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dark strings - which one ?

 
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jethro
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:50 am    Post subject: dark strings - which one ? Reply with quote

Both my violins so far are VERY loud. Helicores- too loud.
Zyex - very good but loud loud loud and hard to play piano
Violino - pretty sweet - medium loud still - I'm not sure if they are considered bright ..... (?) very easy to finger due to lower tension...
I have not tried Gut yet.
I read that gut is naturaly dampening and can mellow a loud instrument..
but also read they are maintence intensive.. constantly streaching and I
suspect breaking occasionaly - and expensive too !
I love dark sounding instruments with a lot of power. What are reccomendations to make the darkest sound since I have a LOT of power
to spare !
I think I read Pirastro has the darkest but I don't remember which model.
Since I have only tried a few strings .... what do yall think ????????????

Tim
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Leif Luscombe
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Location: Mount Elgin, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pirastro Violino are probably your best bet. They are dark without being too "loud".

Pirastro Passione are probably the best gut strings available, with much less maintenance than other gut strings, actually, I hear that they are pretty much equivalent to synthetic core strings in that respect. They are not dark sounding, but are warm and focussed.
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe EUDOXA. I had them at one time and I loved the sound but I was always retuning.

http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/Strings95/coverstory.shtml
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Leif Luscombe
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eudoxa is a very beautiful string, but does not have a dark tone, which I believe jethro is looking for.
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:47 pm    Post subject: Dark ? Reply with quote

Pirastro advertises Eudoxa a as "dark" string. I'm curious as to why you take exception ?

Eudoxas were the best sounding strings I played on my current violin but I had trouble with frequent tuning. Sometimes significant changes in pitch even overnight.

And the Eudoxas were certainly "dark" compared to Pirastros higher tension sets.
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jethro
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:24 am    Post subject: violino.... Reply with quote

Leif and others......
I have a set of new violinos on Violin 1 which is VERY loud. Even now it
is still louder than most violins I have played. I do like their lower
tension which makes them easler to finger. However I'm not sure I like
the way they interact with the bow. It feels like in certain notes that the
bow isn't making good traction with the strings and the resulting sound
is kind of "not there" or something. I had Zyex on before and they all
ways felt like the bow and strings were strongly coupled acousticly.
I have only had the violinos on about 2 weeks and I havn't been playing as heavily as usual. Should they be broken in by now ?
Also the Zyex's were rock steady as far as needing frequent tuneing.
I was considering infeld reds (???????)

Could yall define "dark" just in case I am confused on what that sound
is ?????? I love the lowest 2 strings on a really good viola..... they
remind me of what I think of as a dark sound.

TB
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The link below says that "dark" is a strong fundamental with fewer harmonics or overtones. I think that "dark" does sound that way (?)

The Violino strings are supposed to be mild(er), not "edgey" but I did not find that to be true.

I think that different violins respond differently to variations in string tension. Evahs on my violin were a racket. Dominants were OK. Maybe Violinos ARE great on somebodies violin.

By trial and error I find that I can influence the sound of any string based on how close to the bridge I play.

For max beauty "dark", I have a 16" viola with violin strings on it. ( I know, outrageous ..... but gorgeous.)

http://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/goodtoneviolin.html
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jethro
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:18 am    Post subject: Zyex light tension ? Reply with quote

Has anyone tried the light gague Zyex string ????? I'm thinking it
might be a little tamer and sweeter than medium. Maybe less vollume,
but I have allmost too much of that anyway ......
Any reccomendation for / against these in light ?
Tim
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:06 am    Post subject: Strange Reply with quote

You must be on the right track. One guy on this board says Zyex too soft !


http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=6755
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pdinphx
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gizmo wrote:
For max beauty "dark", I have a 16" viola with violin strings on it. ( I know, outrageous ..... but gorgeous.)


Gizmo,

Since returning to the violin, I've missed the deep, resonant tones of the cello and bass -- something I grew accustomed to having played in several orchestras during my youth.

I thought about doing the very same thing ... do you mind sharing your experience with the 'violina' in greater detail? I know the D and G probably sound great (and you're using viola strings, right?) ... how do you find the A and E strings?

PJ Kim
Phoenix, AZ
Blue Line String Players
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:51 pm    Post subject: Memory Reply with quote

I have the subject violinas but I set them up a few years ago and my memory is fuzzy. I think I used the first 3 viola strings as is. Just moved them down the bridge ( i.e. G,D,A ), discard C.
On a 15" viola I just used a violin E.
The 16" was trickier because the wire part of a violin E did not reach the nut. I could wind the string but the wire part was too short. I made a small link to extend the string to a fine tuner. No big deal.

The really bizarre part of the story is that both instruments are Chinese
(E bay lotsa luck) brand and the 16" turned out to have a wonderful sound and is a delight to play. 15" just average for E bay.

Hope this helps and that I have remembered the string assignments correctly.
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:56 pm    Post subject: PJ footnote Reply with quote

Are you aware that you can get a legit set of violin strings that play an octave lower ??

SENSICORE OCTAVE STRINGS ???

Astounding !!
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pdinphx
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:28 am    Post subject: Re: Memory Reply with quote

Gizmo wrote:
The really bizarre part of the story is that both instruments are Chinese (E bay lotsa luck) brand and the 16" turned out to have a wonderful sound and is a delight to play. 15" just average for E bay.


Gizmo,

Thanks for the response back ... again, I've been thinking along the same lines and scanning eBay for a likely viola candidate.

Can you describe the difference in tone, especially the E-string, between the violin and violina? Were the higher notes completely lost, warmer, muffled, etc ...

PJ Kim
Phoenix, AZ
Blue Line String Players
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:45 am    Post subject: Sounds Reply with quote

I do not hear an E string attenuation in volume as much as a reduction in overtones. The string is milder than on a violin which I think is consistent with the larger body. The overall effect makes for a nice sound.
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