How to String a Violin

Step 1 - Winding the Peg

First, unwind the fine tuner so it can be used once the string is attached. The fine tuner should be wound out to the point where it starts feeling loose, and then wound in a little so that it does not fall out.

Place the nub (or ball end) of the string into the arms on the tailpiece, making sure the nub is the right way up - with the string coming over the top. Having the nub the other way round causes extra stress on the string and can bend the string and cause friction, leading to breakages.

With the nub or ball end in the holder, it is time to focus on the peg end of the string. Bend the peg end of the string over about 1-2cm from the end of the string, so that it forms close to a right-angle. This will help you to thread the string through the hole in the peg, and will help the string to stay in the hole when you wind the peg. Thread the string though the hole in the peg, and turn the peg towards the scroll so that the hole that you threaded the string into is facing the scroll. This makes sure that the string is sitting in the peg securely.

With your hand pulling down gently on the string to maintain enough tension to ensure that the string is wound evenly, angle the string away from the peg (by holding the string towards the opposite side of the fingerboard to the side that the peg is on) and wind the string around the peg for 2 turns. The string should wind on the peg on the opposite side of the peg hole from where the head of the peg is. Then, cross the string over to the other side, (by angling the string towards the peg side of the fingerboard) and continue winding. The string should cross over the previous 2 coils and wind up on the peg side of the peg hole. There it should continue to wind neatly towards the peg. Keep winding until the string sits with enough tension to keep it in the tailpiece without having to hold it in place. We wind the string this way so that as the string loosens up, it has enough space to neatly wrap around the peg and so that the string won't be bent unnecessarily.

If you have trouble turning the fine tuner screw or peg, there are tips on how to alleviate this problem in our Violin Maintenance Guide.

Note when stringing the E string: The E string is so thin it often cuts into the wood of the bridge. To prevent this, many E strings will have a small plastic tube on the string, and some bridges are reinforced under the E string notch. The plastic tube on the E string is meant to be placed over the part of the string that touches the bridge. Always place the plastic tube with the excess plastic hanging towards the tuner side to stop the plastic from interfering with your playing.

Step 2 - Checking the length of the String

Check the length of the string to make sure it is in the right place. Make sure you check the tailpiece end, at the bridge to make sure the string is sitting in the right notch, and at the nut end of the string to make sure it is properly in place. Wind the string in until it is firmly in place, but still under the pitch of the note you need to tune your string to.

Step 3 - Tuning the string

Use the peg to tune the string to as close to the note as possible, while still remaining slightly below the note. Then, use the fine tuners to adjust the note, as explained in the How to Tune the Violin article.

The string will stretch rapidly to start off with and it will need tightening at the peg often. This is because the fibers in the string stretch as the string is tightened. Play the string as much as you can over the next few days to get all the stretching and retuning out of the way so you can then play the string without constantly slipping out of tune.