1 Make sure your bridge is always straight and upright (leaning a few millimetres towards the tailpiece is ok). With normal use and regular tuning the bridge will gradually lean foward. If the bridge is left like this it will eventually warp and need replacement. To extend the life of your bridge, check it regularly and straighten it so the back of the bridge is perpendicular to the top (belly) of the violin. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, as a teacher or your string specialist to help you.

2. Strings should be checked regularly for signs of wear such as unravelling of the winding, corrosion, and  unevenness. Strings gradually lose their tonal quality and need to be changed every 6-12 months for optimum sound and performance. Strings should be changed one at a time to avoid the bridge and sound post moving or falling over. Take care not to over tune your strings as they may break. Always wipe down your strings to remove hand sweat and rosin build-up, using a solution such a Pirastro String Cleaner may help with particularly thick build-up.

3.  Never subject your instrument to extreme weather conditions. Never leave your instrument in the car or near air conditioners as the changes in temperature and humidty can have adverse effects on the joins and grains of the timber. As stringed instruments are made of wood they expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity levels. This could cause your instrument to go out of tune, open at the seams, crack and even damage the varnish. Changes in humidity may also affect the pegs. If you pegs constantly slip or stick, consider using a peg compound to make turning easier. With consistantly slipping pegs you may want to consider placing an in-case humidifer inside the case and in extreme circumstances, have your pegs refitted by a trained luthier.

4. Always clean your instrument with a soft dry cloth after playing. The build-up of dirt, oil, and rosin on your instrument with damage the varnish.  For basic cleaning a varnish oil may be used to rejuvenate and bring back an instrument’s luster. Rosin build-up is best removed from the varnish by using a special cleaning preparation. Never use any solvents, alcohols or household cleaners on your instrument as it could remove the varnish from your instrument. The exception of this is methylated spirits which can be used on un-varnished wood such as the bare neck and ebony fingerboard.

The Bow:

1. Take care not to over-tighten your bow. You should just be able to fit a pencil between the hair and the middle of the stick once you have tightened it and always make sure there is plenty of camber, or curve, in the bow stick.

2. Rosin your bow with long strokes back and forward across the entire length of the hair. If you there isn’t enough rosin on the bow the hair will not grip the strings and the sound will be patchy and uneven.  If there is too much rosin on the bow hair excess powder will coat your instrument and the tone will become scratchy and dull. As a general rule, if you can see white powder on the instrument then there is too much rosin on the bow. Bows generally only need rosining about once a week and should only be rosined when the player feels a lack of grip in the strings. A good quality rosin should be as pure as possible and will produce a clear sound

3. Always loosen your bow after playing. If you don’t take the tension off the stick it can lead to warping, a loss of camber, stretching the hair or popped wedges.

4. Avoid touching the hair of your bow. The oils from your skin will be absorbed by the hair which will make it harder for rosin to adhere and result in a loss of tonal quality and will shorten the life of your hair.

5.  Bows need re-hairing every 6 to 12 months (depending on use and seasonal changes). Hair stretches and becomes brittle with use. Hair will shorten in dry conditions and length in humid conditions.

6. Do not subject your bow to any undue stress i.e. dropping, hold it by the tip, tapping it on your music stand or push the tip into the floor or your shoe.

• Car expenses
• Travel expenses
• Clothing/Uniforms
• Self-education (Personal development, AUSTA workshops, masterclasses)
• Agent fees
• Equipment which has a cost of $300 or less (teaching resources, strings, bows, rosins, sheet music, music books, cds and music recordings)
• Place of business (studio rent whether outsources or part studio situation)
• Private study/Office (internet, computers and printers, rent, telephone bills, electricity)
• Equipment/liability insurance (on instruments, home studio, other equipment used for income)
• Professional library (sheet music, references, dictionaries)
• Seminars, conferences and Training Courses
• Technical or Professional Publications
• Telephone calls
• Theatre and films tickets
• Tools and equipment
• Union and professional association fees

