I liked that the gut strings sounded less "tinny", like they had more depth in the low range than the modern strings did. Conversely, I think the modern strings sounded clearer and less muffled in the high ranges. But neither sounded worse, just different!
@@violinlounge i have been enjoying your videos!!! Such a wealth if information!!! I was wondering can you combine both metal and gut strings. Like metal g and d string and a and e strings gut?
what if she mixed them? Gut stings for the low and steel core strings for the hi. ex. Gut strings: E(6), A(5), D(4) Steel core strings: G(3), B(2), E(1) .
@@ryanmeeks21 It's a violin not a guitar. It has only 4 strings: GDAE, but your idea is good. In fact I think most gut string sets come with a steel core E string.
I play the violin with wound gut strings because I prefer the tone and that tone quality does not diminish over time. I learned to play on gut. Gut strings do need to be tuned more often until they settle in. It could be a few days or it could be a week+. When I played in school orchestras, my wound gut strings would last for the entire school year (9 mo.) without the sound quality diminishing. I would replace my strings if they broke, which was not very often. Once, and only once, in my high school pit orchestra right before a performance, my A string broke. I did not have a steel A in my case and synthetics had not yet been invented so I put a fresh wound gut A on and tuned it up. I made it through the performance by adjusting my fingering to play in tune or just used higher positions on the D string, and re-tuned the A when my section was not playing. That only happened once in ten years of playing the violin using wound gut strings. Now I have returned to playing stringed instruments as a hobby and enjoy trying different strings made out of different materials, but nothing sounds like gut. When cellist Pablo Casals lived in Puerto Rico, he switched to steel strings for the D, G and C, due to the climate. But he kept his beloved unwrapped (plain) gut A string, because of the wonderful tone it produced. (temple.edu/boyer/about/people/documents/StradTextDOTpdf)
Nice comparative analysis. I’ve tried both gut and synthetic strings over the past 45 years. Conclusion: I love my Warchal Amber violin strings. Best of both worlds. Warm, rich, and complex, without the pitch instability. Thank you Zlata. Greetings from St Petersburg, FL!
Oh yes, I love the Amber strings too, Alex, I've used them for years. The E string is amazing. However, the Evah Pirazzi Gold give me a bit more power. Ambers are great for orchestra work, but the Golds help me keep up with my pianists big Blüthner.
Thank you, you just saved me the cost of a set of gut strings for me to experiment on my own. Perhaps if I were a soloist I'd think differently, but having to change strings every few months is too much for me as an adult student. Think of all the chocolate I can buy instead! Perhaps my next set of synthetics will be the Evah golds, they sound wonderful in this video. Love all your videos, please keep it up. btw I am a violist and your site is still helpful anyway!
I am a musician. The difference for me is very big. Your sound with gut strings touch my soul, you sound beautiful. Your playing with the synthetic strings sound leave me totally unimpressed.
Recently I replaced a broken Eudoxa (covered gut) with Obligato (synthetic) and gotta say the gut is worlds better... After you break the Eudoxa's in, they actually stay in tune really well. Mine are 5 years old and still work.
I use synthetic core strings on my violin and it sounds kinda neutral, which is the dominant Thomastic Infeld strings. At first it sounds kinda harsh but after 3days its now better. It sounded richer, quite clean and easy to play and tune. I really loved it!!!!
I watched this two years ago. Back then until now I been using Dominants medium tension strings, but now I just switched over to the light version. The lower tension makes it much easier, and tone and clarity is an improvement, on my violin anyway. I assume guts strings have lower tension too. I wonder how they compare tension-wise to the light Dominants.
Imagine playing with someone's intestines :P ... no but seriously the gut strings were superior. Such warmth. We should try to make better synthetic strings. The difference was shocking.
Obligato G, D, A, with Oliv [gold] E! Used on my very naturally brilliant (tonally) violin gives me a wonderful range of tone colors, dynamic contrast, and a really unique and vocal quality - almost melancholy. :)
I really liked how my violin responded to lower tension and I felt there was still some opening up to do on the top end, and it responded beautifully. The Obligato A and Oliv E really go well together (on my instrument) and the E now has a similar tone to a bright A, so it feels more like it’s just extending the A’s range. My only complaint is that the Obligato D doesn’t match the sound of the other strings as well as I’d like, so I want to play around with that.
just a heads up Sedrik, the Oliv and Obligato gold-plated E strings are actually the same string, just with different coloured windings at the tailpiece end :) I think the Obligato gold-plated is actually cheaper
I have a gut Olive C on my viola, Obligatos on the next two, and it's finished off with a Larson A. The gut Olive actually stays in tune well and has a great complex, dark tone. Now I'm thinking of going Eudoxa guts on my violin. An expensive experiment but I won't know how well I'll like them from watching TH-cam videos.
I think gut strings really depend on a variety of factors. For 1 if you live in an area with lots of variation in humidity that will make the tuning almost unbearable. Or if you play in an orchestra that doesn't use gut string then you are going to be going out of tune at a different rate than the rest of the orchestra and if its an especially hot and humid room, It can get to the point where you need to stop playing open strings to compensate which isn't all that fun. Also if your body has an acidic sweat and you sweat while playing that can degrade the string and gut string is especially vulnerable to acidic sweat. However if you are a soloist who likes to play the violin for their own enjoyment, and don't have an acidic sweat, then gut strings can last you years as opposed to just a few months with both with daily practice. I personally love Gut string, however I cannot use it when I am involved with a group unless they are also running gut strings as when the entire group goes out of tune together the audience will generally not notice. I also learned about the acidic sweat from my friend who tied the same brand gut string as me and while mine tend to last 2-2.5 years his were completely dead in just under 4 months. We got them from the same store and I didn't believe him until i played his violin and wow. Gut strings are one of those things that will work great for some people, but be horrible for others depending on factors out of your control. They work fantastically for me and find that they area easier to play and thus easier to get a variety of color and expression. I personally recommend trying them once as it is a very different experience and you may be like me, or the tuning issues might get to your or they might not last due to your anatomy in which case synthetics can get pretty close. I do find they do a good job at warming up a bright violin.
