimize the effects of climate on tuning stability. Extreme fluctuations in temperature or humidity can cause strings to expand or contract, affecting their tension and tuning.

Tuning the violin is a vital skill that every violinist must master to achieve optimal sound quality and performance. By following proper tuning techniques and troubleshooting tips, you can ensure that your violin stays in tune and produces beautiful, harmonious music. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced violinist, regular tuning practice is essential for maintaining your instrument’s sound and playability. So, grab your tuning device and your violin, and embark on your journey to perfect tuning mastery!

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Violin Luthier in BC Canada

Looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada?

What is a violin luthier? A Violin luthier is someone who fixes violins. It’s an art they specialize in and have spent many years perfecting. Violin luthiers are also well trained in violin making, often making the best instruments around.

If you are looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada to make you a violin, to repair a special violin or re-hair your violin bow, you need to look no further. Below, I have a list of luthiers based in BC, Canada and their addresses.

Why choose a luthier and not a musical store? Most musical stores will have someone trained to fix minor issues on a violin. But they often outsource to a violin luthier in any case. But if you have a highly specialized violin or specialized things that need to be done on the violin, the best is to get yourself a violin luthier. Below is a list of violin luthiers based in BC Canada that can help you fix your violin problems!

LuthierAreaWebsite
Kim Tipper: Victoriahttps://tipper-violins.com
Julian VitekVictoriahttp://vitekviolins.com/
James HamVictoriahttp://www.hamstringsmusic.com/
Warren BailyVictoriahttp://www.warrenbaileyfineviolins.com/
Laura WallacePowell Riverhttp://wallaceviolins.ca/
Raymond Anthony NicolComoxhttp://www.anthonyviolins.com/
Zak StolkHoneymoon Bayhttp://zakviolins.com/
Grant WicklandSaltspring Islandhttp://wicklandinstruments.com/
William OkosSummerland BChttps://williamokosmusic.com/
Herman JanzenMission BChttp://www.janzenviolins.com/
Michael AltschulerRichmond, BChttp://www.houseofviolins.com/
Vintage ViolinsVancouver, BChttp://www.vintageviolins.ca/
Chris MatyjaVancouver, BChttp://www.kcmluthiery.com/
Gerard Ivan SamijaVancouver BChttp://www.luthier.ca/
Bob LaughlinVancouver BChttp://www.laughlinguitars.ca/
Poesis ViolinNorth Vancouver BChttp://www.poesisstudio.com/

It is always nice and special when you are looking for that special someone who can look after your violin and know your violin next time you go back. My suggestion is to find a violin luthier in BC Canada or your area that you can keep going back to.

Not looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada? Perhaps this website can help you find one in your area.

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How do I clean my violin?

The question every single violin teacher should answer and teach is “How do I clean my violin?” And sadly, many don’t. Many violin students go through their entire life, not having learned how to clean their violins or bows.

Violin teachers are often eager at teaching students how to play that they forget and neglect the important question of how to clean your violin. In this page, I hope to answer your questions on how to clean your violin.

The first thing you will need to clean your violin with is a violin cleaning cloth. It’s important that you have several of these cloths and not just one cloth. One cleaning cloth is not enough, nor is any cleaning cloth Ok. You need a special violin cleaning cloth or instrument cloth. These can be obtained from a music store. The violin cleaning cloths are made from soft fabric as to not scratch and damage your violin.

The second thing you will need is a little bit of violin cleaning oil or just called violin oil. And the third….. that’s right. Rubbing alcohol with a 70% concentration.

Now how do I actually clean my violin? You have given me information on all the things I need, but not actually how to get into cleaning my violin. That’s all coming in the next paragraph below.

When a violin is played, the rosin from the bow leaves off a tiny bit of white residue. This residue needs to be wiped off the violin. Take your first cloth and around the bridge and fingerboard, just gently rub off any white residue you may see. This is usually enough, unless you have been lazy and not paid attention to clean your violin the way that it should be done. If that’s you, read further.

The residue if not cleaned, can cake onto the violin. This means that it gets sticky and hard and pacts on to the actual varnish of the violin. This can damage the violin. Therefore, if this has happened to you, take your second cloth and just drop about 3 drops of violin cleaning solution onto the cloth. Gently rub and massage it in a circular motion around the area where the rosin has collected.

You can also use your third cloth and clean your strings, fingerboard and chin rest with about 3 drops of 70% rubbing alcohol. Take heed though that you do not touch the varnish of the violin and that no drops of alcohol drop onto the varnish.

I hope this has been helpful and informative on how to clean your violin and that your question on How do I clean my violin has been answered. You can check out my YouTube channel for more videos and information on how to clean your violin.

