Smooth the Transition
Give the instrument time to acclimate when you arrive in a new place. Build that time into your schedule; don’t arrive just in the nick of time and whip out your instrument. Smooth the transition by letting it sit in its case for a few minutes after arrival. “Have a cup of cocoa, thaw out your fingers,” Sparks advises. Then open the case, but leave it in the silk bag, under the blanket, for another five or ten minutes.

Putting your instrument away is another opportunity for mindfulness and common-sense care that can reduce repairs and extend the life of your strings. “Watch the older players,” Sparks advises. “They have a routine.”

They clean the strings and fingerboard with a chamois; dirt attracts humidity, which corrodes strings. They also clean the chin rest, which collects sweat and dirt, then wipe off the rosin with a soft cloth, carefully inspecting the whole instrument. The clean instrument is put into its bag or wrapped in a silk scarf laid open in the case. Small items of memorabilia might be laid on top of the folded scarf or bag, and the blanket is put over that. The chamois and the rag are neatly folded and placed on top of the blanket near the scroll, where there’s the most room, and the case carefully closed.

“It’s a relationship, and the older players were very aware of it,” Sparks concludes.