Subject: Where's the sound
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 15:21:14 -0600

Mickey,

Love your site!

Greetings Tammy,

Thanks for tuning in....

I have never picked up a violin before but absolutely love the music. I'm a bit old for learning new tricks but I am determined to learn to play. I was blessed with a new, fully set up violin for Christmas and just wanted to make any sound as soon as I could. Naturally, knowing absolutely nothing about the instrument, I took it out of the case and pulled the bow across the strings and heard no sound. I know this sounds incredibly silly to you, but what step am I missing in getting ready to practice notes? Tammy from California

This is part of the set-up process...and all new violins require this process before they can be played. Your new bow needs to be properly primed. And to do this, requires a process where the cake of rosin, if you have rosin that came with your violin, needs to be sanded to create a rough surface. After roughening up the surface of the rosin cake, then it needs to be properly applied to your bow. After priming your bow, you will then get a sound out of your violin.

Be sure to check out our primer lessons on our website at:

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

This very same process is taught step-by-step...

Additionally, if you're just starting out, and you don't have a personal instructor, you might consider an instructional video...one that teaches methodology as opposed to song after song....hope this helps and remember most of all have fun! Mickey

 

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Subject: Thank you!
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 22:08:42 -0400

Thank you so much! You guys are the best! The sandpapering of the rosin worked the first time! I'm so happy! Radio City Music Hall--Here I come! Haha! Thanks again!

-Eleanora Armani

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Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 17:16:11 EST
Subject: Brand New Violin and Bow...

Hello Mickey...

I'm a long time violin player...from the 3rd grade i played until 2 years ago i moved and left behind my beautiful violin. Just last night i was given a BRAND NEW violin...and i'm excited about playing it....but the problem is that it wont play well. I tune it regularly with my piano...but for some reason my bow wont play well. I've trying rosining it quite a bit and i'm not sure if the hair in my bow isn't good, or if i need something to break it in. Please tell me how i can get playing my fiddle soon!

Thanks,
Samantha Brown

Greetings Samantha,

It sounds like your bow still needs to be primed...be sure to check out our initial violin set-up instructions at:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

Be careful to sand down your rosin cake to ensure that your have some rosin dust build-up...

Additionally, having just the right tautness on the bow hair is critical...

Read through our lessons section...most of it may be basic for you considering the length of time you've played...and, if you still have questions, please get back with me...Mickey

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Subject: violin question
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 23:21:26 -0500

Hey. I just bought my wife a Becker violin. She starts lessons soon but I can already play one a little bit. I can get no sound out of the strings at all. Just a really airy sound that would come out of a flute. It's brand new so could it be that I need to put a lot of rosin on the bow? Am I using a wrong technique or lack of pressure? please help if you can. 

Greetings,

This is a simple fix:

First and foremost, check out our section on priming a bow:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page365.htm

After following the above instructions carefully, you should find that a tone will be emitted by the violin...I believe most are not aware that the rosin itself needs to be started with sandpaper...before it will even rub off on to the bow hair there needs to be a layer of dust on the new cake of rosin. This sanding of the rosin usually only takes a few times before the rosin gets started shedding dust...and, once a groove is started in the rosin cake, you should not have to sand it again.

Mickey

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Subject: Violin question...
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 16:32:38 -0500

Hello. I recently purchased a new violin and it will not play. I was wondering if someone could help me figure out why. If I pluck the strings they make sound but when I use the bow it sounds like the bow hairs just rubbing across the metal. I've put rosin on the bow and I just can't figure out the problem. Do you have any idea what the problem could be? I would appreciate your help.

Thanks!
Cathy

Greetings Cathy,

Glad to assist if I can:

Please be aware, priming a new bow requires a few steps:

1. Make sure the rosin has been properly started...to do this, use a medium grade sandpaper...rough up the surface of the rosin with the sandpaper so that there's quite a bit of dust freed up...you might want to do this over a wastebasket...

2. Make sure the bow hair has been tightened properly...not too loose and not too tight. Slowly work the rosin into the bow hair with small strokes from the bottom of the bow to the top. Be careful not to rub too hard or too fast as to avoid building friction. This may take upwards of 10 to 15 minutes of priming since this is the first time rosin will be applied to your new bow.

3. After step 2, try drawing the bow over the strings...if there's only a whisper of tone being emitted, repeat step 1 and 2. Sometimes the rosin dust needs to be built up quite a bit more...you can tell there's sufficient rosin on the bow hair if while drawing the bow across the strings, there's a solid tone being emitted.

4. To determine when to further apply rosin, listen for a whispering tone being emitted as the bow is drawn on the strings. Usually, if you're playing about an hour a day, you should only have to apply rosin every few days...and even then, only for 30 to 60 seconds or so.

Take Note: if you're still not getting a tone out of your drawn bow, and you've already tried step 1 and 2 two times through, you may have another issue.

A. Make sure that your strings are tuned up to proper pitch...
B. Make sure that you're applying the bow stroke at the right position...between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard.
C. Make sure that the bow hair is properly tightened...if too loose, there may not be much tone emitted when drawn on the strings.
C. There's a possibility that your bow hair has been tampered with...if for instance someone attempted cleaning the bow hair, or the strings, with a commercial cleaner such as windex...or if your strings have been accidentally cleaned with an oil-based wood wax...this would cause the bow to literally slip off the strings and have no grab at all...

If none of the above works, go to your local music store to determine if there's another problem...or, better yet, try to hook up with a good violin/fiddle teacher...

Additionally, be sure to check out our violin lessons section which further discusses the bow priming process:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

Hope this helps...Mickey