Thank you for your extensive and nuanced answer, Zackery, I totally agree with this. Strings is indeed a matter of what works for the purpose you have. I record a lot and really need tuning stability, but I love the sound of gut strings and can totally understand it's charm.
I use Evah Gold G and D strings because they have depth and richness and are very stable and durable. However I prefer Eudoxa for my A and E for the subtle and refined sound character and the smooth feeling under my fingers. I experienced tremendous tuning instability with Eudoxa G and D but the A and E strings are reasonably stable.
@@violinlounge @John Alexander have either of you kept the gut strings on for like more than a few days 2 see if they would adjust 2 the tension/relax and stay better in tune atall?
@@violinlounge i really like the e of the evah pirazzu but the rest its kind of flat to me so the larsen has a more bright rich tone i pplay viotti 22 mendelshonn violin concerto and scherzo tarantelle by wienawsky
I decided to try stark Virtuoso G and D with Tzigane med A and stark E. Not sure yet if I like this. I changed because I wanted more focus out of D and G but I think all I really needed was a new set of Tziganes. This E is the only one that doesn't whistle for me. Very impressed with Larsen's overall.
Thank you for the demonstration review:-) Personally, Gut is the only way to go, especially for professionals. Yes they are harder to play on. They deviate and could be capricious, but the soulfulness and warmth all worth it. Must adjust to them and they must adjust to you and the violin. I would Not recommend it for beginners, unless you are in a professional violin schooling setting, where you practice at least 3-6 hours a day. Synthetic sounds synthetics, flat and thin. You get used to tuning, especially if you were trained on gut strings. They settle eventually and last for a while if you take care of them of course. I love them, especially G and A. E is better having steel of other companies- not dramatic enough.
When you used the Eudoxas, did you have to change anything about your playing? I have heard that gut strings need to be controlled in a completely different way than synthetics, particularly with contact point and bow placement.
I play viola not violin. I once used Zyex and hated them. They didn't sound good on my instrument. Then I managed to source D'Addario Kaplan strings (now repackaged as Kaplan Forza) for a very good price and loved them from the very beginning. I have since bought a few more sets, and have also bought a few other sets for testing, but I don't want to take off the Kaplans, they sound so good.
Interestingly, I have a set of strings I have not seen even one review of on the internet. Daniel Mari. His strings have a good reputation amongst guitarists, particularly flamenco guitarists, despite being on the budget end of the price spectrum. I managed to find violin and viola strings made by Daniel Mari for sale on the internet, but there are exactly zero reviews around, so being on the cheaper side I bought a set to try, and am keen to try them out (but as I said before, I'm enjoying the Kaplans too much so I will have to wait until they get old before trying anything else out). I'm also itching to buy a set of Pirastro Passione strings one day, but being an amateur violist who plays for pure enjoyment I can't justify the price (in fact, they would be more expensive than my instrument, which despite the low price sounds very nice). (You may wonder why I am playing on a Kaplan set in that case. I managed to get it at a VERY good price, cheaper than many entry-level sets like Dominant or even Tonica.)
As some have commented before me, in my experience, longevity is not a drawback for wound gut strings-and even for pure gut strings, only the E can be frail and short-lived. Compare a worn 6 month old EP Gold set with a similarly used 6 month old Eudoxa set. You would be astonished. Synthetics are more pitch stable, and have their own sound and response that a player may prefer. However, experienced gut string users know that stability is not a worrying concern for them. I am not anti-synthetic, but more pro-gut. Synthetics have their place, and are obviously more popular. Have used all Pirastro wound gut choices, as well as the Tricolore, and I cannot say I am thrilled to try any new synthetic that comes out almost every year. The original EP has a nice sound, though I prefer the "weich" version, and they do have a certain hollowness to the tone-plus tend to tonally die faster). But please keep using whatever works better for you and your music. (Do try gut strings if you have not.) Be well, and stay safe.
@@violinlounge My apologies for the delay. For those who want a compromise of pitch stability and gut tone, Passione/Passione Solo (expensive, however.) Eudoxa, which you sampled, are the "classic". Gold Label are also a good introduction, and fairly priced (just slightly less $ than Eudoxa-brighter tone, but very beautiful nonetheless. Pirastro claims it is their "value" gut string, but it is not "cheap sounding", and is unique among their choices. Set also comes with the ubiquitous and good Gold Label E.) Oliv in my view are "better" than Passione, but similarly expensive, and would mostly recommend them to those who already like gut strings and want an alternative to the Eudoxa or Gold Label tone. In my experience, Gold Label are more pitch stable than Eudoxa-the Eudoxa D is a bit temperamental, but very rich sounding. One last note-Eudoxa are generally very low tension, so I usually suggest thicker gauges for them, and probably the "stiff" version for both G & D strings. Pardon the length of my reply. Thanks for reviewing the Eudoxa line, as not many dare to even try gut nowadays. Stay safe!
I'm just learning to play a violin, and I bought a Gliga violin and it came obligato strings and I like the way it sounds. I am going to try gut strings, I am 66 years old and I have been teaching myself for about a week. So I can't play any songs yet
Usually an amateur should change strings about once a year depending on how much you play and what type of strings you use. You'll notice that they start waggling and the sound isn't as good as in the beginning. Here's my video on how to replace strings: violinlounge.com/violin-maintenance/how-and-when-to-replace-the-strings-of-your-violin-or-viola/ Let me know if it's helpful!
