String Facts
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The four strings are tuned to G (below middle C), the D just above middle C, then A and then E.
There is no single perfect string for everyone. You need to find a string that complements the qualities of your instrument and your playing style. I have tried to indicate below the basic qualities of each type of string: gut, synthetic, and steel followed by a more detailed description of some of the most popular brands. The list does not include some of the lowest-priced strings, which are aimed at beginner students or strings makes which are difficult to find. If you have cheap Chinese strings on your instrument you will get a cheap, thin sound – change them for something better and your violin sound will noticeably improve!
violin strings are made from a variety of materials, such as various types of steel, nylon, silk, perlon and animal gut wrapped in aluminum or silver or even gold. Violin strings are not now and have never been made from cat gut. The strings are played under a tension of around 220 newtons (50ft-lb).
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GUT-CORE STRINGS
Musical-instrument strings have been made of sheep or lamb intestine since the earliest days and until the end of the 19th century, gut strings were the only strings available. Today, musicians specializing in early-music performance are among the few who use plain gut strings. Gut-core strings are wrapped with silver or aluminium. They have a unique sound, very full and complex with lots of overtones and shades.. Because they are lower in tension, gut strings tend to feel softer and more pliable under the finger.
The major disadvantage Is that they can be unstable in response to temperature and humidity changes and thus tend to go out of tune frequently. When first installed, gut-core strings need about a week to “play in” before they have some stability and although the need for frequent tuning can be a little tedious, this can be more than compensated by the beautiful sound. This type of string is definitely not suitable for inexperienced players.
SYNTHETIC CORE STRINGS
Nowadays more and more violinists are using synthetic core violin strings. They are usually made of Kevlar or Perlon wrapped with silver or aluminium. Their great advantage is that the core is not affected so much by humidity and temperature so that they are considerably more stable than gut core strings. They also “break in” much more quickly and will stretch out and stabilise within a couple of days. They share many of the tonal qualities of gut core strings but are quicker in response. Some violinists, however, feel that they do not have the complexities of tone provided by gut-core strings.
STEEL STRINGS
Steel strings began to appear in the late 19th century when the first steel E string was produced and many E strings are still just steel. The A, D, and G strings use a core of fine strands of steel covered with a variety of metals, including chrome steel, silver, tungsten, titanium, etc.
Many steel-core strings have a brightness to them. The sound is usually clear and straightforward rather than complex or subtle. Steel-core strings have the fastest response of any string. The cheaper steel strings tend to be edgy, tinny, and a bit rough but the better ones are of a much higher quality.
With steel cores, there is very little expansion or contraction during temperature and humidity changes and they therefore tend to stay in tune more easily. Non-classical players such as jazz musicians and country and folk fiddlers often choose the sound of steel strings.
Corelli Alliance
Made in France by Savarez, producer of high-quality strings for tennis rackets, Corelli Alliance strings use a Kevlar core rather than perlon. The sound is fairly warm and dark. These strings have a small but devoted following.
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Corelli Crystal
Corelli Crystal strings have a tone that is warm and dark, with a fair amount of edge that keeps them from sounding too dull. When you take them out of the package, you will find them very stiff compared to other strings. They also feel thick under the finger, although they really are not any thicker than other strings.
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Dogal
Although Dogal has been making strings in Venice, Italy, for more than 50 years, they are not particularly well known. Dogal Synthetic Gut strings are rather dull-sounding, with a sluggish response. After two days, they seemed to perk up. I would characterize the sound as slightly dark, with slower than average response.
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D'Addario
Pro Arte strings offer a sound that is fairly dark and smooth, making them a useful choice for most instruments, they last well and are not expensive. Zyex strings have a bright, focused quality and must be played for a few days before they reach optimum sound.
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Larsen
Larsen has been making excellent cello strings for several years. When the company's violin strings came on the market, five or six years ago they were very impressive. They are powerful and brilliant but with great quality.
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John Pearse
John Pearse Artiste strings have been around for several years. They have a clear, focused sound; the exception is the D string, which is a bit darker than the others. They might work well for instruments needing extra clarity and focus.
