20 Tests on Guitar String Tensions Tone Variations and Issues
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2024
- At The Nightly Melody show 159, I shared 20 test results on guitar string tensions, tone variations for different music style performance, and talked about the tuning issues. My Zoom online guitar lessons are available, email me johnchen66@gmail.com for details. Please subscribe, thank you for supporting The Nightly Melody!
Please check out all my PDF music sheets under the link below.
www.sheetmusic...
Gears used for making this video:
Guitar: Takamine DMP316
Cameras: Sony A6600, Sony A6400.
Lenses: Sigma 30mm F1.4, Sigma 16mm F1.4
Mic: Rode NT-4
Mic preamps: StudioProjects VTB1 V
Audio interface: Motu 828 MK2
Audio mixing: Cubase + Waves plugins
Video editing: Sony Movie Studio Platinum
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''high tension-Savarez 540J string'' very good sound !..
thanks..
..
@@esinsonat675 yes, it sounds very good, but harder to play, I ended up playing normal tension strings more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Please subscribe.
thank very much!!
@@flashes_of_ramfis You are very welcome! Please subscribe.
Thank you for the video! I've tried low tension but found a problem in a situation when I have a fretted chord and I add a finger for example, sometimes the previously fretted shift just a fraction of a mm and I can hear I'm out of tune, or I have to change the angle of wrist same thing happens, or I fret too hard. Was driving me nuts. No such problem with hard tension to my ears at least. Lately: Aquila Ambra, less nuance more 'in your face' tone which I like, and terrific volume.
@@uliilu1430 Thank you for sharing your experience! Please subscribe.
Thank you for taking your time to create content for those of us that have a dedication, some obsession, I'd argue mostly passion, to achieve the best sound from our guitars possible. You have done the community a great service, with very inciteful content you created. please keep it up. I look forward to more content from you. All the best to you and yours-E-
You are very welcome! I am glad to share my knowledge and experience with guitarists. Please subscribe.
Thank you ❤
This is so useful. Thank you for making this. ❤
Thanks for stopping by, I am glad the video helps.
What a brilliant test
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Thank you for this. Great playing!
You are very welcome! Please subscribe, more videos coming on my channel.
Great sound.
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Excellent! Such a difficult journey with much compromise to find the best string. I've been using Augustine Classic Blue for 35 years as a good all around sound and value for my style and instrument. The Emerald Carbon Fiber guitars appear to have adjustable bridges on some models. Your playing is beautiful!
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I haven’t tried the Augustine Classic Blue set strings yet, looks like it only available for high tension. I may try it later. Thanks again!
thanks a lot for this useful infos🙏🙏
You are very welcome!
Where can we get the music, those are great arrangements. Since the strings were not only different tensions but different brands I'm not sure we can draw conclusions about the effect of tension. Still good to hear the comparisons - Thanks
I published some of my arrangements or original composing music sheets under the link below, please check it out, thank you for stopping by!
www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/Search.aspx?query=JCmusic.com
Super chanel! Thanks for all your videos :) I descover the Bella 2001 strings with charming warm sound....^^
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C'est fait! J'ai hâte de la suite pour travailler avec vous dans la joie :)@@pengchen634
Thanks for video. Knobloch string is a good brand from Spain.
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Fantastic tentorium. You make them all sound good, except one or two that they didn't suet the song. To me all High tension sounds the best, but different of course. One would suite a particular guitar. I like the medium D' Addario EJ45, and the Low D' Addario EJ43, for a ordinary player like me with a affordable guitar like mine. Going back to the string that goes out of tune, we must consider the tension different then another brands, with the possibility a problem in that area of the guitar, I would consider a fret sticking out in the lower section. Again nice play and thank you.
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My preference is for the brightness of the Savarez, but the sweet warmth of the La Bella is a close second. I suppose the La Bella strings might be more suited to the romantic pieces, while the Savarez string seem better for more dynamic, lively pieces. All the set sounded well balanced within the set and each set had a particular flavor. I have played both the Savarez 540J and the La Bella 2001 (I think). The Savarez treble strings had a distinctive feel which seemed less slick than other brands I am familiar with, but they feel good. Thanks for the review!
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You play so beautifully. You give me something to aspire to. 😊
All the string brands sounded good to me. No real surprise there. I'm still such a beginner, I just play chords as accompaniment. I am looking to change strings and am leaning towards DaDarrio (sp?) although I do like the Savarez. Would a normal tension Savarez sound similar? I would be worried the high tension would be too hard on my fingers.
@@LLewis-vu9qf yes, I stay with normal tension nylon string, I keep using Savarez NT 500CR Normal Tension Classical strings for a year, which is not on this video testing , it sounds good to me. Here is the link you may try it.
www.amazon.com/Savarez-Strings-500CR-Cristal-Classical/dp/B000EELAT2
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Hi Peng, you're a genuis. My ears said High Tension wins in terms of timbre. I'm ok with EJ45 med tension on regular gig in an Italian restaurant. At the moment, I'm testing the EJ43 light tension due to my weak fingernails and found out i lose some volumes. Greetings from Phuket Island. Ciao!
I like high tension strings, it sounds louder but it make my left hand easy to feel tired after hours practice, I usually med tension strings, they are easier to play. Thank you very much for sharing your experience! Please subscribe.