Hmm... They're different, but I have no strong preference based on these examples. I had Pirazzi Gold before, and loved them. Would definitely consider another set. Mine started slowly going dull after about 2 months, and were practically unplayable after 6 months. Had Dominants before that, which were very easy to play, but pretty uninteresting. I found the Pirazzis still surprisingly forgiving, considering the range of tone they offer. Now I've installed a ConCarbo tailpiece and Warchal Timbre + Kaplan KS311W E, and I LOVE the result! The E string matches the others perfectly, like just another string, without the usual metallic overtones. HUGE upgrade - enough that I'm in much less of a hurry to find my next/"final" violin for the time being. Unfortunately, I can't make a fair comparison between the Timbres and the Pirazzis, though, as I changed the tailpiece at the same time. (I put a carbon tailpiece on my cello too, but with everything else exactly the same, and it basically made the cello significantly better; louder, faster, more consistent, more resonant. Much bigger difference than any strings would make.) Since I'd be paying the full price for Timbres the next time around, I'll probably try Pirazzis again - and if I'm disappointed, I guess that means Timbres are worth it... :-D
@@violinlounge The other day, it crossed my mind that I haven't changed strings in a while - and indeed, I've had the Timbre + KS311WE set on for six months now! They may have lost a bit of that crisp brilliance, but it's so subtle that I can't even tell for sure... The still sound great and respond well, and there are no obvious tuning or intonation issues. My Evah Pirazzi Gold set had definitely dulled down after two months, and was practically unplayable after six months. So, even though I may not have practiced quite as intensely lately (cello, opera and all), I think I can still conclude that lasting at the very least twice as long as Pirazzi Golds, the Warchal Timbres are actually more affordable in the long run. Now, as for the Pirazzis vs ConCarbo tailpiece, I'm afraid I might not be testing that any time soon, as I've just upgraded to a more advanced violin! As you know, I was looking for something with a particular sound and character, and that kept leading me to the €4k+ range, which is a bit steep right now... Then I ran into Corilon Violins, who offer very interesting antiques, even below €4k - and also, their own Opus instruments, which sound incredible for the price, so I grabbed one of the top models from that range, which I believe will serve me more than well, until I find The Right One among their antiques. :-)
"What I don't like about gut strings is the tuning . . . " Instantly reminded me of, "It didn't cost much. The tone's not rich. You have to keep tuning it up to pitch." from Stravinsky's l'Histoire du Soldat.
@@violinlounge Haha! Why do you not use the Evah Pirazzi Gold E string? Just curious because the Evah Pirazzi Gold E String is said to have a smooth and sweet sound even in high positions, and is often praised.
@@liamderosa2157 Yes, but I like to change strings quite often and haven't decided which one I prefer yet... To me the soft no 1 seems to be a bit warmer.
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata I really like them! They have a nice rich warm sound on my violin. Only took a few days/week to break in. Easy to play on. Definitely will purchase again.
I restrung my violin yesterday with the Darrio nylon core strings and I absolutely adore the sound of it. It isn’t as harsh as steel and I haven’t found it too annoying yet in regards to tuning.
For wound gut strings like I demonstrate in the video it's about half as that of synthetic strings. For unwound gut strings (so just the gut) it's even shorter. What kind of strings are you currently playing on, Tony?
@Kevin Huang Thanks for adding this! I think the trick is in the tension, the bridge as well as the tuning. Do you do some particular maintenance on your gut strings to make them last that long?
@Kevin Huang It must be great to be able to do so many things yourself. I'm also obsessive about the fingerboard: it can solve so many 'intonation mysteries' to have it planed on a regular basis.
@Kevin Huang You get the same thing with piano re-builders as well. Many of them just learn how things and measurements work in terms standards however never take the time to experiment and see how different setups and methods work. A good instrument technician of any kind will know the subtle intricacies so that they can adjust them to fit to both the musician and the instrument itself. I am currently a piano technician in training who also happens to play the violin and having studied from several different people I can say for certain that some are better than others. I know some people who basically do everything based off of a chart and do no customization where the people I stuck with are the ones who listen to the piano and make adjustments and account the sound of the piano along with bringing in the client to test the instrument and make the final tweaks to fit the person. I remember getting an 1860 knabe and it sounded horrible. When we opened it up everything was adjusted to fit a modern piano and it ruined the sound. After a basically reworking the the entire thing it sounded way better.
Thank you. I can hear a difference through my computer monitor speakers, but it's very subtle. I'm an amateur player, and tried the Eudoxa. A lovely sound, but they never settled into tune properly. Evah Pirazzi and Zyex nearly replicate the sound and are really trouble free. I am considering putting the Eudoxa on with geared tuning pegs, out of curiosity though. Lovely playing from you.
Klinkt inderdaad mooi 'rond', een mooi evenwicht tussen alle klanken. Vind het wel bijzonder dat iedereen 't heeft over 't feit dat de darmsnaren zo snel ontstemd raken, je zou toch denken dat ze daar vroeger dan ook last van hadden? Of doet men tegenwoordig iets fout bij het maken van de snaren? Misschien ontbreekt er een stap in de maak?
Vroeger was de spanning op instrumenten lager, omdat de concertzalen kleiner waren en de instrumenten minder luid en verdragend hoefden te zijn. Daarnaast hadden ze er vroeger zeker ook last van, maar was er geen alternatief.
I must say the gut strings got the soul. I play lute myself and have gut strings on them. The only downside with the gute is that the lower strings tend to break very fast. THe out of tune is almost the same with synthetic the lute is 50/50 playing and tuning as they say. But with the lute also i prefer gut but it just brakes to fast. Also when there is some damage in the string it tends to be dull. I want to pick up the violin but i think i will in the beginning use synthetic and will go for gut to try it out of how long it last. Because with the lute out of experience it is pricey to change the strings that much also because gut isnt cheap. But i have the low strings synthetic and the thicker strings are still gut. Not sure if this would work with a violin.
