While practicing the violin is vital for a violinist, taking care of your violin along the way should also be a priority. Whether you may admit it or not, more often we neglect cleaning the parts of the violin we’re using.
Little did we know that violins need to be maintained just as much as we maintain the skills we’ve acquired from practicing violin every day. Here are some of the essential care tips for your violin to keep its superb playing condition and make it last for a lifetime.
CARE #1: Purchase a Good Violin Case
A good violin case should be durable and made from high-performing materials. The case should come with a strap where you can place the neck of the violin for it to be secured whenever you are traveling.
You should also make sure that the case comes with a lot of padding to prevent the violin from getting scratches. Also, the padding should have cushions in it so as to prevent aggressive rubbing of the padding against the varnish of the instrument.
CARE #2: Clean Rosin Off the Strings
See the white dust on the violin after you’re done playing? It’s called rosin dust. This dust when left clinging on to the parts of the violin can lead to accumulated dirt and stickiness. This can lead to having your instrument to be re-varnished again which can be costly and hassle on your part.
In cleaning the strings, all you have to do is use a lint-free soft cloth to wipe the rosin dust off the violin. You may avail this piece of cloth or even a violin care kit in any stores that sell the instrument.
CARE #3: Don’t put too much Rosin on Bow Hair
Since we’re now all aware that rosin dust would do our violin no good, always check if the bow hair for your violin has already lots of rosin. Too much rosin on the bow can make harsh and scratchy sound since the dust caused too much friction between the bow and the sting.
This may sound like a lot of hard work, but if you put off removing rosin dust, it can actually lead to shortening the lifespan of the bow hair and re-hairs are quite expensive nowadays.
CARE #4: Say no to Alcohol or any Cleaning Kit
One of the most important tips in taking care of your violin is to never use alcohol or any cleaning solvents to clean your instrument as this can strip away the varnish of your violin. While some violinists advice the use of wood polish for violin, the most convenient way to clean your violin is using a soft dry cloth every after use of the instrument.
CARE #5: Store your violin properly
Do not let your violin to keep lying around anywhere in your house or room when you’re not using it. It may fall off and cause scratches, or be played by kids if you have any, or worst-case scenario be stepped or sat on.
CARE #6: Invest in a humidifier
A humidifier should be a must-have especially if you’re living in places that have extremely cold temperatures. Why? Violins are made out of organic materials; thus, the wood dries out faster in high-temperature levels, leaving cracks all over its body and making it brittle. You may either invest in a humidifier or buy a violin case that already comes with built-in humidifiers.
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