In addition to these, it is always worthwhile discussing with your tax agent how your particulars can be applied.
Equipment and purchases made over $300 for example can fall into another category of depreciating assets which can be claimed over a span of usually 3 years. For most musicians, instruments and bows may fall into this category and so it is important to discuss with your tax agent the how depreciation or appreciation of your instrument may affect your claim. Teachers will always want to consider what they can claim as teaching resources and personal development whereas all musicians can make considerable claims on things such as concert tickets, musical recordings, sheet music, accessories (including strings), cases and bows as well as maintenance costs of rehairing and luthier work.
An area of considerable claims and often overlooked by musicians is the home office. How much time do you spend practicing or teaching at home? You may be able to claim a percentage of home electricity, rent and insurance as home office expenses. Home internet, mobile phone bills, computers, and printers, stationary and many other items also fall into the category. If you are using any of these for work purposes including emails, downloads, home research or calls to clients and students then you may be able to claim against these.

These are just some of the types of deductions which may be applicable to you. It is important to think about all aspects of your income. Having the right tax agent who understands the industry will always be the best start and remember that tax services are also deductable in the following year. With a little forethought and planning tax time can be a breeze and hopefully save you thousands on your next deduction.

Shannon Lûk
Sales Manager

As musicians we tend to practice indoors, often in air conditioning where humidity can be very low, typically anywhere from 10%-40%. On our way home, we may put our instrument on the back seat of the car where humidity can be further up in the 50-70%. Thinking our instrument is perfectly protected in its case, we then place it in our room where the cold winter air drops the humidity to below 30% putting stress on the timbers of our instrument and bows. With changes in conditions like this, the sound of a small ‘pop’ can signify major damage such as a bass bar or sound post crack.
While this is an extreme example, most instrument owners are less than certain about how to prevent damage caused by changes in humidity. Stringed instruments are made of wood, a material that expands when it absorbs moisture, and contracts when it dries. To further complicate matters, the two different types of wood used in building instruments—soft spruce for the top and harder maple for the back and sides—expand and contract at different rates. In extreme cases these changes can cause extensive damage requiring expensive repairs and are sometimes irrepairable. They can also cause the edges or seams to open, a much easier and less expensive repair.
The seams of stringed instruments are designed to open when needed. The edges are sealed with hyde glue that releases, or opens up, under climatic pressure. Other stronger glues won’t allow for this kind of “safety valve,” and the instrument (especially the top) routinely will crack. As a result, older instruments with many repaired cracks tend to suffer even more injury from climate changes.
Ideally, a stringed instrument should always be kept in a moderate environment with 50 percent humidity. A few of us are fortunate enough to live in a region with these constant conditions, but most of us do not. In Queensland, for example, our Winters are very dry and many have heated homes driving the humidity down to 10 or 15 percent—and the summers are often hot and humid. If you live in more central areas where it’s hot and dry a good deal of the time, you need to take extra measures to stabilise the conditions inside the instrument case. In addition to physical damage, stringed instruments suffer tonally from humidity changes. A dry climate will often cause the tone to become hard, edgy, and dry. Conversely, excess humidity causes instruments to sound dull, thick, and unresponsive.
So how do you maintain the correct temperature and humidity around your instrument? The two basic approaches to consider are managing the humidity within the instrument itself and addressing the climate in the instrument’s storage area, that is, in the case. There are many commercial products available
Instrumental Devices:
Some players prefer to use a humidifier that goes in the instrument rather than in the case; others decry this practice, fearing that it could expose the wood to direct contact with water. The best-known product of this type is the Dampit and are relatively inexpensive. The concept is simple: The Dampit is a flexible, perforated green tube with a sponge inside it. After moistening the sponge, you insert the Dampit into one of the f-holes and leave it in the instrument when you’re not playing it. When the sponge inside the Dampit dries out, you simply remoisten it. The drier the climate, the more frequently you need to check the moisture level (in very dry conditions, two Dampits may be needed one in each f-hole).
However, violin makers and dealers and players are split in their acceptance of this type of product. Some say you need to check the Dampit diligently in very dry climates to make sure it is consistently moist. And some claim that the Dampit itself can damage an instrument by introducing too much moisture into the instrument’s environment. Despite the differing opinions between makers and dealers, most musicians accept this product due to its simplicity.
In the Case:
If you want to control the climate in the case, you have several ways to go. A good place to start is to look for a padded case cover, much like the ones used by Bobelock or the 3 layer foam interiors of BAM.  These bags and cases offer insulation to protect against both hot and cold weather and have amel-female seal to minimize environmental fluctuations.
You might also consider adding a hygrometer and a humidifier to your case. A hygrometer measures the level of humidity, while a humidifier can correct dryness. An in-case humidifier often comes in the form of a small tube filled with water-saturated material that releases moisture at a controlled rate.
Many violin and viola cases include a built-in hygrometer and a vaporizer bottle however many cheaper model cases often have an “hygrometer” which is only for decorative purposes and is often best to check with your string specialist.
A more elaborate and reportedly efficient in-case approach is the dual system produced by Planet Waves. The Humidity and Termperature Sensor monitors climate within the case. The Instrument Humidifier can then be moistened as needed to maintain the appropriate humidity level without risk of direct moisture contact with the instrument’s body.
Take Care
In our shop, we regularly see instruments damaged by extremes of temperature and humidity, which is sad because it is often preventable damage. More often than not, the repair costs are high because the damage is so extensive. You should be ever mindful of the conditions around you and remember stringed instruments are fragile, so protect your investment.

