Pegs
If the pegs are slipping you can do the following:
Be sure to push the pegs in as you tune the strings up to pitch. This ensures that the
pegs hold tighter as the tension of the string goes up.
Use peg compound to help lock the pegs in place. You can also apply chalk onto the
pegs where it is inserted into the peg box.
New strings will require some stretching before they settle in and hold pitch. Try pulling
the strings slightly upwards after tuning to pitch. This can take some of the slack out of
the strings and help accelerate the settling in process for new strings.
Bow
The bow must be tightened and rosined in order to product a sound with it. To prepare your bow
follow the steps below:
Use the screw to tighten the frog so that the hair has tautness.
Be careful to not over tighten your bow. The hair should have a slight bounce to it without
touching the stick after placing it on the strings. Usually about 1/4 of an inch distance
from the low point of the curve to the hair is ideal. For some it is more and some it is less
depending on how the player plays.
A new rosin cake will be too slick to apply to the hair. To correct this, take a small
pocketknife and cut three or four parallel lines in the rosin so that there will be some
texture to the cake. You can also roughen the surface of the rosin cake with some
sandpaper.
Slowly draw the hair over the rosin cake from the frog to the tip of the bow. Be careful not
to draw the bow too quickly which would cause some friction.
On a new bow, you may have to repeat this process approximately 5-10 minutes...test
the bow to determine if the rosin is adhering to the hair.
If it is, you'll start to hear a clear pitch emitted as the bow is drawn over the strings.
Try placing the bow on your strings and play a few notes open.
If there is no tone or volume emitting from the strings the bow is not grabbing the strings
enough to generate a tone, try applying more rosin.
Follow this process repeatedly until the bow no longer slides on the strings, and you're
getting a clear tone.
Things to keep in mind
There’s a happy medium you’re trying to attain when applying rosin. Listen for a nice clear tone
as the bow draws on the strings. If there’s a whispering tone or no tone at all, add more rosin. If
there’s a clear tone, you should have the optimal level of rosin on the bow. If there’s a scratchy
tone, stop applying your rosin and start playing.
If you start to hear a scratchy tone, instead of a nice clear tone, you may have applied too much
rosin. If so, simply play until the rosin slowly wears off.
When your practice session is over loosen the screw so that the hair is no longer taut and return
your bow to its case. This will help you prolong the life of your bow.
Never touch the horsehair on your bow. The oils from your skin will damage the hair and
take away its ability to grab the strings.
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