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Is it ok to leave a violin out of it’s case?

A question that should be asked. This is very important. Is it ok to leave a violin out of it’s case, and for how long can I leave it out of it’s case?

Well that depends. The answer to the first question, is it ok to leave the violin out of it’s case is a clear and definite no. But the answer to the second question is a different question. Leaving the violin out of it’s case for brief periods of time is perfectly ok. There is nothing wrong with leaving the violin on stage during a concert as long as you pack it away after the concert is over.

It is never ok to leave a violin out of it’s case because what will happen is that ruin and decay will set in.

The first thin you need to remember about a violin is that it’s a wooden instrument. The wood is adaptable to weather. In cold weather it swells and in hot weather it contracts. This affects the tuning, the strings and the violin itself. To keep it in tune and in good shape, never ever leave it in a hot car on a sunny day or in the cold outside the house for long periods of time. By long periods of time I mean even half an hour or more. Try to keep it in a constant temperature.

This is another reason it is not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case. The case is designed to be a buffer for the weather. This does not mean be reckless and put it in a hot car, but rather that it’s there to provide a tiny bit of protection against the elements and weather.

A third reason why it’s not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case is because people can walk past and bump or knock it down. This may chip and damage the wood.

For the violin to stay in the best shape possible, it’s never ok to leave it out of it’s case and it should always be put away in it’s case.

I hope this has been helpful. Please remember it’s not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case and that you always need to take good care of your violin. It’s an expensive instrument, and just as expensive to fix if it’s not maintained properly.

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How to keep a violin clean

Welcome. Today I am going to share with you how to keep a violin clean. It’s not a simple cut and paste method of taking a damp cloth and rubbing the violin with it. In fact, a damp cloth can damage the violin’s body. When you clean your violin, you want to make sure that you keep it in good condition.

Before I share with you how to keep a violin clean, you need to stock up on a couple of supplies. Many of these supplies can be bought at a music store or off Amazon. The Amazon adds for these products are on this page. I do earn affiliate income from Amazon, so when you click on the add, I do receive a commission off of it.

The supplies to keep a violin clean are as follows: you need some almond oil, some 70% rubbing alcohol and two very soft cloths. One for dusting and one for cleaning. In addition, some cotton wool would be helpful too. Right, without much more said, let me tell you how to keep a violin clean and in good shape.

The first thing you want to do is after each time that you played, you want to take one of those duster cloths and just gently wipe away all the rosin dust on the violin. This will help that the rosin does not stick to the violin and prevent varnish damage.

About once every month or two, I would recommend doing a thorough clean. How you clean a violin is a delicate process and needs to be done carefully. For the varnish part of the violin, after you have wiped away the dust particles, you will need to drop a few drops of Almond oil onto the cloth and gently wipe the varnish with it. Not too much or it could soak into the wood and damage the violin.

For the strings, fingerboard and chinrest, use a few drops of the alcohol and rub it on the strings, fingerboard and chin rest. This will remove sweat particles from your chin and fingers off the strings and other parts of the violin that your body touches.

So to answer the question how to keep a violin clean properly, I hope this has been easy to follow and understand. Always be very careful and take care that you do not damage the violin while cleaning it.

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How to fix a loose violin chin rest

Is it not just the most irritating thing ever? You just came home from your violin lesson and your violin has a loose violin chin rest? The worst is that you do not know how to fix a loose violin chin rest.

Fear not, for in this article I will explain to you how to fix a loose violin chin rest. It is important to pay attention so that you do not scratch or damage your violin while tightening this piece of the violin. That’s right, all it is is a little bit of tightening on a screw that needs to be done. Easier said than done though.

For fixing a loose violin chin rest, there are a couple of pieces of equipment that you need. The first piece of equipment is a speciality violin screw driver. You can find one on the Amazon link below. If you cannot afford to wait for the screw driver to arrive, you can use a simple safety pin or sewing needle if you have one close by.

In the image below, you can see the chin rest. Also see the holes in the chin rest screws. The holes go through from the front to the back. You need to carefully insert your pin (or screw driver) into the hole. Don’t push it all the way through the hole. If the pin comes out the other side, you are liable to scratch your violin. You want to push it through just enough so that you can turn the screw, but not far enough that it will scratch the violin’s body.

The simple thing is, all you need to do really, is to turn the screws until they are tight. This is of course after you have positioned the chin rest back in place. Sometimes to do that, one has to clip it back on the violin.

Once that is done, your violin chin rest is back on, safe and sound. It’s so easy to fix a loose violin chin rest. Nothing to it. I do hope that this has been helpful. Do make certain that you do invest in a proper violin screw driver to avoid scratching your violin.