You know a bow is necessary to play your violin. What other supplies do you need to keep your instrument in great shape and make every performance your best? From cases for storage and travel to microsuede cloths for cleaning your bow, check out these 10 best violin accessories:
- Violin Case
- Violin Bow Case
- Chin Rest
- Shoulder Rest
- Rosin
- Cleaning Cloth
- Extra Strings
- Tuner
- Music Stand
- Humidity Control Pack
1. Violin Case
A violin case is one of the first things you should invest in. It can hold your violin and accessories when not in use, helping protect them. A case also makes it easy to take your violin on the go, whether you’re heading to orchestra practice, jamming with friends across town, or jetting off on a long trip.
2. Violin Bow Case
While violin cases have a designated spot for storing your bow(s), you also want a separate bow case. Storing your bow in its own case makes it easy to only take your bow when needed. You can bring your bow along when borrowing a violin or take your bow for a rehair service without toting your entire instrument around.
3. Chin Rest
A chin rest attaches to the body of your violin and offers comfort and stability while you hold the violin. This additional stability grants your left hand more freedom to move.
Your violin might have come with a chin rest, but you may want to find one more comfortable for your chin placement and neck height.
4. Shoulder Rest
Whether or not you use a shoulder rest is a personal preference, but it’s a great accessory to consider. A shoulder rest attaches to the back of your violin and acts as a pad between the violin and your shoulder. It can help make playing your instrument more comfortable, especially if you play for extended periods.
5. Rosin
If there’s one accessory on this list that you absolutely must use, it’s rosin. Rosin helps create friction between the bow hairs and violin strings so you can produce stunning, clear notes. Without rosin, the hair can’t grip the strings enough to create sound.
Rosin comes in different shapes, colors, and formulas. You’ll want to test out a few rosin products until you find one that helps produce the sound you want. Popular rosins like the Cecilia Solo Formula Violin Rosin are a great starting point.
6. Cleaning Cloth
Rosining your bow means contending with rosin residue. A simple microsuede cloth can help you clean your violin bow without worrying about damage.
7. Extra Strings
Spare strings are among the violin supplies you can’t go without. You never know when a string might break, with the E string usually being the first to go. A broken string doesn’t have to be a practice or performance stopper. Keeping plenty of extra strings (new and used) on hand means you don’t have to miss a beat.
8. Tuner
No matter how well you play, your violin won’t sound right if it’s not tuned. A tuner is an invaluable accessory to have. You can go classic with a tuning fork, which offers a reference pitch, or keep it modern with an electronic tuner. You can even download a tuner app on your phone!
9. Music Stand
When it comes to beginner violin accessories, you can’t go wrong with a simple music stand.
Music stands provide a convenient spot for placing practice books or sheet music, and you will continue to use your stand as you progress and begin performing for crowds.
As a beginner, you might have one stand you keep at home. When you start performing or traveling to practices and rehearsals, a collapsible stand can be taken on the go.
10. Humidity Control Pack
Your violin does not like changes in humidity. Too dry, and it can crack. Too humid, and you risk warping. If you use a wood bow instead of a carbon fiber one, it will also be more susceptible to humidity.
Combat issues caused by too much or too little humidity with a humidity control pack. An option like the Boveda Humidity Control Pack 49% RH Size 70 is designed to fit in your instrument case. It helps prevent humidity fluctuations and maintains a 45–55% relative humidity.
Find Quality Violin Bows and Accessories
A violinist is only as good as their tools. Whether you need a new performance bow, a block of rosin, or a quality bow case, CodaBow has you covered. Shop carbon fiber violin bows and accessories online today.
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