I use pirastro tonica synthetic strings ( it is the only thing I can afford actually ) but I think gut stings are just not practical especially for a beginner like me they are much more expensive and don't last long so a violin that has naturally a warm sound + synthetic core strings would be the best solution for a student I guess
Ahmed Saleh certainly, in terms of budget these strings can be interesting: violinlounge.com/product-review/thomastik-dominant-vs-fiddlerman-violin-string-review-violin-lounge-tv-331/
Hi! Not every gut stings go out of tune. The La Follia gut strings are really stable and even more stable than my modern strings. So I would say it really depends on the brand. :) But they are really sensitive to the environnement.
Ah, ok, but do they last as long as modern strings? I use up strings quite quickly, because I play a lot, and they shouldn't be sensitive to (let's say) a cold church or other not-so-ideal concert situations.
Perchance the G and D string do, and maybe the A as well. However, the E string is really really fragile. My teacher told me something "funny" : One of her colleagues used to change his E string every day (due to the rehearsals and sweat and temperature etc..). But I think for a moderate use, the E string won't break so oft. They are more sensitive so break more oft than the modern strings I think.
@@TheCreate78 Ah, but that should've been an unwound gut string I guess... well, if your job is playing in a professional baroque ensemble or something, I can imagine.
@@violinlounge it was suggested to me by a Spanish violinist from Oviedo. Dominant Tomastik is now what I used, perlon strings. And Pirastro Aricore is also perlon. I find perlon strings a nice compromise between Gut and Steel strings.
Bij de laatste hoge noot op de Esnaar hoor je een soort ruis..iig deren bijgeluid maar dat hoor ik ook bij andere soort snaren waarschijnlijk door de fijnstemmer of soort staartstuk...ik denk erover om mijn fijnstemmers te verwijderen.voor geluidsverbetering ...behalve bij de E snaar ..maar dan moet ik zeker mn bal-end snaren of staartstuk veranderen veranderen..🤔 Verder vond ik pirastro darm mooier warmer voller klinken.maar das persoonlijk
Piastro gut strings sound amazing to me on your violin . Pirazzi gold strings do not actually sound as sweet but they have more power. Wow I didn't know gut strings went out of tune so much and wear out so fast . I have Helicore steel Wound Strings ! Can you do a review on steel strings ?
Kaito Watarai different strings behave and sound differently on different violins. Just give it a try! I haven’t tried them, but I hear positive response from people who did.
As an orchestrator we are always in search of that unique sound, thus constantly doubling instruments in an attempt to achieve it. However, I don't see myself asking the string section to switch to gut strings for a richer sound. Considering you always dismiss all my bow markings and change them to what suits you best.🙄 Yeah, love the texture, but it ain't happening if you don't feel like it. The only thing you respect are the divisi. Double stops? It depends, We'll consider it. It might just end up becoming a3.😉😅
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Honestly hearing gut strings makes me want to learn the violin.
Great, check out my free beginner course: violinlounge.com/beginnercourse
@mango ice cream 2 Hopefully the sheeps are death when they pull out their intestines.
@@ppapdddar6159 as ovelhas não morrem, elas permaneçem vivas no
violino
I liked that the gut strings sounded less "tinny", like they had more depth in the low range than the modern strings did. Conversely, I think the modern strings sounded clearer and less muffled in the high ranges. But neither sounded worse, just different!
Exactly!
@@violinlounge i have been enjoying your videos!!! Such a wealth if information!!! I was wondering can you combine both metal and gut strings. Like metal g and d string and a and e strings gut?
what if she mixed them? Gut stings for the low and steel core strings for the hi. ex. Gut strings: E(6), A(5), D(4) Steel core strings: G(3), B(2), E(1) .
@@ryanmeeks21 It's a violin not a guitar. It has only 4 strings: GDAE, but your idea is good. In fact I think most gut string sets come with a steel core E string.
I play the violin with wound gut strings because I prefer the tone and that tone quality does not diminish over time. I learned to play on gut. Gut strings do need to be tuned more often until they settle in. It could be a few days or it could be a week+. When I played in school orchestras, my wound gut strings would last for the entire school year (9 mo.) without the sound quality diminishing. I would replace my strings if they broke, which was not very often. Once, and only once, in my high school pit orchestra right before a performance, my A string broke. I did not have a steel A in my case and synthetics had not yet been invented so I put a fresh wound gut A on and tuned it up. I made it through the performance by adjusting my fingering to play in tune or just used higher positions on the D string, and re-tuned the A when my section was not playing. That only happened once in ten years of playing the violin using wound gut strings. Now I have returned to playing stringed instruments as a hobby and enjoy trying different strings made out of different materials, but nothing sounds like gut. When cellist Pablo Casals lived in Puerto Rico, he switched to steel strings for the D, G and C, due to the climate. But he kept his beloved unwrapped (plain) gut A string, because of the wonderful tone it produced. (temple.edu/boyer/about/people/documents/StradTextDOTpdf)
Thank you for sharing this!
Nice comparative analysis. I’ve tried both gut and synthetic strings over the past 45 years. Conclusion: I love my Warchal Amber violin strings. Best of both worlds. Warm, rich, and complex, without the pitch instability. Thank you Zlata. Greetings from St Petersburg, FL!
Oh yes, I love the Amber strings too, Alex, I've used them for years. The E string is amazing. However, the Evah Pirazzi Gold give me a bit more power. Ambers are great for orchestra work, but the Golds help me keep up with my pianists big Blüthner.
Thank you, you just saved me the cost of a set of gut strings for me to experiment on my own. Perhaps if I were a soloist I'd think differently, but having to change strings every few months is too much for me as an adult student. Think of all the chocolate I can buy instead! Perhaps my next set of synthetics will be the Evah golds, they sound wonderful in this video. Love all your videos, please keep it up. btw I am a violist and your site is still helpful anyway!
That's the spirit! Think of the chocolate, hahaha!
I am a musician. The difference for me is very big. Your sound with gut strings touch my soul, you sound beautiful. Your playing with the synthetic strings sound leave me totally unimpressed.
