JAVS Summer 2021

meet the ribs. I use the knuckle of my middle finger to check for open seams and if you hear a hard and bright slapping sound, which is the sound of wood hitting wood, you have an open seam. This is usually remedied by regluing the seam and letting the instrument sit in clamps for at least four hours. The best way to avoid open seams (or any other hide glue related issue) is to try to keep your viola in a consistent humidity and temperature. I highly suggest using some type of humidifier, and my two personal favorites are the Dampit (for inside the instrument humidification) and the Stretto (for in-case humidification). The mystery buzz could also be produced by the nut (the tiny, slotted piece of ebony at the top of the fingerboard) needing to be reglued. The fingerboard coming unglued could also be the culprit of the mystery buzz. Seeing if your viola stops buzzing when you apply pressure to either nut or fingerboard may help you determine if either point needs to be reglued. The bridge and the fingerboard are two common spots that may produce a mystery buzz. Only half the diameter of the string should be in the groove of the bridge, and if most of the string is deep in the bridge groove it is likely to cause a buzzing sound. You should be able to visually see if the bridge grooves are a possible case of your buzz. Additionally, I suggest checking your fingerboard for deep grooves in the wooden playing surface, usually seen directly under the string between the 1 st and 5 th positions (or wherever you play most often). These grooves can be a major cause of the mystery buzzes and the issue can be alleviated by having the fingerboard planed. To keep your viola in top form, I suggest inspecting it every few days. Your viola will go through seasonal changes just like your body and regularly inspecting it will help you to catch any problems before they become a larger issue. Repair and maintenance of viola bows is a bit more straightforward than the instruments themselves, though bows are much more fragile than violas. The most important bow-related terms a violist should become familiar with are: stick, frog, chamber, tip, mortise (there are both tip and frog mortises), pearl slides, tongue, heel, eyelet, and ferrule. The most common issues viola players face with their bows are: hair wearing out or becoming discolored, bow hair stretching out, or eyelets stripping. The Bow

Each of these are simple fixes, and should be obvious when necessary. Worn, discolored, or stretched out hair should simply be replaced. In general, your bow hair should be replaced every six months. The eyelet inside your frog can be another problem spot. If the screw of your bow turns freely but does not tighten the hair of your bow, you likely have a stripped eyelet. Replacing it is a very straightforward procedure. Protecting and taking care of the tip of your is of the utmost importance, as it is the most fragile part of the bow. Sadly, a crack through the wood of your tip will greatly devalue your bow. Due to the elongated shape of their heads, baroque or period bows are particularly susceptible to breakage and require extra caution. Every violist should be able to maintain and protect the bridge of their instrument, and there are a few simple things you can do to ensure your bridge’s health. The act of tuning constantly pulls your bridge toward the fingerboard and it is necessary to reset your bridge from time to time. To correct for this, I brace the bridge with my fingers from both sides and pull the bridge back into place by slowly applying pressure with my index fingers. If not properly maintained, many bridges will warp over time. You should be able to visually see this, and any bridge that is no longer straight should be either replaced or straightened. Unless badly warped, most bridges can be easily straightened by your luthier via the application of steam and at least eight hours in clamps. The Bridge Sound adjustment is possibly the most mysterious aspect of working with string instruments. Because of our particular timbre and pitch spectrum, viola sound adjustments are often more challenging than adjustments to violins and celli. Moving the sound post, which transmits vibrations from the top to the back and is often referred to as the “heart” of the instrument, can have the greatest impact on both the timbre and response of your viola. Slightly moving the post changes the tension between the top and back as well as the intensity of the vibrations transmitted. These small movements can unlock an amazing variety of tone colors from any viola. Our wooden violas are similar to the human body, they shift and change with the humidity and temperature fluctuations of the seasons. As a result, we should expect Tonal Adjustments

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 37, 2021 Online Issue

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