What can you do if your violin strings are going out of tune quickly?

Perhaps your violin detunes all the time while practicing or during a performance.

Perhaps your violin is completely out of tune every time you pick it up. This can be really annoying, while there some simple things you can do about it.

First of all I want you to understand that it’s normal to tune your violin daily or even several times a day. Your violin is made out of wood and reacts to temperature, humidity, playing and so forth. However it shouldn’t go out of tune all the time.

ip 1: Check how your violin string winds around the peg in the peg box

The string shouldn’t cross itself. The string should be wound around the peg in a way that it pulls the peg inside peg box. The string tension shouldn’t push the peg out of the peg box. The winding must look very neat. This influences the stability of the tuning.

Tip 2: Soap your pegs (you can do this yourself!)

Peg soap or peg compound is a little wax like and makes your pegs go deeper into the peg box and makes them sick in there. Also the pegs will turn more easily, so you can tune your violin more easily.

Click here to buy peg soap!

Click here to watch my video about how to soap your pegs.

Tip 3: Change your strings

If your strings are very old and worn down, the tuning will wobble around a bit. A damaged string doesn’t have a stable tuning.

Tip 4: Replace your pegs

If the pegs are worn and have changed shape, you need to have the shape restored or replaced by other pegs. Some people can do this themselves, but most people visit a luthier for this. You can’t just buy pegs, as they always need to be cut specifically to your violin.

Tip 5: Keep the humidity and temperature of your practice room as constant as possible

Your violin will respons to the humidity and temperature of the room. Most of the times the air is too dry, certainly if you use an airconditioner.

Click here to watch my video about what to do when the air is too dry for your violin.

Click here to watch my video about what to do when the air is too humid for your violin.

Bonus tip: Use geared pegs

Geared pegs do not turn around in the peg box, but are fixed and only the inside (around which the string is wound) turns. For some people this is the solution to all their tuning problems and hassle. I have no personal experience with them, but I know some people like them very much.

Click here to buy geared pegs.

Is this video helpful to you? Please let me know in the comments below! If you like it, share it with your friends!

Love,

Zlata

PS: Do you have questions or struggles on violin or viola playing? Post a comment below or send an e-mail to info@violinlounge.com and I might dedicate a Violin Lounge TV episode to answering your question!