Wow, big difference for you!
Recently I replaced a broken Eudoxa (covered gut) with Obligato (synthetic) and gotta say the gut is worlds better... After you break the Eudoxa's in, they actually stay in tune really well. Mine are 5 years old and still work.
Wow, that’s very long!
I use synthetic core strings on my violin and it sounds kinda neutral, which is the dominant Thomastic Infeld strings. At first it sounds kinda harsh but after 3days its now better. It sounded richer, quite clean and easy to play and tune. I really loved it!!!!
Wonderful!
I'm using Pirastro Passionne gut strings and they are wonderful!
Yes, they sound interesting too. What do you like most about them, Jonathan?
I watched this two years ago. Back then until now I been using Dominants medium tension strings, but now I just switched over to the light version. The lower tension makes it much easier, and tone and clarity is an improvement, on my violin anyway. I assume guts strings have lower tension too. I wonder how they compare tension-wise to the light Dominants.
Yes, interesting suggestion!
Imagine playing with someone's intestines :P ... no but seriously the gut strings were superior. Such warmth. We should try to make better synthetic strings. The difference was shocking.
Well, string makers are trying and developing for decades, but let’s see what the future brings 😊
The Lower notes are beautiful on the gut strings
Ok!
I use synthetic core strings. Specifically Dominants with an Evah Pirazzi E String.
That sounds like a great combination. Have you tried the Pirastro No1 E string? I like it very much and use the soft version.
Obligato G, D, A, with Oliv [gold] E! Used on my very naturally brilliant (tonally) violin gives me a wonderful range of tone colors, dynamic contrast, and a really unique and vocal quality - almost melancholy. :)
Sedrik the Seal that sounds very good, Sedrik, I love the Obligato’s too. What made you go for the Oliv E?
I really liked how my violin responded to lower tension and I felt there was still some opening up to do on the top end, and it responded beautifully. The Obligato A and Oliv E really go well together (on my instrument) and the E now has a similar tone to a bright A, so it feels more like it’s just extending the A’s range. My only complaint is that the Obligato D doesn’t match the sound of the other strings as well as I’d like, so I want to play around with that.
@@sedriktheseal1289 I like the no 1 E very much, because it has a full sound, but is warm at the same time and the response is very good.
just a heads up Sedrik, the Oliv and Obligato gold-plated E strings are actually the same string, just with different coloured windings at the tailpiece end :) I think the Obligato gold-plated is actually cheaper
I have a gut Olive C on my viola, Obligatos on the next two, and it's finished off with a Larson A. The gut Olive actually stays in tune well and has a great complex, dark tone. Now I'm thinking of going Eudoxa guts on my violin. An expensive experiment but I won't know how well I'll like them from watching TH-cam videos.
I think gut strings really depend on a variety of factors. For 1 if you live in an area with lots of variation in humidity that will make the tuning almost unbearable. Or if you play in an orchestra that doesn't use gut string then you are going to be going out of tune at a different rate than the rest of the orchestra and if its an especially hot and humid room, It can get to the point where you need to stop playing open strings to compensate which isn't all that fun. Also if your body has an acidic sweat and you sweat while playing that can degrade the string and gut string is especially vulnerable to acidic sweat.
However if you are a soloist who likes to play the violin for their own enjoyment, and don't have an acidic sweat, then gut strings can last you years as opposed to just a few months with both with daily practice. I personally love Gut string, however I cannot use it when I am involved with a group unless they are also running gut strings as when the entire group goes out of tune together the audience will generally not notice. I also learned about the acidic sweat from my friend who tied the same brand gut string as me and while mine tend to last 2-2.5 years his were completely dead in just under 4 months. We got them from the same store and I didn't believe him until i played his violin and wow.
Gut strings are one of those things that will work great for some people, but be horrible for others depending on factors out of your control. They work fantastically for me and find that they area easier to play and thus easier to get a variety of color and expression. I personally recommend trying them once as it is a very different experience and you may be like me, or the tuning issues might get to your or they might not last due to your anatomy in which case synthetics can get pretty close. I do find they do a good job at warming up a bright violin.
Thank you for your extensive and nuanced answer, Zackery, I totally agree with this. Strings is indeed a matter of what works for the purpose you have. I record a lot and really need tuning stability, but I love the sound of gut strings and can totally understand it's charm.
I use Evah Gold G and D strings because they have depth and richness and are very stable and durable. However I prefer Eudoxa for my A and E for the subtle and refined sound character and the smooth feeling under my fingers. I experienced tremendous tuning instability with Eudoxa G and D but the A and E strings are reasonably stable.
Sounds like a great combination!
@@violinlounge @John Alexander have either of you kept the gut strings on for like more than a few days 2 see if they would adjust 2 the tension/relax and stay better in tune atall?
Beautiful playing ma'am.
I use Larsen Virtuoso with a gold evah pirazzi e its a killer
Sounds good! Why did you choose this combination, Bartha?
@@violinlounge I was useing a set of Larsen Tzigane and i liked it but i am a solist so i wanted a louder combination and this works pretty well
@@barthadaniel8316 Interesting! How do you think Larsen Virtuoso compares to Evah Pirazzi Gold on the G, D and A string? What solo work do you do?
@@violinlounge i really like the e of the evah pirazzu but the rest its kind of flat to me so the larsen has a more bright rich tone i pplay viotti 22 mendelshonn violin concerto and scherzo tarantelle by wienawsky
I decided to try stark Virtuoso G and D with Tzigane med A and stark E. Not sure yet if I like this. I changed because I wanted more focus out of D and G but I think all I really needed was a new set of Tziganes. This E is the only one that doesn't whistle for me. Very impressed with Larsen's overall.
