String Selection Guide
Choosing the right strings for your instrument
Strings are made from basically three different core materials i.e: gut, synthetic fibre, and steel. Most strings are wound with an ultra-thin metal ribbon. How a string sounds depends not only the material of the core, but also on its winding.
Gut Strings
For centuries strings were made from unwound gut (sheep intestines). Later, gut was wound with metal, such as silver, which increased the density and decreased breakage. Gut-core strings have the greatest richness and subtlety. Most often used by professional classical musicians, a gut string produces a warm sound, full of complexity with rich overtones. Gut strings are however prone to changes in temperature and humidity, they take longer to stretch, and during this period, require tuning frequently. They don't last as long as metal or synthetic strings and are more expensive. Gut-strings are usually not used by beginners or intermediate players.
Steel Strings
Steel core strings provide powerful, direct, and transparent timbre. Relatively inexpensive with a fast response and quick break-in period, these strings are very stable and long lasting. A good choice for musicians seeking a clean, precise, bright, well-focused sound. The down-side of the all-metal string is a thin or edgy quality to the sound with few overtones and no real complexity. Country, folk and jazz musicians often prefer steel strings for their volume and pure, direct sound. Violin steel E-strings are sometimes wound, but usually they are plain strings. A plain E-string sounds a little clearer than a wound one. Ordinary steel discolours easily and may go out of tune as it does. You can get around this problem by using a chrome-steel string, or an E-string with a coating of gold or silver. This ultra-thin protective finish gives a slightly warmer sound.
Synthetic Strings
Over the years, string manufacturers have experimented with many different materials trying to replicate the warm, complex tone of gut while providing the player with the obvious advantages of a short break-in period and tuning stability. Manufactured with a variety of metal windings, synthetic-core strings are reliable, long lasting and offer a relatively robust, rich tone in an easy to play string. New synthetic-core strings may sound a bit harsh at first, but their sound improves after a couple of hours of playing. Synthetic violin/viola strings are often combined with a steel E/A string. Today, synthetic-core strings are used strings by beginners, students and professional players alike. You should consider them 'in-between' gut and steel, in terms of sound, life expectancy and price.
Other useful information
The type of material used to manufacture a string as well as the diameter of the string influences the sound. When designed to be strung at the same tension, silver and tungsten result in thinner strings (considerably easing fingering and string response), while aluminium produces thicker strings. Strings wound with silver have a warm and powerful tone colour, and are a good choice for the lower strings in the set. Aluminium winding lends brightness to the string, so to achieve a good compromise between the right sound and the right diameter, this material is used predominantly for the upper strings of a set.
Synthetic and steel strings often come in a variety of diameters: soft/dolce/weich, medium, and strong/forte/stark. Forte strings are heavier than dolce strings and have a higher tension, Strings with a higher tension take a little more effort to play and respond less quickly, but their brighter, stronger sound enhances the projection of your instrument. Medium strings are the most commonly used.
All violin E strings and most of the widely used A strings for viola and cello are all-metal. Otherwise, synthetic-core strings are by far the most popular on violin and viola. Fiddle and folk players often prefer the added volume of the all metal strings. For cello, a greater variety of both type and brand are commonly used. Metal top A & D and synthetic bottom G & C combinations are popular although many cellists find they want the added brilliance or clarity from using all metal strings. There are many players, however, that prefer the gut string sound for its colourful and complex qualities.
Most string players change their strings at least every six months. Although the string may still appear to be in good shape, over months of playing, strings gradually lose their brilliance and responsiveness. The best time to change a single or entire set of strings depends on several factors: in particular, how many hours a day and how intensively they are played, and the corrosiveness of the player's perspiration. There are three reasons main why your strings should be replaced: the windings may break, they do not stay in tune anymore, or they lose their quality of sound. The commonly accepted lifespan of a string is around 150 hours of playing. For a professional this mean replacing your strings every 6 weeks or sooner! Investing in new strings at appropriate and regular intervals means that your instrument will consistently produce its best sound.
A Final Note about Strings
The way a particular set of strings will sound depends on many parameters, for example, the inherent qualities of your instrument, the way your instrument is set up, the properties of your bow, the quality of the bow hair, the rosin you use, and of course your style of playing. There is no one ‘best’ set of strings. It is essential to experiment with different brand strings to find your optimal combination.