Step by step guide to cleaning your Violin strings, Violin bow and Cello bow
Music enthusiasts have a lot of options when it comes to learning. The instruments of the musical world have always been enchanting and attract everyone. It is a long cherished dream for everyone to learn as many instruments as possible in a lifetime. The more you understand, the more you know that it is exhilarating. An ideal musician learns to play them properly and learns how to take care to have a long-lasting journey. One needs to know how to take care of their instruments properly. The enchanting and oldest member of the stringed family needs the same care: Violin, Viola and Cello. Violin strings, Violin bow and Cello bow are the most important ones that need to be taken care of precisely. Here we will lay some tips on how one can take care of them. If you are a beginner, we hope this post will help you.
Violin Strings-
To play the Violin, one needs to take care of the Violin strings as they are the most crucial part; otherwise, where you’d be using your Violin bow, right? The Strings are basically made from catgut, nylon and steel. They mostly contain four strings, making it easier for the player to learn. If you are a beginner, this table might help you with what to do with Violin strings and what to avoid.
How to clean the Violin strings properly?
What to do
Cleaning the Violin strings after every use so the rosin doesn’t build up.
Should use a clean microfiber cloth
If not a microfiber cloth use an old t-shirt for the smooth areas
Can use a credit card to get rid of rosin residue
Use a specialized cleaning pad
What to avoid
Using alcohol to clean as it will impact the tone.
Using water to clean the Violin strings
Using steel wool would make the fretboard and strings hard to play.
Using cardboard or any hard and large material
Applying rosin to the strings voluntarily
Violin bow-
To clean a Violin bow, one needs to keep in mind that the rosin needs to be clean after every practice. The bow contains a few basic things or parts that a violinist should know. And those are- the hair, the stick, frog, screw. To clean the bow, one has to clean all of the parts. To wash the hair, one needs to loose the screw from the frog and then wash it with rubbing alcohol. But one needs to make sure that the alcohol does not touch the sticky surface as it will leave a large number of marks and will impact the wood of the Violin bow. To dry the hair, one can use an old toothbrush and gently comb the hair. The hair should not be twisted in a different direction; it will tangle the position and ruin the whole structure.
Cello bow-
Like the Violin, the Cello bow needs to be cleaned after every use. The more you take care of your instruments, the more you grow into them. The first step is to take a clean microfibre cloth and warm soapy water for the Cello and rinse it back and forth with utmost care. One needs to take extreme care and maintain a gap between the denatured alcohol and the Cello stick. After washing the hair of the cello bow, wait for at least one day and then take the brush and part the hair from one another. You may clip off the broken hair also.
Final thoughts:
The Violin strings, Violin bow and Cello bow need a few factors considered before buying. These are the most critical parts of Violin and Cello, respectively. The bows and strings need to have cared for the same amount as one takes care of the instruments. As a novice, you may feel intimidated or overwhelmed, so we are here to give you a direction. We tried to put the best and most remedies and taking care proceedings here so you can tip from here.