Why your E string squeaks and how to stop it
There is nothing more annoying than a squeaky E string. If your violin E string is whistling more often than you’d like, here are some ways to prevent (or at least significantly reduce the possibility of) it from happening.
Change your strings.
Old strings are much more likely to squeak! I suggest changing your strings at least once a year. If you’re not sure which strings to try or which would work best for your instrument, check out my strings guide.
Use a silver E string.
In my experience, gold-plated E strings are much more likely to squeak. If you’ve just switched a gold-plated E string and you’re not sure why it’s squeaking more than usual, it’s most likely the string’s fault, not yours!
Be sure your bow hair is flat when crossing over to the E string.
This is the most common reason why E strings squeak, especially during chords. If your bow hair makes contact with the string at an angle rather than being flat, the hair will not grab the string properly, causing a squeak. An easy fix for this is to watch your bow!
Wipe the rosin off of your strings.
I have no idea why this affects the E string, but it does! If you have excess rosin build-up on your string, it is much more likely to squeak. It’s always important to keep your violin strings clean and free of rosin, but especially important to wipe off the rosin before a performance or audition. You may even need to quickly wipe the string during a performance (I’ve had to do this before!)
Occasional E-string squeaks are inevitable, but if it is happening frequently, follow the above steps to help minimize and prevent it.
Watch the video below for a further explanation and demonstration.