Not an expert on the subject of tune and pitch, but I’ve read a lot on it. Tuning on a guitar is a bit of a compromise. Its very nature is a condition of not being in perfect tune or pitch. I sometimes retune some strings ever so slightly “off”, comprising between the pitch of open and fretted notes. Sometimes it is the guitar and sometimes the strings, or both. Additionally finger pressure of how notes are fretted. My hope is that I get it as close as possible to not be distracting or noticed to any significance. I think your technique and playing are beautiful. Your video was helpful for me mostly evaluating the timbre and tone of the strings. The Savarez were very bright and clear; almost steel string like; very good for fingerstyle or hybrid guitar tone. The La Bellas, my favorite overall of your samples, are very sweet/warm and distinguished themselves most from the others in that regard. I also really like the ProArte Med Tension. They had a good overall tone, but more midrange biased. The low tension ProArte sounded good, but seemed more prone to slapping or being overplayed with some attacks/styles. Just one last observation from study on this subject. String tension in pounds varies among manufacturers. One string company’s Regular Tension may be the same as another’s High Tension. Very well done video. Thank you!
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts! I usually tune my guitar by tuner then fine tune it by ear if I feel it doesn’t sound right for some chords. Left hand fingering pressure also changes the pitch of notes. I had used Pro Arte med tension string for long time, it sounds good but not last too long, new strings usually take 3 days to be reliable in tune. I found Savarez NT 500CR Normal Tension strings is better for overall tone and last longer.
@@pengchen634 I tune in the same manner. I find nylon string requires more attention than steel string during a performance. I’ll give the NT500CR a try. Thank you again for taking time share your insight.
Irmão, uma epopeia épica! Você realizou um trabalho maravilhoso, além de ser um excelente músico. Percebi que algumas variações geraram ruídos de trastes, mas foi bem conclusivo para mim. diga-me, qual marca você mais gostou?
I started to use Savarez med tension strings a few months ago, which is not on this video comparison, I like it’s sound, before I use pro arte mostly. Thanks for leaving your comment! Please subscribe.
Useful but it must be remembered that all of the following variables can change, even my small degree) over an extended period of testing (days weeks months), all can affect tone:
Nail length and shape,
humidity
temperature
Player posture and sensitivity of technique on any particular day.
Equipment placement and set up.
In addition, players will, even subconsciously, adjust their playing to achieve a tone that they consider to be their goal.
When combined such factors make even subjective sound comparison difficult. Comparisons made over a single session or in strictly controlled environment are better but unfortunately subject to difficult challenges regarding tuning stability,
,
Time stamping each string example would be useful in order for listeners to make comparisons.
Yes, it is true that many factors will affect the tone, the age of the strings, temperature and humidity, the angle to touch the strings… thank you very much for sharing your thoughts!
Intonation is almost always an issue on nylon string classical type guitars more than on electric steel string. For example the well known fix for EJ45s is to replace the fat G string with a thinner carbon to gain better intonation on that string as well as an improved sound. Things could change with the introduction of an adjustable saddle, which has already been featured on some proto types. However the classical guitar traditionlists seem to frown on such inovations as they presently do against truss rods and other useful ideas.
In time this will change and new useful ideas will be accepted. One only has to consider that at one time Jazz guitarists would only play sunburst big box Gibson type guitars, but now many play anything.
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Nice
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Peng thank you! Are the Savarez too much heavy for left hand?
@@norbertogustavoblanco1700 yes, I ended up using med tension on my nylon string guitar. I tried SetSavarez NT 500CR Normal Tension, which is not on this video, it is good, you may try it. Thanks for stopping by! Please subscribe.
@@pengchen634 thank you! Done!.. the 500ar would be heavy in comparison with 520r?
@@norbertogustavoblanco1700 it is med tension strings, I feel it is easy to play and sounds good. I didn’t have a chance to compare it to 520r.
Thanks.
funny that some low tension strings sound sharper then some high tension ones.. but it can be the tyoutube sound compression too
Could the guitar frets or bridge intonation problem. Thank for watching!
hi, which more brilliant, Savarez or La Bella? thanks
@@gianniq82 I think Savarez is more brilliant, also the tone last longer, I switch to med tension Savarez strings. They are easier to play than the high tension ones. Thanks for watching! Please subscribe.
My Yamaha CG171SF guitar came with an asymmetric saddle.. on the G string, the contact point is like 1.x mm behind the others.. I never understood that until I watched this video 😊
My ears aren't as good as yours in picking these differences
EDIT: I found that they're called compensated saddle. Search youtube for how to create one for your guitar
Sometimes this kind saddles come with the guitars, I made some saddles to replace them if I found the intonation has problems. Thanks for watching!
There must be something to do with the letter "G" ..?
LA BELLA
@@jamesnicol8726 La Bella strings are great choice, thanks for watching! Please subscribe.
Best tone Savarez
Thanks for watching!
Sometimes the strings would be out of tune. I can only assume that was due to being freshly changed.
(and then you explained it anyway and I feel stupid)
All the string testing was recorded after at least 3 days after I changed the strings, they were out of tune easily for the first few days. I think the guitar bridge saddled intonation is the main reason for the notes of some frets out of tune.
@@pengchen634 Yes, and you said that at the end. I wrote my comment too soon.
The LaBella 2001 have the best tone. Try the medium hard tension. Best of all.
Thanks for your comment! I will try.