The New Dominant Pro Violin Strings Review - A New Era?! Thomastik Infeld Strings
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.พ. 2021
- Buy the Dominant Pro strings here on polychord.com: bit.ly/3k0phJc (*Affiliate Link)
In this video I test the new Dominant Pro violin strings from Thomastik Infeld. Since the product palette of violin strings becomes more and more complex, I have to make my reviews more detailed. I hope you like this style and find it informative.
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This video turned out to be very in depth. I hope you share the excitement I have for violin strings and analyzing them. If you want to skip to the sound samples, here is a timestamp: 8:32
Great strings overall, I am looking forward to record more in the next weeks with them! If you want to buy the Dominant Pro strings you can do that here on polychord.com and support my channel: bit.ly/3k0phJc (*Affiliate Link)
I very much liked your review of the strings but I have to wait until my Evah pirazzi strings strings wear out.
Thank you for this excellent review.
I have been using the Dominant Pro since they came out to Australia. Your review is excellent. One other thought I have is that they are quite durable and maintain tone and playability longer than I’m used to with other strings.
Thanks for the wonderful video
Thank you so much for your comment!
Thank you Simon!
You are welcome :)
Thanks for this review Simon. I have two violins, a Roth from 1924 that is very suited to Evah Pirazzi's as it is a darker instrument. The other is a Venetian instrument from 1783 and is very bright. My teacher has had it for a couple of weeks, and suggests that I change the Evah's which are far too bright for it, to Dominant's, and we decided on these strings. It is so difficult to find the right match sometimes, and I have found your analysis of these to be extremely helpful.
Sounds like some interesting instruments you've got there! I am glad, that my instrument works with close to every string set. Though I must say my favorites so far are the Evah' Golds. But the lineup of Thomastik is richer in my opinion. All of their strings work and sound great. But they have a different concept than Pirastro. Thomastik strings are more flexible in terms of the material. That results in a much broader tone spectrum especially with sets like the Rondo or this Dominant Pro set, but they are a little bit harder to make sound really well in any situation... at least for me. With the Evah Gold strings I hardly have any problems regarding the sound quality, but on the other hand much less colors at hand! Regular Dominants I was never a big fan of, but depending on the instrument they can sound great. Also they have so many different gauges that something will probably work. If you are looking into darker strings, Maybe Evah Golds and are also worth a try! If Dominant, I would go with the new Pro version!
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation I actually did try the Evah Gold's and found that after a short time, they lost their lustre, however, it could be that they simply did not suit the instrument. The Roth from 1924 is a reproduction of the Stradivari that Mari Samuelson plays, " The Duke of Edinburgh Strad ". It is a dark instrument and therefore the Evah Pirazzi strings work well with it. I have had other strings such as the Larsen Il Canone, and found that this combination ( Evah, green silk ) works. As for the Anselmo Bellosio from 1783, I have only had this instrument for a short time, and have tried three different string sets. All of them are harsh and far to bright sounding. Recently I visited with a friend and master luthier here in Toronto, ... Itzel Avila, and she is adjusting the bridge and putting a set of Dominant Pro's on, so on Saturday I will try it out with these new strings. I find that all new strings require at least two weeks to completely settle and show off their true colours. I always enjoy your reviews, and also your instructional videos. So Thankyou for all of your content. May 2022 bring some comfort and renewed energy to us all. Happy Playing!
Thank you for this in depth review, I played Eudoxa for 30 years, but I am looking for a cheaper alternative and will try these Dominant Pro definitely.
Gut gemacht! Weiter so!
Danke :)
Very well said-realy Charming character.
To me they sound pleasant,but ordinary.Do prefer the classic Dominant, Titanium vision orchestra,E.P.Gold,Passionse or Olive.
I really like the Dominant Pro strings. But the strings you mentioned are all great!
Simon, that is a beautiful looking and sounding violin. Could you tell us a little about it? Who made it? The strings sound great on it!
Thank you. According to the label it is a Lorenzo Bellafontana from I think 1950. The violin is pretty good for the price, especially with fresh strings it has all I need!
Great review! What do you think about thomastik vision strings vs. eva pirazzi green!!
First of all thank you! I will test the Thomastik vision strings next this year! But the solo version... I remember playing them some years ago and they were great strings. I think the comparison to the Evah Green's makes sense. I will think about that when I do the review! To me the lifespan of the Evah green's makes them kind of unacceptable. I am curious how long the vision solo will last on my violin.
Great review! What do you think about Pirastro Wondertone solo?
Haven't tried them yet! But I'll keep an eye out, if I can get a set!
Hello, Simon. May I know the feel under the left hand (using the Dominant Pro) compared to the Vision Solo strings? I am currently using the Vision Solo strings and the feel under the left hand is quite soft and comfortable.
I remember them as soft under the left hand as well. Most Thomastik strings, even the higher tension ones feel quite soft for the left hand due to the softer material of the strings.
Hi thanks for the video. Could you review the Peter Infeld violin strings (platinum e)
I played these strings quite much in the past. Unfortunately I never made a video about them. They are very pleasing strings, although not my favorite strings anymore. Main reason is the lack of bow resistance. Soundwise I like them a lot!
