There are many, many different brands and types of cello strings
for the beginner, intermediate and professional player. Some of these
strings are very affordable, some less so depending on their core
material as well as the material they are wound with. Cello, viola and
violin strings look deceptively simple, but modern strings are actually
quite complex in their technology. The story of the evolution of the
cello string is an interesting one.
Cello string cores have been
typically made of gut or metal. Gut - from goat and sheep - was the sole
material used from the earliest periods of bowed stringed instruments
up to
the early 20th century, when steel strings were finally
introduced. Gut strings were used because of the beautiful warm tones
they produced. Their drawback, however, was that pure gut strings lacked
brilliance and volume.
The materials used to make strings, as
well as how those materials are used, have a drastic effect on the
weight of the strings. This in turn affects the tone and volume output
of the strings by allowing for greater or lesser tension.
By the
early 20th century, there were two types of strings: traditional gut
strings and the steel core strings, which were finding favor with the
top performers of the day. Soon, inventors in Austria created a hybrid
string, which had a gut core but was wound with metal, allowing for the
best of both worlds. These strings were a mix of the warm sound produced
by gut and the more brilliant strings produced with metal. Newer,
modern strings are increasingly using synthetic materials, like plastics
and are referred to as "synthetic core strings".
The open cello
strings are pitched, lowest to highest C, G, D and A respectively.
Today, with all the choices of core strings, choosing the right strings
for your cello may seem daunting. Especially since most major
manufacturers like Thomastik-Infeld, Pirastro, Larsen and D'Addario now
offer a multitude of brands. Each brand offers the standard cores like
gut, metal and synthetic, but also different levels of tension, labeling
the strings "soft", "medium" and "hard".
Even more considerations
to take into account are: What type of music are you going to be
playing on your cello? Where are you going to be playing? What is the
weather and humidity where you live? What type of cello do you play?
So
how does one choose? Aside from the tried and trued method of trial and
error, it is advised to take your cello into a highly regarded violin
shop close to you and ask their experts for assistance. They will ask
you the questions above and help you to put together a collection of
strings that will produce the volumes and tones you desire. Unlike
violins and violas, for which string sets are typically used, you will
find that on the cello, the expert will most likely recommend different
types of strings for each string position. Choosing your strings is a
different process from choosing any other cello accessory, like cello
rosin. You want to perform your due diligence because, aside from
purchasing your instrument, choosing the right strings for your cello is
the biggest and most important decision you will make in terms of
achieving the best sound and tone from your instrument.
Cello, viola and violin strings
look deceptively simple, but modern strings are actually quite complex
in their technology. Choosing your strings is a different process from
choosing any other cello accessory, like cello rosin.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Weiss
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