I got a question: Hi Zlata, unfortunately the soundpost in my violin has fallen and is now loose in my violin. I can hear it rolling around and my violin sounds terrible. What should I do?

What is a soundpost and what is its function?

It is the little stick kind of thing that connects the front and the back of your violin. The soundpost gives the vibrations from the front to the back because it is stuck between the front and the back. It should never be glued because if it is glued it can’t pass the vibrations because it can’t move. So it has to be fitted very well by a violin builder and it should stay there because it fits so well. It should also follow the shape of the front and back of your violin so it can optimally give through the vibrations. It also has a constructional function. Because if you don’t have a soundpost, then your bridge and the strings and all the strength that comes on it, that can be around 25-35 kilos, is resting on the front of the violin. Then the bridge can break through the front of the violin and your violin will be in pieces.

What should you do if your soundpost falls down?

1. Obviously you can’t play on it. So you have to stop playing on it.
2. You put all your strings out of tune so that they are really loose and put away the bridge because the bridge is also loose
3. Go with screeching tires to a violin builder who can fix you a new soundpost or put the old soundpost back in place.

It is very difficult to do it on your own so I would really advise you to go to a violin shop or a violin builder to have it done for you so it happens well and you don’t damage your violin.

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Love,

Zlata

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