Play It Safe
Even if you use one of the humidification systems mentioned in this article, you should take additional steps to protect your violin, viola, cello, or double bass. I strongly recommend the following:
•    Avoid extremes in temperature or humidity.
•    Never leave your instrument in a closed car. Besides the possibility of theft, on a hot, sunny day the temperature in the passenger compartment can quickly rise to 50°C or more.
•    Never put your instrument in the trunk of your car, especially when it is hot or cold.
•    Don’t store your instrument near a heater or air conditioner.
•    Unless your home is well insulated, don’t store your instrument near an outside wall.

•    Do not leave your instrument in prolonged exposure to the Sun, even if inside a case

•    Wrap your instrument in a natural silk cloth or scarf. The natural fibre helps to slow down sudden changes in temperature and humidity to limit stress to timber

“Have you had a bad experience flying with your instrument? Or perhaps you always use a trusted airline that makes travelling with an instrument stress-free? We want to hear all about your experiences of flying with a stringed instrument.”
www.thestrad.com/airtravelsurvey

To keep your instrument in the best possible shape we have created this guide to help you keep your instrument looking and sounding as good as the day you bought it.

Instrument
1. Make sure your bridge is always straight and upright.  With normal use and regular tuning the bridge will gradually lean forward.  If the bridge is left like this it will eventually warp and need replacement. To extend the life of your bridge, check it regularly and straighten it so the back of the bridge is perpendicular to the top (or belly) of the violin.  If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, we are more than happy to help you

2. Strings should be checked regularly for signs of wear (e.g. unraveling of the winding).  Strings gradually lose their tonal quality and need to be changed every 6-12 months for optimum sound and performance. Strings should be changed one at a time to avoid the bridge and sound post falling over.  Take care not to over tune your strings as they will break.

3. Never subject your instrument to extreme weather conditions. Never leave your instrument in the car or near air conditioners.  As stringed instruments are made of wood they expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity levels.  This could cause your instrument to go out of tune, open at the seams, crack and even damage the varnish.

4. Always clean your instrument with a soft dry cloth after playing.  The build up of dirt, oil and rosin on your instrument will damage the varnish.  If rosin and greasy finger prints are left on the strings it will effect their tonal quality and reduce their life span.

Bow
1. Make sure you don’t over-tighten your bow.  You should just be able to fit a pencil between the hair and the middle of the stick once you have tightened it and always make sure there is plenty of camber (curve) in the stick.