Thank you for the demonstration review:-) Personally, Gut is the only way to go, especially for professionals. Yes they are harder to play on. They deviate and could be capricious, but the soulfulness and warmth all worth it. Must adjust to them and they must adjust to you and the violin. I would Not recommend it for beginners, unless you are in a professional violin schooling setting, where you practice at least 3-6 hours a day. Synthetic sounds synthetics, flat and thin. You get used to tuning, especially if you were trained on gut strings. They settle eventually and last for a while if you take care of them of course. I love them, especially G and A. E is better having steel of other companies- not dramatic enough.
Thanks for sharing!
When you used the Eudoxas, did you have to change anything about your playing? I have heard that gut strings need to be controlled in a completely different way than synthetics, particularly with contact point and bow placement.
They definitely respond in a different way, but one adjusts that sort of automatically while playing and searching for sound.
The gut strings really did sound sweet .
Deborah Dey oh yes! 🤩
Eudoxa are amazing. Which synthetic do you think sound closer to them? Obligato, Violino or other?
Warchal Amber could be an option.
I play viola not violin. I once used Zyex and hated them. They didn't sound good on my instrument. Then I managed to source D'Addario Kaplan strings (now repackaged as Kaplan Forza) for a very good price and loved them from the very beginning. I have since bought a few more sets, and have also bought a few other sets for testing, but I don't want to take off the Kaplans, they sound so good.
Good for you! I've heard some great reviews about the Kaplans.
Interestingly, I have a set of strings I have not seen even one review of on the internet. Daniel Mari. His strings have a good reputation amongst guitarists, particularly flamenco guitarists, despite being on the budget end of the price spectrum. I managed to find violin and viola strings made by Daniel Mari for sale on the internet, but there are exactly zero reviews around, so being on the cheaper side I bought a set to try, and am keen to try them out (but as I said before, I'm enjoying the Kaplans too much so I will have to wait until they get old before trying anything else out).
I'm also itching to buy a set of Pirastro Passione strings one day, but being an amateur violist who plays for pure enjoyment I can't justify the price (in fact, they would be more expensive than my instrument, which despite the low price sounds very nice). (You may wonder why I am playing on a Kaplan set in that case. I managed to get it at a VERY good price, cheaper than many entry-level sets like Dominant or even Tonica.)
As some have commented before me, in my experience, longevity is not a drawback for wound gut strings-and even for pure gut strings, only the E can be frail and short-lived. Compare a worn 6 month old EP Gold set with a similarly used 6 month old Eudoxa set. You would be astonished. Synthetics are more pitch stable, and have their own sound and response that a player may prefer. However, experienced gut string users know that stability is not a worrying concern for them. I am not anti-synthetic, but more pro-gut. Synthetics have their place, and are obviously more popular. Have used all Pirastro wound gut choices, as well as the Tricolore, and I cannot say I am thrilled to try any new synthetic that comes out almost every year. The original EP has a nice sound, though I prefer the "weich" version, and they do have a certain hollowness to the tone-plus tend to tonally die faster). But please keep using whatever works better for you and your music. (Do try gut strings if you have not.) Be well, and stay safe.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Adel, would you mind to share some recommendations for gut strings for those interested?
@@violinlounge My apologies for the delay. For those who want a compromise of pitch stability and gut tone, Passione/Passione Solo (expensive, however.) Eudoxa, which you sampled, are the "classic". Gold Label are also a good introduction, and fairly priced (just slightly less $ than Eudoxa-brighter tone, but very beautiful nonetheless. Pirastro claims it is their "value" gut string, but it is not "cheap sounding", and is unique among their choices. Set also comes with the ubiquitous and good Gold Label E.) Oliv in my view are "better" than Passione, but similarly expensive, and would mostly recommend them to those who already like gut strings and want an alternative to the Eudoxa or Gold Label tone. In my experience, Gold Label are more pitch stable than Eudoxa-the Eudoxa D is a bit temperamental, but very rich sounding. One last note-Eudoxa are generally very low tension, so I usually suggest thicker gauges for them, and probably the "stiff" version for both G & D strings. Pardon the length of my reply. Thanks for reviewing the Eudoxa line, as not many dare to even try gut nowadays. Stay safe!
I'm just learning to play a violin, and I bought a Gliga violin and it came obligato strings and I like the way it sounds. I am going to try gut strings, I am 66 years old and I have been teaching myself for about a week.
So I can't play any songs yet
I am new to the violin. How do we know when we need to change the strings?
Usually an amateur should change strings about once a year depending on how much you play and what type of strings you use. You'll notice that they start waggling and the sound isn't as good as in the beginning. Here's my video on how to replace strings: violinlounge.com/violin-maintenance/how-and-when-to-replace-the-strings-of-your-violin-or-viola/ Let me know if it's helpful!
Hmm... They're different, but I have no strong preference based on these examples. I had Pirazzi Gold before, and loved them. Would definitely consider another set. Mine started slowly going dull after about 2 months, and were practically unplayable after 6 months.
Had Dominants before that, which were very easy to play, but pretty uninteresting. I found the Pirazzis still surprisingly forgiving, considering the range of tone they offer.
Now I've installed a ConCarbo tailpiece and Warchal Timbre + Kaplan KS311W E, and I LOVE the result! The E string matches the others perfectly, like just another string, without the usual metallic overtones. HUGE upgrade - enough that I'm in much less of a hurry to find my next/"final" violin for the time being.
Unfortunately, I can't make a fair comparison between the Timbres and the Pirazzis, though, as I changed the tailpiece at the same time. (I put a carbon tailpiece on my cello too, but with everything else exactly the same, and it basically made the cello significantly better; louder, faster, more consistent, more resonant. Much bigger difference than any strings would make.) Since I'd be paying the full price for Timbres the next time around, I'll probably try Pirazzis again - and if I'm disappointed, I guess that means Timbres are worth it... :-D
David Olofson I haven’t tried Timbre before, the price made me curious, haha! Let me know what the Pirazzi’s will do with the tailpiece.