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation what is your favourite string ? I like evah pirazzi but they don’t even last 1.5 months
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation hi thanks for the reply. Do you prefer pirastro passione (normal not solo) or the Peter Infeld (with platinum e)?
@@benjaminstraker-bennett4066 Evah Pirazzi Gold, But I like the new Dominant Pro as well. Maybe with a different E-String, it will be my favorite set for recording.
@@benjaminstraker-bennett4066 I overall like the Passione very much (I think i tested the Solo Set though). Only they lack a little bit of power "against" synthetic stringed instruments. I sometimes need more projection. For Bach Solo, they are certainly great strings! But then you can also think about going with the Obligato (stiff). But tuning stability with these gut strings is an issue and very pesky in practicing/rehearsing routine. For 90% of my daily tasks on the violin I prefer the tuning stability of synthetic strings. Soundwise they are not far behind also. But wound gut certainly still has it's place.
Great video! I was put off a bit by the use of the word "Pro". Sounds like a gimmick, but it seems that i may like these a lot though. Im going to try them. I used obligatos for years but ended up coming back to standard dominants. i find the dominant have much more range of color just as you described.
Thank you man! I mean, normal Dominant's I am not a big fan of... at least for my violin. But PI and Rondos have worked quite nicely for me. To me I think the name Dominant Pro is good, because Thomastik Infeld set themself under pressure to make a worthy follow up to the Dominant's. ;) I have the feeling that I like them more than Rondo or the PI strings. But beating the Pirastro Gold for me will be difficult I guess...
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation to my ear the pros sounded better than the golds you started with except for the E string. I typically like focused sound but i think they sound more narrow if that makes sense. Hard to articulate in words how things sound but i noticed it with obligatos. They have a sweet direct sound but not big..
@@aesoundforge True, but keep in mind the Evah Gold's were around 6 months old and I played them quite much. On the other hand it is true what you stated and maybe even more noticeable with newer Evah Gold's, that they are somewhat thinner in sound but also much more focussed and with more high overtones and punch. But they develop very nicely after some days. In general I feel the same about the Dominant Pro's as I feel about the PI stirngs: Great strings to record with, but not the most powerful if you instrument tends to be unfocussed in the low end and if you have problems to project with an instrument. Also I am always very suspect with strings, that sound good from day one. In my experience they tend to deteriorate much faster than strings that settle slower and have some metallic component in the beginning. But certainly if you play on Obligato's you will more likely be pleased with the Dominant Pro's than with the Evah Gold's I think. The thing with me and the Evah Gold's is, that they give my instrument mostly what it lacks. Dominant Pro's might be the better string for better instruments in terms of balanced set, colors and quality of sound though. And also they fixed the issue with the lack of bow resistance comparing to the PI strings. Really overall a smooth experience. I will test later the Evah Gold E with the Dominant Pro set and see if that fit's and provides some more power.
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation Yes i agree with what you are saying. I think dominants sound better after a long time of playing, Obligatos deteriorate very fast. Also violins are very difficult to mic and record so there is that factor...live vs recorded.
I admit to playing very high on the D string sometimes in some quartet literature (perhaps Dvorak).
But really THAT high? ;)
Great string
How do you compare the string diameter with Evah Pirazzi Gold? Are they larger or thinner?
I think a little larger, but not overly thick. In general I feel that Thomastik uses more thicker strings with softer material. Pirastro thinner with stiffer material.
but I haven't measured them
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation I don't use Titanium Solo or PI because they're too thin, Evah Pirazzi Gold are larger. It's good to know that these Dominant Pro don't have that problem.
@@LordCarmesimXXVII don't quote me on that. Looking at the Dominant Pro's the D-string is not the thickest.
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation They have diameter data on their website, it's jus not possible to compare with Evah Pirazzi Gold because I don't know where its data is.
Which G string do you feel sounds more like a "bass", Dominant Pro or Evah Pirazzi Gold?
I am pretty sure the Dominant's are warmer sounding, so they most likely have "more" low end spectrum. But the Evah Gold's are in general more powerful, so they will also deliver a decent sound in the lower spectrum, but with different mixture of higher overtones.
SO now they have the Dominant Pro strings, Does it mean their original Dominant is not Pro enough?
True! I also thought that the Dominant strings are already "pro" strings as they are still played by many pro's. Next string will be the "Dominant Solo" I guess... :D
Hi tree, with DOMINANT PRO, we were not aiming to change the basic character of DOMINANT, but rather to offer an additional, contemporary repertoire of strings. DOMINANT PRO is a completely new product based on the character of DOMINANT but expanding upon its possibilities. DOMINANT PRO is very balanced between the individual strings and is more focused and darker than DOMINANT. The set also has a greater resistance to bow pressure and a larger dynamic range and scores with a bell-like sound that fills the room directly after stringing. The strings have a powerful, clear, and loud voice with a high ability to sustain sound. Despite the direct response, these strings give you the possibility to create a broad range of sound colors. When required, Dominant Pro® asserts itself very well against the sound of an entire orchestra - in comparison to DOMINANT, the projection in a hall has also been reinforced. We have written a very, VERY detailed brochure with a lot of information on DOMINANT PRO. Please find it right here: www.thomastik-infeld.com/pdf/DP100_Download_pdf_EN.pdf And, if you don’t want to read the whole thing, you can watch the keynote on the differences between DOMINANT PRO and DOMINANT on dominantpro.com - it’s the second video when you scroll down!
