F.A.Q and Troubleshooting String Family
Q. I have just started using my bow, but it doesn’t
make any sound; when it does it squeaks.
A. Bow hair is made from horse’s hair and is naturally greasy.
When the bow is pulled across the strings it needs to create some friction so
that the strings will vibrate and create a sound. To do this we need to
counteract their greasiness, so we coat the bow-hair with rosin (a block of
hardened tree sap, black or amber in colour). By rubbing this along the length
of the hair, each strand is coated in minute pieces of dust which act like
millions of little teeth. These grip the strings and make them vibrate,
creating sound. This should also reduce some of the squeaking, although this is
generally part of the learning curve.
Q. My instrument has a white sticky dust on both the
strings and the top of the violin.
A. This white dust is a residue from the rosin used to coat
the bow-hair. It is very important that it is gently wiped away after each time
the instrument has been played. If this dust is left, it will get thicker and
stickier and will eat into the varnish affecting the tone of the instrument. If
left on the strings the rosin gets crusty which means the strings don’t vibrate
properly. It is a good idea to keep a duster in the case so that cleaning the
rosin off becomes a habit.
Q. My bow is rapidly losing hair.
A. A bow is tightened up to play but needs to be loosened
every time before it is put away. If left tight the hair will gradually keep
pulling out, also the wood has a nice bow shaped curve, but if it is left
tight, the wood can sometimes warp or straighten out. This can make it
impossible to play with.
|