Viola

Before you play

Lift your bow out of the case by its frog (the grip at the end). Avoid touching the hair as it will absorb oils from your skin that will keep it from playing well.
Tighten the adjustment screw at the end of the bow until the hair is about the width of a pencil from the bow stick.
Apply rosin to your bow hair if it needs it. (You shouldn’t need rosin every time you play and too much rosin will leave a powdery mess on your strings, viola, and bow.)
Lift your viola from its case by its neck. (Handle it gently as it’s made of thin wood and can break easily.)
Fit and adjust your shoulder rest into a comfortable position.

Use a soft cloth to wipe the rosin dust off your viola and each of its strings. (Rosin will eat into your viola’s finish, and excess rosin on your strings will dampen their sound).
Remove your shoulder rest from the instrument.
Put your viola in its case. • Pick up the bow by the frog and loosen the adjustment screw until the hair just goes slack – loosening the bow lets it rest and keeps it from warping.
Use the soft cloth to wipe the rosin dust off the bow stick, being careful not to touch the hair. Put the bow in its compartment in the case.
Put your music, rosin, tuner, and any other small items in the pockets of your case (or carry them separately) so they won’t bounce into your viola and damage it. Don’t put anything (music, paper, tuner, etc.) on top of your viola in its case as it might knock the bridge down or crush your viola.
Store your viola inside where the temperature and humidity are stable. (Never leave your viola in a car on a cold night or hot afternoon since temperature changes can damage your viola’s finish and cause cracks in the wood.)