@@violinlounge The other day, it crossed my mind that I haven't changed strings in a while - and indeed, I've had the Timbre + KS311WE set on for six months now! They may have lost a bit of that crisp brilliance, but it's so subtle that I can't even tell for sure... The still sound great and respond well, and there are no obvious tuning or intonation issues. My Evah Pirazzi Gold set had definitely dulled down after two months, and was practically unplayable after six months. So, even though I may not have practiced quite as intensely lately (cello, opera and all), I think I can still conclude that lasting at the very least twice as long as Pirazzi Golds, the Warchal Timbres are actually more affordable in the long run.
Now, as for the Pirazzis vs ConCarbo tailpiece, I'm afraid I might not be testing that any time soon, as I've just upgraded to a more advanced violin! As you know, I was looking for something with a particular sound and character, and that kept leading me to the €4k+ range, which is a bit steep right now... Then I ran into Corilon Violins, who offer very interesting antiques, even below €4k - and also, their own Opus instruments, which sound incredible for the price, so I grabbed one of the top models from that range, which I believe will serve me more than well, until I find The Right One among their antiques. :-)
What is the life expectancy of gut vs synthetic core strings? I heard that synthetic strings lose their performance faster.
Yes, but in general the total life expectancy of gut strings is shorter, however experiences differ very much.
@@violinlounge Thank you for the explanation!
I use Evah Pirazzi gold too 😁
sebastian Gleaton yay, string buddies! 🖐🏻😜 what piece are you working on right now?
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata I am working on Sibelius Concerto in D Minor Op. 47 so much fun !!
@@sebastiangleaton1610 Yes, it is! Are you going to perform it any time soon?
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata Yes, actually I have a concert in 2 weeks
sebastian Gleaton great, enjoy!
"What I don't like about gut strings is the tuning . . . "
Instantly reminded me of, "It didn't cost much. The tone's not rich. You have to keep tuning it up to pitch." from Stravinsky's l'Histoire du Soldat.
haha
Hi Zlata! Do you use the gold wound or silver wound Evah Pirazzi Gold G string?
I use the golden G string, because it sounds warmer and I like to tell friends over drinks that my violin wears a golden G string.
@@violinlounge Haha! Why do you not use the Evah Pirazzi Gold E string? Just curious because the Evah Pirazzi Gold E String is said to have a smooth and sweet sound even in high positions, and is often praised.
@@liamderosa2157 Yes, but I like to change strings quite often and haven't decided which one I prefer yet... To me the soft no 1 seems to be a bit warmer.
Interesting! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Pirastro eudoxa 1:11
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold 1:47
I like the sound of your Eva Pirazzi strings better. I’m using Zyex right now.
Yes, I'm certainly sticking to the Golds! How do you like the Zyex strings?
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata I really like them! They have a nice rich warm sound on my violin. Only took a few days/week to break in. Easy to play on. Definitely will purchase again.
@@qltygrl3187 Sounds great!
I am looking at trying out nylon strings and will let you know how they work out. They supposedly have a similar sound to gut but are stabler.
Wonderful, let me know how that works out. There are a lot of different nylon core strings.
I restrung my violin yesterday with the Darrio nylon core strings and I absolutely adore the sound of it. It isn’t as harsh as steel and I haven’t found it too annoying yet in regards to tuning.
I play on Synthetic strings but I love the sound of gut.
Me too 😊
Hi, how is the lifespan of gut string?
For wound gut strings like I demonstrate in the video it's about half as that of synthetic strings. For unwound gut strings (so just the gut) it's even shorter. What kind of strings are you currently playing on, Tony?
@Kevin Huang Thanks for adding this! I think the trick is in the tension, the bridge as well as the tuning. Do you do some particular maintenance on your gut strings to make them last that long?
@Kevin Huang It must be great to be able to do so many things yourself. I'm also obsessive about the fingerboard: it can solve so many 'intonation mysteries' to have it planed on a regular basis.
@Kevin Huang You get the same thing with piano re-builders as well. Many of them just learn how things and measurements work in terms standards however never take the time to experiment and see how different setups and methods work. A good instrument technician of any kind will know the subtle intricacies so that they can adjust them to fit to both the musician and the instrument itself. I am currently a piano technician in training who also happens to play the violin and having studied from several different people I can say for certain that some are better than others. I know some people who basically do everything based off of a chart and do no customization where the people I stuck with are the ones who listen to the piano and make adjustments and account the sound of the piano along with bringing in the client to test the instrument and make the final tweaks to fit the person. I remember getting an 1860 knabe and it sounded horrible. When we opened it up everything was adjusted to fit a modern piano and it ruined the sound. After a basically reworking the the entire thing it sounded way better.
Thank you. I can hear a difference through my computer monitor speakers, but it's very subtle. I'm an amateur player, and tried the Eudoxa. A lovely sound, but they never settled into tune properly. Evah Pirazzi and Zyex nearly replicate the sound and are really trouble free. I am considering putting the Eudoxa on with geared tuning pegs, out of curiosity though. Lovely playing from you.
You’re welcome ☺️
5 years talking about strings, rather than playing the strings
Klinkt inderdaad mooi 'rond', een mooi evenwicht tussen alle klanken. Vind het wel bijzonder dat iedereen 't heeft over 't feit dat de darmsnaren zo snel ontstemd raken, je zou toch denken dat ze daar vroeger dan ook last van hadden? Of doet men tegenwoordig iets fout bij het maken van de snaren? Misschien ontbreekt er een stap in de maak?
Vroeger was de spanning op instrumenten lager, omdat de concertzalen kleiner waren en de instrumenten minder luid en verdragend hoefden te zijn. Daarnaast hadden ze er vroeger zeker ook last van, maar was er geen alternatief.
Thats Really Interesting ~ Thanks :D 😁
Glad you liked it
the gut strings make it sound more like a strad IMHO.
BruceTheSillyGoose I definitely love their sound!