2. When rosining your bow use long slow strokes back and forward across the entire length of the hair.  If you don’t have enough rosin on your bow the hair will not grip the strings and the sound produced will be patchy and uneven.  If you put too much rosin on your bow excess powder will coat your bow and instrument and the tone will become scratchy and dull.

3. Always loosen your bow after playing. If you don’t take the tension off your stick it can lead to warping, a loss of camber (the curve in the stick) and the stretching of hair.

4. Avoid touching the hair of your bow. The oils from your skin will be absorbed by the hair which will make it harder for rosin to adhere and result in a loss of tonal quality.

5. Bows need re-hairing every 6 to 12 months (depending on use and seasonal changes).  Hair stretches   and  becomes  brittle   with  use.  Hair   will shorten in dry conditions and lengthen in humid conditions.

6. Do not subject your bow to any undue stress i.e. dropping, holding it by the tip, tapping it on your music stand or push the tip into the floor.

Some of the most common string playing terms are explained here…

Arco: Italian for bow. Written in after passages of pizzicato (plucked) notes. Means to return to playing with the bow.

Bariolage: A passage, often in Bach but in Brahms and elsewhere, where the fingers are held down over several strings and the bow oscillates between the several strings. The Bach E Major Partita is a notorious example. Very impressive sounding; not so hard once you get the trick of it.

Bartok pizzicato: Pluck the string vertically by snapping and rebounds off the fingerboard of the instrument creating a “snap” sound.

Bouncing bow: This is not just spiccato, which is an off-the-string, at-the-sounding-point technique of very small up and down bows, originating from the wrist, but a host of other definitions with very fine distinctions as to their meanings. {Worthy of further study are: saltando, saltante, saltato, saltellato, saltellando, sautellé.}

Col Legno: Passage where the sound is produced by striking the wood of the bow against the string(s). One should not use one’s best bow in this type of passage, particularly if the bow is expensive.

Con sordino: With mute. Passages with mute end with the phrase “senza sordino” which means to remove the mute. There are several varieties of orchestral mute including the Tourte, Bech and Roth.

Détaché: Impossible to define this, as there are so many varieties. Basically, up and down; a change of bowing direction with some articulation. Does not necessarily mean staccato (though sometimes defined as such); can be heavily accented or not.

Down bow: If the bow is on the sounding point in the middle of the bow, if you pull down toward the right, that is a down bow. Up bow is the opposite.

Harmonics: Bell-like tones created by lightly touching the string with the flat part of the left finger, which breaks the string into partials. The first harmonic learned by students is the one mid-way between the nut and the bridge, at about an inch or so above (towards the bridge) where the body of the violin begins. Indicated by a 4 and a 0 fingering. Used by composers for affect.

Left hand pizzicato: pizzicato created by a sharp plucking of the string with the violin (left) hand.

Legato: Smooth, tied together. May be indicated by a slur mark.

Marcato: Marked or accentuated notes.

Martelé: Staccato (short) with heavy accent.

Pizzicato: Usually written as “pizz” in the parts, and “arco” when the pizz section is meant to end. Plucking the string with the left hand. Technique may be done in several ways with respect to the holding of the bow in the left hand: (a) for very quick notes in pizz, the left index finger may be extended, and the pizz done without much changing the shape of the bow hold; (b) the bow may be grasped by the fist and the thumb used to balance the hand, with the index finger pizzing; and (c) the bow may be set down in the lap or on the stand for extended passages in pizz.

Ponticello: Orchestral technique of playing on the bridge (sul ponticello). “Dietro il ponticello” is playing behind the bridge. End of ponticello passage may be indicated by “ordinario,” often written as “ord.”

Portamento: An audible slide from one position to the next. As modern stringed instrument technique developed in the later part of the 20th century, players tended to be less and less “smaltzy,” and portamento used more carefully. But in the performances of Yo-Yo Ma (for example) you will be surprised to discover a lot of portamenti, but they do not sound syrupy at all. This is a matter of “taste,” that longed for but often hard to define characteristic of great string playing.

Richochet: Fast bounces, similar to spiccato but in the upper half of the bow.

