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Good Morning Everyone!
Often times, people who play any type of instrument carry around little "extra's" in their cases. Whether it be practical items that contribute to the instrument itself or simple items that help the musician learn and perform, these items can be very helpful!
Now, I'm still new to violin and would love to see what "extra" items everyone else keeps in their cases that help them! Playing guitar for several year, extra strings, pliers and band-aids were a must have!
What items can be helpful for a new (or even veteran) fiddler to keep in their case?
My current items includes:
Back-up bow, rosin, shoulder rest, set of previously used strings, small notebook, pencil, clean cloth, small flashlight, small multi-tool, 2 types of mutes, stress ball (dual purpose of de-stressing & hand/arm strengthening), musicians ear plugs
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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I'm not near my violin (so sad) so I can't take a photo, but in addition to my violin and bow here's what I've got:
- back-up bow
- soft cloth
- rosin
- mute
- electronic tuner
- extra strings
- alcohol wipes (for cleaning strings)
- guitar picks (for tuning...haven't mastered using a bow yet)
- a clear tube that came with the set. I have no idea what this is for. Does anyone else know? (I'll post a photo tonight, if necessary.)
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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I know clear tubes/guitar slides come with guitar accessory packs, but I'm not sure what they'd used for on violin! Violin slide? lol
I still need to pick up a pack of alcohol wipes for my strings as well! Thanks for reminding me!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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LOL. No, this tube is too long to be a slide, if there was such a thing as a violin slide. It's almost as long as a bow. I asked my violin teacher but he didn't know. He guessed maybe for extra bow hair, but that doesn't make sense to me...it's hard to rehair a bow. Most people have it done by a professional, so why would you carry extra with you?
I'll post a photo tonight.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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KindaScratchy said
- alcohol wipes (for cleaning strings)
I couldn't resist adding this after I read that! ......but I don't think my addition will be used for cleaning purposes! LOL 
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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Yup, you won't care about dirty strings after that.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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LOL, I'll come back to this post later after I get a chance to snap a photo.
We used to have those clear tubes in all our cases. The idea is to store your extra strings straight in that kind of air-tight plastic tube. However, some strings such as the Daddario strings are actually packed and sealed in plastic and will have a much longer shelf life because of it. Do not open the sealed strings just to store them in that tube. If you have extra strings in paper then by all means, this is a good way to store them.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Thanks FM for the comment on storing strings; I was going to ask this question last week. My case has a clear tube to store strings; my teacher always has a bunch of strings in his tube; but I thought strings were specially packaged to stay in their "coiled" package until ready to be used.
So what kind of strings shouldn't be opened before use, other than the D'Addarios, and is it all D'Addarios?
Honorary tenured advisor
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Thanks FM, that just about covers it all.
Do you keep your old strings?
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That actually makes a lot of sense about the tubes. I have an older violin case that has once spot to lock in the bow and another that was just too wide to hold a bow in place. I can see a tube for strings fitting there quite nicely!
After I posted this, I had to open my trumpet case to see what lurked inside there as well! LOL Found a ton of notes on the music, programs, Cheat sheets on key/time signatures, chap stick, and even clarinet reeds that my wife stuck in there before our last performance!
It's amazing what you keep around to help learn and play!
Is there a list anywhere, like the "concert rules," about helpful items we should keep in our cases?
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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I have 2 bows (1 Carbon Fiber FM special!, 1 wood), 2 rosins, tuner, soft flannel rag, shoulder rest (don't use much), humidity tube, extra bridge (already fitted and ready to put on), and in the lid is a BIG long zipper pocket with sheet music in it (for when I can ACTUALLY read it!)
That's all, oh, and the 90 yr old German violin in the case.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Honorary tenured advisor
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(click img for bigger size) ok so a mitten because it's still cold here, the violin of course, extra cheapo strings, cheapo rosin, shoulder rest, a fiddle method, FM last music sheet, a sponge I use to keep humidity, my chrono-thingie tuner with its bridge pickup, pencil for music sheet, mute, ipod to follow accomp. or click track, soft cloth to wipe strings or use without shoulder rest, dark chocolate as a reward when I did a good practice, and a curious kitten lying on violin protector (yes he is still a kitten hard to believe eh?).
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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Jeez!! I need a bigger case! LOL I haven't thought about the humidity in my case either. I'll have to address that with a larger case. It really annoys me that I can't fit my shoulder rest in mine.
I should have also included my cell phone in my picture! I use that as my tuner as well!
(I also LOVE the idea of hiding candy in my case as a reward as well! 
)
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
It would appear that all most of you need to complete the your lists for touring are a pair of pajamas.....My goodness; I didnt know that half of those goodies existed.
I have a lot of catching up to do.
Current contents:
fiddle
rosin
learning book
tuning whistle
one bow
hankerchief
extra strings
My next purchase will be either an extra bridge or another bow.
You guys are really great
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OK, here's the visual on the contents of my case.
The tube thingy is in the lid at the top. Is that the aforementioned string holder?
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
Honorary tenured advisor
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Artefacts! The big broken pieces of rosin looks like he tried making his own? Oh imagine the history this violin saw!
Dio, which mic is that? I need one also and have no idea what to order.
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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Noir Velours, that mic is very old, I doubt there is even a brand name on it!!! It was cheap too, but it works fine for my purposes. As to the giant chunks of rosin, i have no clue but I vaguely recall Grampa using what looked like a large translucent bar of soap to rosin his bow. This must be what is left of it after 30+ years [not that I admit to being that old!!!]
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KindaScratchy said
OK, here's the visual on the contents of my case.The tube thingy is in the lid at the top. Is that the aforementioned string holder?
Yep. That's the string tube. I've got one too. 
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