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Here are the answers to many
questions that we are frequently
asked. If you have any additional
questions, please don't hesitate
to contact
us.
GENERAL
QUESTIONS:
Do you really
deliver the instrument to
my door?
What happens
if I lose or break the instrument?
Why is it bad
to keep my violin in the car?
Should I own
a metronome?
STRINGS:
What
do I do if I break a string?
How should I
clean my strings?
TUNING:
Why
won't the violin stay in tune?
Why are the tuning
pegs loose in the winter and
tight in the summer?
Should I own
a tuner?
BOW:
Should
I loosen the bowhair on the
bow when I'm not playing?
What should
I do when the bow hair can't
be tightened anymore?
How often should
I rosin my bow?
I heard I shouldn't
touch the bow hair - is this
true?
- - - - -
GENERAL
QUESTIONS:
Do
you really deliver the instrument
to my door?
Yes. We're
a family-owned business that
believes in customer service
and personalized attention.
We'll deliver the instrument
right to your door.
What
happens if I lose or break
the instrument?
Well, don't.
But if the instrument gets
damaged or lost, you are responsible
for the cost. If the damage
is minimal, we'll do our best
to repair it.
Why
is it bad to keep my violin
in the car?
Because violins are made of
wood and, as such, subject
to temperature extremes. The
cold of winter or the heat
of a car in the summer can,
with repeated exposure, cause
serious damage to the instrument.
Always bring your violin inside.
Should
I own a metronome?
Well, if your child starts
a piece slowly and by the
end is playing "prestissimo"
(very, very fast) then probably.
We have metronomes available
from $25 - $45. Contact us
for more information.
- - - - -
STRINGS:
What
do I do if I break a string?
The best thing to
do is always carry an extra
set of strings with you. That
way if a string breaks, most
time you can have the instructor
change it on the spot. Strings
will occasionally break and
it's best to be prepared.
We have strings available
for purchase. If you're out
of strings or cannot get the
string changed, contact
us.
How
should I clean my strings?
If you notice rosin on your
strings, this will eventually
reduce their responsiveness,
thus affecting their tone.
To fix them, just use your
fingernails to scrape the
rosin from the strings, and
then wipe with a clean, dry
cloth.
- - - - -
TUNING:
Why
won't the violin stay in tune?
Although you should tune your
violin each time before you
play, if you find that the
violin is frequently coming
out of tune while you play,
then contact us. Most likely
we need to apply some compound
to the tuning pegs.
Why
are the tuning pegs loose
in the winter and tight in
the summer?
Tuning pegs are made out of
wood and are carefully matched
with the hole in the headstock
of the violin. Since the pegs
are wood, they are subject
to the amount of moisture
in the air. In the winter
the air is drier, and as a
result the pegs shrink a little
and no longer fit snug in
the headstock. In the summer
the air is full of moisture
and the pegs swell, causing
them to stick. In either case,
contact us and we'll fix the
problem.
Whatever you do, don't overtighten
the tuning pegs, or push them
in farther with excessive
force to make them tight.
You'll have to apply a certain
amount of pressure to make
them snug - you can push until
you feel moderate resistance.
Should
I own a tuner?
Absolutely. An untuned violin
does not promote the proper
ear training that your child
needs to play the instrument
well. We have several tuners
available ranging from $25
- $35. Contact us for more
information.
- - - - -
BOW:
Should
I loosen the bowhair on the
bow when I'm not playing?
If your bow is wooden, then
yes. Reducing the tension
of the bowhair when not playing
puts less pressure on a wooden
bow, thus increasing it's
life. Most of our bows, however,
are fiberglass, and with fiberglass
bows it makes no difference
if you loosen the hair or
not.
What
should I do when the bow hair
can't be tightened anymore?
Contact us. Most likely the
bow needs to be rehaired.
How
often should I rosin my bow?
Ideally you should be able
to lay your bow on the strings
and, with no pressure, pull
it back and get a sound. We
generally recommend applying
rosin once for every two hours
of playing time. If you find
that you have to apply pressure
to get a good sound out of
the strings, then rosin more
often. If you see rosin on
the strings, then apply less
frequently.
I
heard I shouldn't touch the
bow hair - is this true?
Yes. Oil from your skin can
get on the bow hair, and if
too much oil builds up, it
can keep the bow hair from
accepting rosin.
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