@@ThomastikInfeldVienna Thanks! Love these detailed product info!
@@ThomastikInfeldVienna hi, just a question. I just changed my strings with Peter Infeld and got a wolf tone. Will the Dominant Pro have less of this than the Peter Infeld? Thanks
@@ThomastikInfeldVienna What an honor to have your company in my comments! It is nice to see, that all the things I found out while testing the Dominant Pro's were also intentional parameters you implemented to your string. Especially the bow resistance is a major factor to me. I think Thomastik Infeld strings are very well thought out and I can really feel their intention. I am really looking forward to try the Dominant Pro set later this year with a most likely more powerful E-string. But also the current set I am very pleased with so far. Can't wait to test them in a concert situation or recording in a bigger place than my living room. Stay safe and continue your great work!
My A string sounds metallic on my new violin.
What string do you use currently?
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation I have violino blue strings on my violin. A full set but I didn't like the metallic sound of the A string so swapped the A string with a zyex A string I had on one of my other violins.
@@AmandaViolinGirl I thing the blue violinos were the strings on many violins in my string classes. I think they are not that great. I would prefer the Tonica strings, although they are a little more expensive, they will last longer... or dominant strings ;)
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation they were the strings that came with my new violin I bought recently.
@@AmandaViolinGirl Often violinmakers use them to save money tbh.
They are not good these strings!At the first two,three days I had a strong grip to the bow,but after became more and more rough sound.I can not press the bow,neither sounds in slow bow or fast!After I put back the Kaplan Amo and the difference is amazing,I shouldn't pay for these strings!More,the A string has a light scratching on the nut..just after 4 days
Hey, your comment hits some points, but is a bit harsh in the conclusion. I wouldn't say these are bad strings at all. Have you played on gut strings before? They feel similar to the bow. Not allowing too much pressure and being very unforgiving for a incorrect contact point and bow speed. The scratching on the nut, you might check if you grooves there have rough edges. Due to different diameters of strings it might not happen with other strings.
I still play on the Dominant Pro strings and I must say, that I am very pleased. They certainly have lots of character, which has to work with your violin, bow and playing style or otherwise you will dislike the string. In some sense they are also very similar to the old Dominants, which them I had pretty much the problems that you describe (No pleasant sound possible on my violin), but with this new version of the Dominant's that issue is gone, maybe due to more tension, which my violin needs. I still haven't tested them in ensemble playing, but I can imagine that with my already pretty dark and sometimes mellow sounding violin, I will have to work more to project. But depending on the instrument they can certainly help giving it a more gutsy sound in the lower strings.
Certainly there is some adaptation to do if you come from totally different strings. I never tried the Kaplan Amo strings you mentioned.
p.s.: What I found out is that the Dominant Pro's need you to use more Kolophonium. When the bow has little Kolophonium they tend to respond quite difficult.
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation Yes,I remarked also that they needed much kolophonium,but after the resine was stuck on the strings...And,no,I don't play on gut strings.One time I tried the passions on the same violin and I had the same problem...Regarding Thomastic,I have always used them also,as Peter infeld,just before the Kaplan and I had the playability,and bow grip.Tiyanium solo also like much.Anyway,I took them off,is impossible to play concertos,like Sibelius with them..Thank you for your feedback
@@popitoto I also feel, that the Dominant Pro's are not necessarily the "soloists" string. But that also depends highly on the instrument. On already darker sounding instruments often times dark/warm strings don't work very well. I can imagine it having to do with the lower tension as well that some instruments (in their current setup) don't like so much. Also the weight of the bow plays into it of course. I will test the vision solo from Thomastik Infeld next. I had them on my violin years back and have them in good memory. If the Peter Infeld strings match your violin better, then maybe it has something to do with the tension and/or flexibility of the strings. I think the Dominant Pro strings are "better" strings than the regular Dominant's, but I have to say, that with the regular Dominant's I had not much of a business, since they had on my violin no sound at all (Similar to Pirastro Eudoxa didn't work on my current violin). Still regular Dominant's are played all over the world in professional orchestras or even from soloists. So not the strings are sometimes the problem, but the matching with the instrument. I would say the Dominant pro's are much more "modern" and will have their place in the next 20 years, but I also think that the market of violin strings get's a little bit too broad. I sometimes wished, we only had 2-5 choices of synthetic core strings. But I guess the demand is high and optimizing the violins sound with the strings has become more popular than doing sometimes irreversible soundpost adjustments or questioning the choice of violin or bow we made. Still these things have to be taken into account if we want to judge strings fairly.
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation Vision solo I often played with and are very good😚
@@SimonStreuffViolinEducation I forgot to say that when I tried Pirastro passione it was in middle of the summer,so humidity with gut does not work.But now is not yet summer..and these strings are synthetics.I have another violin and will try them with this one and I will tell you.☺️