I must say the gut strings got the soul. I play lute myself and have gut strings on them. The only downside with the gute is that the lower strings tend to break very fast. THe out of tune is almost the same with synthetic the lute is 50/50 playing and tuning as they say. But with the lute also i prefer gut but it just brakes to fast. Also when there is some damage in the string it tends to be dull. I want to pick up the violin but i think i will in the beginning use synthetic and will go for gut to try it out of how long it last. Because with the lute out of experience it is pricey to change the strings that much also because gut isnt cheap. But i have the low strings synthetic and the thicker strings are still gut. Not sure if this would work with a violin.
I use pirastro tonica synthetic strings ( it is the only thing I can afford actually ) but I think gut stings are just not practical especially for a beginner like me they are much more expensive and don't last long so a violin that has naturally a warm sound + synthetic core strings would be the best solution for a student I guess
Ahmed Saleh certainly, in terms of budget these strings can be interesting: violinlounge.com/product-review/thomastik-dominant-vs-fiddlerman-violin-string-review-violin-lounge-tv-331/
@@violinlounge Yes I saw this video before But I am not sure if they can ship them to Belgium where I stay
Hi!
Not every gut stings go out of tune. The La Follia gut strings are really stable and even more stable than my modern strings. So I would say it really depends on the brand. :)
But they are really sensitive to the environnement.
Ah, ok, but do they last as long as modern strings? I use up strings quite quickly, because I play a lot, and they shouldn't be sensitive to (let's say) a cold church or other not-so-ideal concert situations.
Perchance the G and D string do, and maybe the A as well. However, the E string is really really fragile.
My teacher told me something "funny" : One of her colleagues used to change his E string every day (due to the rehearsals and sweat and temperature etc..).
But I think for a moderate use, the E string won't break so oft.
They are more sensitive so break more oft than the modern strings I think.
@@TheCreate78 Ah, but that should've been an unwound gut string I guess... well, if your job is playing in a professional baroque ensemble or something, I can imagine.
@@violinlounge yep, unwound.
Great analysis! I wonder how gut strings sound on a cello 🤔
Hi,for your violin that sounds better the Eudoxa..What is the violin..?un old one..?Thank you for the review
I have an old German violin. You can read more about it here: bit.ly/2KwVPvs
@@violinlounge Thank you!
popi toto what kind of violin do you have?
what are the composition you playing in comparison ?
Bruch Violin Concerto
I want something in-between
I'm testing Perpetual Cadenza at the moment, will make a video how they are like.
It was the high notes where the differences shone imo
How about Perlon strings?
I don’t have much experience with them. Perhaps someone else can share?
@@violinlounge it was suggested to me by a Spanish violinist from Oviedo. Dominant Tomastik is now what I used, perlon strings. And Pirastro Aricore is also perlon. I find perlon strings a nice compromise between Gut and Steel strings.
What is the musical piece you're playing?
Bruch violin concerto
Interesting! Yes I think the gut strings did sound better on your violin but I agree for the drawbacks I'd choose to stick with the synthetics too.
Yes, just not practical, certainly if one is recording so much as me.
My modern instrument did not like gut. Been playing on stark Larsen Tzigane.
I want to try those too ☺️
Bij de laatste hoge noot op de Esnaar hoor je een soort ruis..iig deren bijgeluid maar dat hoor ik ook bij andere soort snaren waarschijnlijk door de fijnstemmer of soort staartstuk...ik denk erover om mijn fijnstemmers te verwijderen.voor geluidsverbetering ...behalve bij de E snaar ..maar dan moet ik zeker mn bal-end snaren of staartstuk veranderen veranderen..🤔
Verder vond ik pirastro darm mooier warmer voller klinken.maar das persoonlijk
Could somebody tell me the tittle of that piece in 1:14
It's Bruch violin concerto, first movement
@@violinlounge thank you..
Piastro gut strings sound amazing to me on your violin .
Pirazzi gold strings do not actually sound as sweet but they have more power.
Wow I didn't know gut strings went out of tune so much and wear out so fast .
I have Helicore steel
Wound Strings !
Can you do a review on steel strings ?
Meh, I don't really like steel strings for the violin. They sometimes work for fiddle music, but you don't want to see me doing that :D.
I'm playing with synthetic strings. When did synthetic strings come into the violin world.?
Hmm, I believe since 50 years or so...
Do you recomend W.E Hill and sons e string ?
Kaito Watarai different strings behave and sound differently on different violins. Just give it a try! I haven’t tried them, but I hear positive response from people who did.
I want some gut strings. They sound amazing.
If you don’t have the guts the you’re nuts! gut all the way. It is the way nature intended us to play.
Too bad nature didn't grow trees in violin shape ;).
I like the evah pirazzi gold much more
Играю на синтетике. Но хочу попробовать и Eudox'у и Chorda.
As an orchestrator we are always in search of that unique sound, thus constantly doubling instruments in an attempt to achieve it. However, I don't see myself asking the string section to switch to gut strings for a richer sound. Considering you always dismiss all my bow markings and change them to what suits you best.🙄 Yeah, love the texture, but it ain't happening if you don't feel like it. The only thing you respect are the divisi. Double stops? It depends, We'll consider it. It might just end up becoming a3.😉😅
Haha, can't deny!
The triangle head
Just curious, Do vegan musicians only use synthetic strings?
I have no idea, but it would be bit inconsistent if they would use gut. Google for 'vegan violin', I vaguely remember seeing such a project.
Cool
Synthetic/metal
What brand and type of strings do you use, Rocco?
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata Pirastro Tonicas! The G D A are synthetic, the E is steel.
@@roccotarli762 Yes, very nice strings!
Trying to make fun of authentic instrument practice without having sufficient knowledge is not nice ....
Guts
Eva all the way
Yes 🙌
Synthetic sounds so much better.
I'm sticking with that!
Guts