How high should violin strings be above the fingerboard?

How high should violin strings be above the fingerboard?

3.5 mm
Measure the String Height Lay your instrument flat with the bass side toward you and place the ruler against the inside of the upper string half a centimeter in from the end of the fingerboard. The proper measurement at the middle of the upper string is 3.5 mm for a violin, 4.5 for a viola, and 5.5 for a cello.

How far should the bridge be from the fingerboard?

Distance. Usually the distance from the center of the bridge to the fret of the tailpiece (after length) is 1/6 that of the length of the strings measured from the center of the bridge to the fret of the fingerboard (effective string length).

How high should the bridge be on a violin?

The bridge should be around 33 mm high for a violin. This corresponds to a fingerboard projection of 27 mm. There is a relationship between how wide the bridge is and its height, and standard bridge models are designed to work best within this relationship.

Why are violin bridges curved?

The back of the bridge should be perpendicular to the top of the instrument. The bridge can become warped over time, mostly due to the pressure of the strings and the drag of the strings across the bridge when tuning. It is important to pull the bridge back into the correct position after tuning.

Where does the bridge go on a violin?

Your bridge should be in the center of the violin. It should not be too far to the left or right. If your bridge is leaning to the right or the left, gently push it until it’s in the center of the violin.

How do you lower violin strings?

Improper Winding: Strings will become loose more often if your string isn’t wound properly on the peg. Tighten violin strings G and D by turning counterclockwise and the A and E string with a clockwise motion (the string should exit from the top of the peg towards the nut).

How do you measure string height on a double bass?

In the video we refer to string height. The measurement (in millimetres) is taken at the end of the fingerboard. It’s the distance from the underside of the string to the surface of the fingerboard. Not all basses have the same length fingerboards though, so it can only be used as a rough guide.

What is the distance or interval between two strings on the violin viola or cello?

The four strings of the violin are separated by a perfect fifth interval. The viola has a lower scale than the violin and is exactly one octave higher than the cello.

Which side of a violin bridge is higher?

A violin bridge is a small piece of wood. The bottom of the bridge is usually a straight line, while the top is arched slightly. When you’re examining your bridge, you’ll notice one side of the arch is slightly higher than the other. The lower side is the e-string side, and the taller side is the g-string side.

Is the bridge glued to the violin?

A bridge is the most important fitting on the exterior of the violin and the sound of your instrument depends to some extent on its shape, height, position and angle. It is not fixed or glued into position but is held in place by the tension of the strings passing over its top edge.

Is a violin bridge supposed to be bent?

The front of the bridge toward the fingerboard should be at a slightly obtuse angle going toward the tailpiece. If a bridge is permanently bent, it can possibly be straightened. First it will need to be softened with warm steam. The bridge is placed on a clean metal screen over boiling water to absorb the steam.

Is my violin bridge crooked?

99.9\% of the time, a crooked bridge is a bridge that is leaning towards the fingerboard. If the strings are lower, this could cause the strings to “buzz” against the fingerboard when you depress the strings in upper positions. 2. If a bridge is crooked for a prolonged amount of time, the bridge will start to warp.

What is the standard height of the strings on a violin?

Standard height for strings at the end of the fingerboard (the part closest to the bridge), is 3.5 for the E string, and 5.5 for the G string. If your strings are a millimeter off from this, the issue is probably easy to ignore.

What happens when the action is too low on a violin?

If the action is too low, the strings will buzz when you let go and dig in or when you play pizzicato. There’s also a psychological effect: when the strings are too low, you get the feeling that the instrument has lost its voice. The truth is, of course, that action has absolutely nothing to do with how much sound you get.

How is the brightness on a violin controlled?

Because the violin has an arched and carved top, loudness and brightness are controlled by the angle of the strings over the bridge. To change the action you raise or lower the bridge. This changes the angle at which the string crosses the bridge, and angle over the bridge does determine the brightness and power.

How do you adjust the action on a violin?

To change the action you raise or lower the bridge. This changes the angle at which the string crosses the bridge, and angle over the bridge does determine the brightness and power. So while a higher action doesn’t, by itself, make for a louder, brighter sound, the act of raising the action does.