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Most of the songs I have in my method and song books are on the A and E strings so I get to practice those strings a LOT more then the other two. I read them very easely now can find them on the violin without looking with a 75% win. But even if I can play on G and D, reading them is harder since I practiced them less (even with FM exercises).
Anyone else with a similar experience? Are there strings you are more comfortable with? 
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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LOL, I actually neglect my G & E strings often! I sometimes don't realize that they're out of tune until later in my practice!
I started going through scales more frequently last week so I can comfortable with the G & E. Hopefully, with some time, I can play some of those more complex tunes that actually use those notes! 
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
"A" and "E" are the pedagogical preferred strings for introducing the violin. The bow work is minimal. The "G" and "D" need more attention from the right and left arms/hand and are introduced usually later. I used to hate those strings but I'm OK after watching some very instructive FM videos. 
(I actually doubled my repertoire with the "extra" strings.)
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The text book my teacher used with me hardly ever use the E string, and a lot of tunes (eg, Scarborough Fair) sound crap when started on the G string. Still, on the plus side, it taught me how to change up the key signatures.
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
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Oliver is 110% right! New players are more easily able to play something slightly resembling a tune using only the two closest strings to the left hand, which just happen to be the E and A strings.
I personally think those 2 are what a violin is all about, but there's a lot of bluegrass that only uses the D and A strings. . . with an occassional 'dip' to catch a low note on the G string during a lead in or finish of a piece.
Just like you Terry, I had found early on that my hand, wrist, and arm would cramp up from using those "new muscles" when fingering the notes for the G and D strings! Ahh, but practice and doing a string workout enable us all to eventually achieve the same level of expertise with all 4, but my favorite ones to play and the ones I feel most sound like angels singing are the E and A strings.... but that's just me. If I wanted to play the lower notes all the time, I'd play bass.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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cdennyb said
If I wanted to play the lower notes all the time, I'd play bass.
Hey now! Watch it! 
Oddly enough, I like a lot of Blue Grass fiddle!! Maybe that's why I use my D & A more! 
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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Ouch! Did I hit a 'sour note'? LOL 
I like BG fiddle as well, but not a steady diet of it... I like most all violin music but in moderation.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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I've actually been neglecting my bass lately! So many toys, so little time!
For some reason, I feel comfortable playing BG and Irish/Celtic folk. Some songs seem to come naturally! From what I've been told, I do have a lot of German/Irish relatives from KY, TN and VA from before the Civil War!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
I use the A and D string's mostly. I use the G and E if the song calls for them. I hate the shrill shound of the E string. My favorite's are A,D, and G. I try to use them all.
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I'm with you Fiddlestix! The E strings sounds like my belt needs loosening!
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
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I'm not a fan of the E string either but it might be because my cheap Preludes strings are very bright and I just know I would prefer something warmer, mellow.
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
I vote for the E and A strings, especially the E. To me, they have that true violin ethereal voice. 
Unquestionably, your strings and the quality of your violin can add or subtract from that effect. 
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I can understand the poor sound of the E string. My combination has to be "right on" to make it sound good and when it's right on, IT SOUNDS AWESOME!.
com-'bination: (screwed up noun) a system of things not totally understood that include rosin, quantity of rosin applied, tension of hair on bow, direction of bow in relationship to the string path, tension of the strings intially, as in the term "in tune". Sometimes related to the position of the moon and stars, seemingly impossible to achieve when they are out of alignment. Often times confused with skill level.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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I started out with G and D, I still have a lot of trouble with A and E. I think it is because I read left to right, so I started with the left string learning the notes top to bottom... Plus Ode to Joy was my first song
I still have to say my alphabet when trying to finger the notes, so I am pretty slow paced on my playing.
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Dionysia, me I couldn't name you the note before counting on my fingers lol. But I have a visual memory I just know that this note of the music sheet is played there on the violin. Doesn't help that ABCDEFG makes absolutly no sense to my french mind I know do-ré-mi-fa-sol-la-si it's confusing.
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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I love the G and the E 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
We need to be thankful that the musical note's don't run the whole alphabet A thru Z.
cdennyb said:
com-'bination: (screwed up noun) a system of things not totally understood that include rosin, quantity of rosin applied, tension of hair on bow, direction of bow in relationship to the string path, tension of the strings intially, as in the term "in tune". Sometimes related to the position of the moon and stars, seemingly impossible to achieve when they are out of alignment. Often times confused with skill level.
_________________
I like that analysis. No wonder the violin is capable of so many wonderful and...frightening....sounds.
What a great site to share our experiences while learning this complex instrument.
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wow what a nice definition hehe and so true! Speaking of which, I just checked how we frenchies call the soundpost and it's pretty and poetic: l'âme and in english that means the soul. The soundpost is the soul of the violin how does that sound? Does it mean that if it's not well placed (sinful) your performance go to hell? lol.
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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