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Pirastro
Pirastro's first response to the Thomastik-Infeld Dominant strings was the ricore. This string has a dark, warm sound, but can be dull and rather dead on some instruments. If you have a violin that is harsh and shrill, you might want to consider these strings, which are available only in medium gauge. In con trast to the Aricore, Pirastro's Synoxa is quite brilliant and focused. If your violin has a fuzzy tone, you might try this string (also available in medium gauge only). Until Pirastro introduced Tonica strings, it seemed to be having some trouble competing with Dominants. Tonicas are excellent strings with a fairly bright sound and great complexity, fullness, and depth. Some people may find the strings to have a slightly slower response than other brands. Two E strings are available, one plain steel and one with aluminum wrapping
The Pirastro Obligato comes the closest to sounding like a gut-core string, especially Pirastro's own Eudoxa. Obligates are, however, more responsive and slightly more brilliant. If your violin works well with Eudoxas, you might want to try the Obligatos. I would also suggest them for overly bright instruments. The standard set includes a silver wrapped D and a gold plated E.
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Evah Pirazzi
have shown themselves to be an outstanding string. It's more brilliant than the Obligato, silvery, powerful, and with a great deal of character. These strings need two or three days to stabilize, as they tend to stretch a great deal when new.
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Super Sensitive Musical String Co
When the Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. first introduced its Sensicore strings they had a nice, brilliant tone. They now have a darker, warmer sound. The strings fare better in the lower register, building a deep, warm tone and good volume. But the A and E strings tend to be more shrill.
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Thomastik-lnfeld
The Thomastik-lnfeld Dominant, the first synthetic core string, is still a top seller. The sound is brilliant and responsive, and these strings seem to work well with many different instruments. When they are first installed, they have a rather metallic and edgy sound that disappears with a few days of playing. The E strings don't seem to match the quality of the other strings, and many players substitute a Pirastro Gold Label E, which is a good match.
The Infeld Red set has a darker, warmer sound, and the Infeld Blue is more brilliant but still warm.
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D'Addario
Helicore is a popular steel filament cored string that offers a smooth, warm tone. It has a soft, pliable feel under the finger.
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INSTALLING AND CARING FOR STRINGS
When trying a new type of string, reserve judgement for a few days while you give them chance to to settle in and reach their peak. It may take some time experimenting to find the string that suits you best. Keep In mind that synthetic-core strings lose some of their quality when they are taken off an instrument and later re installed.
When you need to change an entire set of strings, do not remove all of the old strings at one time-you will lose the correct bridge placement and the lack of tension can cause the soundpost to fall over. Remove only one string at a time, and keep all the others up to pitch. Thread the string through the hole in the peg, and wind It evenly from the center of the peg to just before the edge of the pegbox. Tighten the string only up to pitch so as not to weaken it. Sometimes relatively new strings may break after installation; If this happens be sure to take note of where the string broke. A violin can develop a rough spot at the peg, the nut, or the fine tuner. And if the winding of the string is too close to the wall of the pegbox. It may be under too much tension and stress, causIng it to snap.
If you are suffering from either slipping or tight pegs please see my violin care page for details of how to remedy the problem.
Remember that after you have put them on, strings will slowly deteriorate. Usually within six months, they lose much of their tone quality and begin to sound dull and dead. This occurs even if the violin is not being played. Even unused strings In their packages lose their quality after a while. Over time the synthetic or gut core dries out and the metal wrapping can erode. Many players don’t realise how much their strings have deteriorated because the change in sound happens gradually.
Often, trying different strings can make a significant contribution to improving the sound of your Instrument. But it’s not a magic spell!
Every instrument responds differently to different strings, and the only way you can know for sure what might work for you Is to experiment with a variety of strings.
You can't turn a poor-sounding violin Into a fine Instrument just by changing strings. You can complement the good qualities or disguise some faults, but the basic overall quality of the instrument will come through no matter what string you use.
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