Sautille :(French; Italian saltando, German Springbogen, Spanish saltillo) – A bowstroke played rapidly at the balance point, one bowstroke per note, so that the bow bounces very slightly off the string of its own accord. It is not indicated in any consistent manner: sometimes dots are placed above or below the notes, sometimes arrow-head strokes, and sometimes the stroke is simply left to the performer’s discretion. spiccato and sautillé are sometimes used as synonyms, though spiccato tends to be applied to a broader range of off-the-string strokes.

Senza Sordino: Remove mute

Slur: A curved line, below which or above which, all the notes are smoothly articulated together. Phrase breaks occur outside the slur. The primary distinction between a slur and a tie, is that a tie unites one or more notes of the same pitch, requiring that the pitch not be replayed, but held the time required. Slurs slur notes of different pitches, as a rule.

Staccato: Generally, short. Spaces between the notes. An important articulation developed by the control of the bow from the second joint of the bow hand on the stick.

Sul tasto: Playing over the fingerboard (which produces a softer sound). Okay as an orchestral technique, not okay as a bad habit, due to lack of bow control or the affect of gravity if the violin is not held parallel (or above) to the floor. End of sul tasto passage may be indicated by “ordinario,” often written as “ord.”

Sul ponticello: On the bridge. Instruction to string players to place with the bow as close to the bridge as possible to produce a glassy metallic but mysterious sound effect. Often written, “sul pont.”.

Tremolo: Orchestral technique of many small and unmeasured up and down bows, accented or unaccented, at various dynamics, as indicated by the composer. Often used to fill the sound more full, or to create excitement or tension.

Vibrato: An oscillating of the sound, used to provide warmth to a note. Basically three kinds of vibrato: finger vibrato, hand vibato, arm vibrato, with string players tending to use one or more of these according to their own propensities. In the Baroque period vibrato was considered an ornament. In contemporary technique, continuous vibrato can be a problem and has to be controlled.

The correct combination of chinrest and shoulder-rest is crucial to comfort and proper relaxation when playing the violin.

Professional violinists and violists have, for the last century, been divided over the use of the shoulder-rest. Early during the 20th century, some violinists objected to the use of the shoulder-rest because the use of padding against the violin dampened the resonance of the instrument; today’s shoulder-rests, however, touch the instrument only at the edges and actually let the instrument ring more freely than it does when pressed directly against the player’s body. Other violinists object on the grounds that it promotes incorrect left-hand technique, or limits the freedom of motion available to the left hand and arm, or causes the bow to contact the strings at the wrong angle.

The vast majority of professional players today use a shoulder-rest, including most of the soloists. However, it’s also clear that many people play very well without one. Some players who don’t use a shoulder-rest may increase their comfort by using a cloth on the shoulder, a cloth that goes over the chinrest and then under the violin, a small sponge held onto the violin with a rubber band, or shoulder-pads in their suit jacket.

Like everything else involved in playing the violin, using a shoulder-rest is a matter of personal choice – do what feels comfortable to you.

It is usually advisable to begin by finding a chinrest that is comfortable for you. Chinrests vary in height, width, curvature, and placement; some are centred over the tailpiece (Flesch), some are mounted to the left of the tailpiece (Teka), and some are mounted to the left of the tailpiece but extend over the tailpiece. You should try chinrests until you find one that is comfortable.

Chinrests can be made more comfortable by the addition of a “Strad Pad” or similar device – padded material that goes over the chinrest area and can provide a more comfortable cushion.

Once you find a chinrest, you will know whether or not you need a shoulder-rest in order to comfortably hold the instrument. If you do, try a number of different models. Most of the models have adjustable-height legs; you should do some experimentation to see if you can find a height and angle of placement that feels right. Popular brands include the Kun, Wolf, and Johnson. Simply for Strings carry a wide range of Chinrests, click here to view them in our online store.

A zipper slider is made to open and close the teeth of the zipper. Be sure that the zipper is completely unzipped before opening the case to prevent damage to the teeth. The slider is designed to slide back and forth along the zipper. Therefore, you should not pull upward on the slider because it will loosen its jaws and eventually make the slider too loose to close the zipper properly. This is usually the first sign of a worn zipper and you should adjust it as soon as possible to avoid further problems.

