Tighten the bow. Once you've set up your music stand and sheet music, open the case and remove the bow. The hair of the bow should be limp. Tighten the bow hair by turning the end screw clockwise until the space between the hair and the stick is big enough to pass a pencil through cleanly from tip to tip. The hair shouldn't be too limp, or too tight. The hair should not be parallel to the wooden part of the bow, but with the wooden part curving slightly toward the hair. Don't use your pinky finger as a gauge because the oil from your skin will transfer to the hair, which needs to remain oil-free to get the best sound from the strings.
