A bridge is a small piece of wood that supports the strings of the violin. It's common for the bridge to come off during string tuning and may need to be replaced due to wear and tear issues. Putting a bridge on a violin is a fairly simple process. With a little patience, you will be able to put a bridge in place on your own.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Position the Bridge
Step 1. Identify the side of the E string and the side of the G string
The bridge is a small piece of wood. The lower part of the bridge is usually straight, while the upper part is slightly arched. When you examine the bridge, you will notice that one side of the arch is slightly higher than the other. The lower side goes on the E string side and the higher side goes on the G string side. When you put the bridge in place, make sure the E string goes through the E string side and the G string runs through the G string side.
If you don't know what note each string has, when the top of the violin points to your body, the G string is the one on the far left. The E string is the one on the far right
Step 2. Slightly loosen the strings
To avoid breaking the strings while setting the bridge, loosen them a bit. You can do this by turning the pegs located at the top end of the violin. The strings should be loose enough that you can easily pull them up and down so that you can lift them up enough to slide the bridge under them.
Step 3. Place the bridge between the ears
The ears are f-shaped holes located near the top end of the violin. When you slide the bridge under the strings, make sure it is centered between the two ears. The bridge should be positioned almost midway between the two ears. Imagine that you draw a line from one ear to the other, starting at the small horizontal line that goes from one ear to the small horizontal line that passes through the other ear. This imaginary line must pass through the bridge of the violin.
Step 4. Place the strings of the violin in the grooves of the bridge
The bridge has four small grooves located across the top. The four strings of the violin fit into these grooves, keeping the bridge and strings in place. Gently place one string at a time in the slots on the bridge.
Step 5. Adjust the strings
Now you can readjust your strings to keep the bridge in place. Gently tighten each peg of the violin tailpiece. It is a good idea to use one hand to hold the bridge in place while adjusting the strings, to prevent it from falling off. Tighten the strings until they are secure enough to hold the bridge in place while maintaining a tiny slack.
Method 2 of 3: Check the Bridge
Step 1. Make sure the bridge is at a 90 ° angle
Once the bridge is in place, it is recommended that you check if it is correctly placed. Place the violin on a flat surface. Bring your eyes to the level of the violin. The side of the bridge that faces the bottom of the violin should be almost 90 °. The other side of the bridge should lean slightly forward.
If the bridge is not at a 90 ° angle, you may have installed it upside down. You will have to take it out and start over
Step 2. Verify that the bridge is in the center of the violin
The bridge should be in the center of the violin. It should not be too far to the left or too far to the right. If the bridge is too far to the left, push it a little until it is centered.
You can simply measure by eye to see if the bridge is centered by looking at the violin from above. However, if you want to make sure the bridge is positioned correctly, you can use a ruler or tape measure to measure the distance from each end of the bridge to each end of the violin. The measurements should be almost the same
Step 3. Make sure the bridge is almost in the middle of both ears
The bridge should be between the two ears, almost between the middle of each ear. The bridge may have slipped a bit while you were adjusting the strings, so check one more time. Make sure you can draw an imaginary line through the center of each ear that passes through the bridge. If the bridge has moved, gently push it up or down until it is in the correct location.
Method 3 of 3: Avoid Bridge-Related Problems in the Future
Step 1. Hold the bridge when tuning
The bridge tends to fall off when tuning. To avoid this, be sure to hold the bridge in place with one hand when tuning the violin.
Step 2. Replace the strings one by one
Sometimes you will need to replace your violin strings when they break or wear out from use. In this case, be sure to replace the strings one by one. If you pull out more than one string at a time, the bridge could fall off.
Step 3. Many times, it is best to have a professional place the bridge
Also, you may accidentally damage the strings or other parts of the instrument when trying to replace the bridge. If you are in doubt when placing the bridge on your own, ask your teacher or a professional to do so, regardless of the cost. The professional will sand it down, make sure it's the correct size for your instrument, and adjust the core.