To stop this problem, you can tighten the back of the slider with a set of pliers. Open the zipper all the way before starting so the slider is touching the material of the cover.

Lightly clamp the pliers along the side of the slider and press down. Make sure to apply the most pressure to the back of the slider. Be careful not to apply too much pressure at first. Use light pressure a few times until the slider is tight enough to slide along the zipper and properly close the teeth.

From www.bamcases.com

If your practicing is bothering others – you live in an apartment, you live with family members who can’t deal with the noise, you spend a lot of time practicing in hotels, and so forth – you have a couple of options.

First, you can negotiate time with your neighbours or family that is designated “practice time”, during which they are willing to cope with the noise. Second, you can do something to dampen the sound of your instrument, such as use a practice mute.

Practice mutes come in two primary types – heavy rubber, and metal (usually brass or something similar). You should be extremely cautious in using metal practice mutes, because their weight can damage the bridge of the violin; they do, however, aggressively mute the sound of the instrument. Before you try metal, however, try a rubber practice mute. 

The rubber mute is cheap, lightweight and shouldn’t damage the bridge, but it will significantly dampen the sound of the instrument.

Routinely playing with a mute, unfortunately, has a negative tonal impact upon your violin, which is unable to vibrate freely. It can also hamper your progress in learning correct sound production techniques, and limit your ability to play with correct dynamics and musical expression.

Practice mutes are different than standard orchestral mutes. Regular mutes only dampen the sound somewhat, but they change the character of the sound, and can thus have a beautiful musical effect. Good orchestral mutes include the Tourte, Roth and Bech.

How to choose and use your strings.

Many musicians and students are amazed and sometimes bewildered by the large number of strings available for the violin, viola, cello and bass. We are offering this information to answer some of the basic questions about choosing strings.

Each different type of string has its own special characteristics, which can change the sound of your instrument. These characteristics can make subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes in the quality, playability, volume and responsiveness of the instrument. In some cases, changing one or more strings can improve a weakness in a specific part of the range of the instrument. Some instruments respond best to a certain kind of string and less well with other types. Each instrument has its own personal characteristics. A string that works well with one instrument may not produce the best sound with another brand. There is also a vast number of playing styles that dictate string choice. 

A classical violinist might choose strings that would be unsuitable for a bluegrass fiddler. A jazz bass player who plays mostly pizzicato would like a string that symphony bassists would find difficult to use. For centuries, all musical strings were made of sheep gut (not cat gut, as many believe). By the 16th. Century the lower, thicker strings were wrapped with silver wire to reduce mass. Today, almost all gut strings are wrapped with aluminum or silver. In the early 20th. Century, all metal strings were introduced to improve stability in pitch and durability. Steel E strings for the violin became popular, primarily because gut E strings broke so quickly. About 20 years ago, strings with nylon cores were introduced. They share many of the tonal qualities of gut strings but are much more stable in pitch as compared to gut strings, which need constant tuning. Today, perlon core strings are the most popular strings among students and classical players.

Gut Core Strings

Many classical musicians still prefer gut strings for their warm sound, full of complexity with rich overtones. When you play on a gut string, you can hear much more than just a simple uncomplicated tone. The response is a bit slower than synthetic core strings, and has a lower tension, giving them a pliable feel under the fingers. Musicians who perform early music on instruments set up in the Baroque style wouldn’t think of using anything else but gut strings. There are however, some problems with gut strings, the most troubling of these is the gut string’s instability in pitch. Gut strings go out of tune frequently. For the first week or so after installation, they must be tuned constantly while they stretch. They also are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. In addition, they are more expensive than most other strings. We would hesitate to recommend a gut string to a beginning or even intermediate student because of these characteristics.

