Just like an interval of five we have intervals of one(prime), second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, octave  which all comes under the category of "Simple intervals."

Perfect intervals are Primes, octaves, fourths, and fifths.  The intervals are named perfect because notes of a perfect interval sound very close and good together. Edly's Music Theory for Practical People by Ed Roseman (click for more information) tells you the basics of music theory in a concise and organised manner. It is easy to understand and presented with lots of fun. Chord Wheel: The Ultimate Tool For All Musicians and Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory are also highly  recommended for understanding more about theory of music .This comes along with a CDrom.


Q   I am a beginner and am worried that my violin practice disturbs my neighbors. What can I do?
A No need to worry. We have mutes for that. Refer mutes under the violin parts section.


Q Whenever I play the "F" note on my E string, I hear a Buzz sound. Why is that?
A   The buzz sound that is heard when we play on E string can be due to strings contacting each other in the peg box. It could also be due to loose windings on any of the strings or a badly shaped nut. Take the violin to a violin shop or luthier to find out the exact reason for the buzz.


Q   I have purchased my new violin. What is the best way to maintain it in good shape?
A  Humidity and temperature are very critical for violin. Dry weather (less himidity) can cause cracks on the violin, and high humidity can cause bubbles on the varnish. Ideal humidity would be 50-55%. You can get a hygrometer and place it inside the violin case to know the exact humidity.  If the humidity is very less, you can use a dampit  inside the violin case to bring up the humidity. There are other good humidifiers and hygrometers listed in  Parts and accessories page  under Violin humidifiers and hygrometers heading.

After playing always wipe off the left-over rosin from the violin belly using a soft cloth. Never touch the bow hair using your hands as the oil in your hands can harm the bow hair.

During winter, the dryness will be more, and the humidity might go below the 50%. Then the pegs can shrink. If the pges keep slipping off the peg hole, apply some black board chalk on it and it will seat right. During summer there will be more humidity and so pegs can expand making it to become stiff. When the pegs shrink rewind the strings. If the pegs still remain shrunk, take it to your violin shop and they might be able to make it right. Stiff pegs need some sort of lubricant like the peg drops.  

Keep the bow loosened after each usage. Leaving it tight after playing can make the bow warp in which case you have to repair it with a luthier or change the bow itself.


Q  How should I rosin my bow?
A   Tighten the bow hair by turning the screw at the end of the bow upto the point when the distance in the middle between the bow hair and the wood is about 1 cm. Take the rosin  and apply sand paper over  it to produce a slight rough surface.You can also scrape the surface of the rosin cake with a small knife to produce the same effect. Use long slow strokes from top to bottom of the bow to evenly coat the rosin onto the bow. Tap the bow stick using your hand to remove any excess rosin from the bow. Now you are ready to play.


Q   I see that the height of the  strings above the fingerboard varies across violins. Is there an ideal height for the strings?
A   The E string is usually 3.5 mm (.1 Inch) above the end of the fingerboard, and the G string is usually 5 mm (.2 Inches) above the end of the fingerboard.