So, it’s time to replace your old strings. Sometimes this simple task can seem overwhelming. Should you remove all the strings at one time? Or should you unwind only one at a time, replacing them as you go (and if so, where do you start)? “When you need to change an entire set of strings, don’t remove all of the old strings at one time—you could lose the correct bridge placement,” says Richard Ward of Ifshin Violins in Berkeley, California. “Lack of tension can cause the sound post to fall, something no violinist wants to be faced with.”

When changing strings, here’s a good guide to follow:

1.) Remove one string at a time, starting with the highest or lowest string on your instrument, while keeping the remaining strings up to pitch.

2.) Be sure the fine tuner for the string you are about to install is loosened. Drop the ball end of the new string through the fine tuner cartridge. If you don’t have fine tuners, thread the string through the string hole in the tailpiece until the ball fastens in place.

3.) Thread the first string through the hole in the corresponding peg. Wind the string evenly from the center of the peg to just before the edge of the peg box. Tighten slowly, tuning while you go. Stop when you fall into the correct tonal range, and use the fine tuner—if applicable—to fine-tune the pitch.

4.) Repeat the process following the same steps until all the strings have been replaced.

Sometimes relatively new strings may break after installation. If this happens, take note of where the string broke. “A violin can develop a rough spot at the peg, the nut, or the fine tuner,” he says. “In addition, if the wound string is too close to the wall of the pegbox, it may be under too much tension and stress, causing it to snap. Lubricating the grooves on the nut and bridge with a No. 2 pencil will reduce the chance of string breakage.