Steel Core Strings

Steel core strings came into existence partially because of the drawbacks of gut strings and as a concession to beginning students. Steel core strings are very stable in pitch, even when first installed. They also have a sound that is very different from gut strings. They all tend to have a sound that is simple, clear, direct, pure, and usually a bit hard with few overtones and no real complexity. Often they are bright and a bit thin sounding. This quality is not as pronounced in the cello where all metal strings are more standard. Non-classical players, especially country and folk fiddlers, as well as many jazz musicians often prefer steel strings. They also work well with small size, inexpensive student instruments. In addition, most bass players use steel core strings. There have been some interesting changes in the construction of steel strings and these changes have been of particular interest to cellists. Steel cores (usually thin fibres of roped or spiralled steel) are now wrapped with a variety of metals such as aluminium, chrome steel, tungsten, silver and most recently, titanium. These changes in technology have allowed manufacturers to produce strings with more sophisticated sounds. When we discuss different brands, we will go into more detail about these different materials and their unique sound.

Synthetic Core Strings

Over the last 25 years more and more musicians have switched from gut to synthetic core strings. The more common synthetic used is Perlon, a kind of nylon. These strings share many of the tonal characteristics of gut strings but are much more stable in pitch and generally have a faster response. They need to be tuned far less often, and “play in” only after a day or two rather than the usual week that it takes for gut strings to stabilize. Since the core is synthetic, this type of string can be more consistent in quality than gut, but they do lack some of the complexity of sound that gut strings have. Because of this, some musicians prefer to continue using gut strings. Today there is a large variety of synthetic core strings on the market, each with their own special characteristics.

String Gauge

Almost all strings are available in different thickness or gauges, for example Thomastik Dominants, which are available in stark (thick), mittel (medium), and weich (thin). Pirastro Eudoxa, Olive and Kaplan Golden Spiral gut strings come in a variety of gauges indicated by gauge numbers. The majority of string players use the medium gauges. In general a thicker than normal string will require more tension in order to bring it up to pitch. This increase in tension will produce more volume and sometimes a fuller sound but with a slower response. A thinner string requires less tension and will give a faster response, but with less volume and a thinner, slightly more focused sound. What gauge string you choose will depend on the qualities of the particular instrument you are playing. A violin may need a thicker string to give it more “punch” or power, or more fullness of sound. Yet on other instruments, those thick strings will choke the sound and make it unresponsive and dull. On the other hand, a thinner string might help an instrument with a dull, unfocused, fuzzy sound but might sound shrill and thin on others. We must stress that every instrument responds differently to different strings. The only way to determine the optimum string for you is to try a variety of strings on your own instrument.

Qualities Of The Most Popular Strings

1. Gut Strings

Pirastro – Oliv – These premium strings have a brilliant sound with rich complex overtones and a relatively fast response. The Olive E is gold-plated and has an unusually pure, clear and brilliant sound.

Pirastro- Eudoxa – One of the most popular of strings before the introduction of synthetic core strings, the Eudoxa has a warm, mellow sound with a slower response than the Olive or synthetic core strings. Great on some older instruments, they can be a bit dull on others.

Pirastro – Gold Label – An economy gut string with a sound mid way between the other Pirastro gut strings. Available only in medium gauge. The violin E string is popular for its brilliance.

2. Synthetic Core Strings

Pirastro – Evah Pirazzi – A recent addition to the ever-growing assortment of high-tech strings, the Evah Pirazzi joins the Obligato in Pirastro’s lineup of composite core strings. These excellent strings have a brilliant sound as compared to the darker Obligato. They are brilliant with a nice silvery sound and plenty of depth. They take longer to settle in than other synthetic strings, usually four to five days, so give them a chance.

Pirastro – Obligato – These strings are among the latest of the new generation synthetic core strings, using a composite material rather than nylon (perlon). They have a good sound somewhat similar to Eudoxa gut core strings but with a quicker response and slightly less complexity. Of all the synthetic core strings, the Obligato is closest in sound to gut core strings. Within the last year Pirastro introduced Obligato for viola, cello and bass. The cello strings seem to be an excellent choice for an instrument that is a bit too shrill.

Pirastro - Violino – This new string was introduced as a “student” string. The Violino has a warm, full tone that seems to work well with new student instruments, especially those of European origin, with bright, somewhat hard tone. These strings seem to take away some of the “edge”.

Thomastik – Infeld Red and Blue – Thomastik’s first new violin strings in over 20 years, these two strings were introduced together. The Infeld Red has a darker, warmer tone and the Infeld Blue is more brilliant in sound. They are designed so that you can mix and match them on your violin to get the balance you need. The tension is the same for either set. The Infeld Reds are warmer and darker in tone but not dramatically so. The difference is subtler than the difference between Pirastro’s Obligato and Evah Pirazzi.

Thomastik – Dominant – The original synthetic core string, made with Perlon. Dominant strings are bright and responsive and are by far the most popular. When new, Dominant strings have a metallic edge, which fades after a few days of playing.

Corelli - Crystal strings have a relatively dark, warm sound yet are bright and focused.

Corelli - Alliance - These premium priced strings have a kevlar core. Their sound has more brilliance than the Corelli Crystal along with richness and complexity. Alliance strings also seem to have a longer life than most other synthetic strings.

Larsen synthetic core violin and viola strings – The Larsen cello strings have been around for some time but until recently they never made violin strings. The sound is big, brilliant, and slightly darker than Dominants, with an interesting metallic edge that gives the sound power and punch. The tone also has depth and complexity.

D’Addario - Zyex strings have a brilliant, very focused sound, but without a great deal of complexity. They are very stable in pitch.

3. Steel Core Strings

Thomastik - Spirocore – A bright sounding string with some edge. They are especially popular with cellists who need a great deal of brilliance. The cello G and C tungsten are high-tension strings with a big sound. The silver G and C have less of an edge to their sound.

Pirastro - Chromcor – A bright string, excellent for inexpensive student instruments.

Pirastro – Piranito are good for those looking for an inexpensive string for student instruments.

D’Addario - Helicore – This string has become very popular. It has a warm sound, unusual for a steel core string. The Helicore bass strings are getting good reviews. They are available in Orchestra, Pizzicato and Hybrid. The Hybrid is for players who want both a good bowing response and a good pizzicato response. The Pizzicato is for the player who plays primarily or solely without a bow. The Orchestra version is for players who primarily bow.

Jargar – These strings have been popular for many decades, especially with cellists who have made the Jargar A the string of choice. The G and C strings are also available with silver winding for a brighter, more brilliant sound. Jargars have a warm sound when compared to most other all-metal strings.

Larsen viola and cello – These premium priced strings were introduced only a few years ago and have become popular with cellists for their pure, clear sound. The Larsen “Solo Edition” strings have a brighter, more brilliant sound. Available as A, D, G and C (tungsten) for cello and A for viola.

Prim – These inexpensive, bright strings have an edge to their sound that is popular with fiddlers and some cellists.

We hope that the above descriptions will assist you in making a choice of strings for your instrument. However, we must stress that the only way to choose the correct string is to try a variety of brands and gauges. Each and every instrument responds differently to different types of strings.

Installing Strings

We recommend changing strings every six to twelve months. Over time, strings lose their brilliance and edge and become dull and unresponsive. Most musicians don’t realize how the sound of their strings change over time because the change is so gradual. When changing strings, remove only one at a time with all the others up to pitch, keeping the tension on the top. Before putting on the string, use a soft pencil on the groove in the nut and bridge. The graphite is a lubricant that reduces the chance of string breakage. Don’t tighten the strings to a higher than normal pitch as this will weaken the string and increase their chance of breakage. Strings should be wound evenly from the center of the peg to the edge of the peg box, but should not push against the peg box. The condition of the nut, pegs, bridge and tailpiece of your instrument is very important. Strings should fit the grooves in the nut and bridge correctly. If the grooves are worn or uneven, your strings will break more easily. We will be happy to examine your violin, viola or cello to be sure that everything is in optimum condition.

Simply for Strings has a huge range of strings. Take a look in our online store, or drop by for a visit!