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Does anyone know a good brand of strings that get loud, sound clear, and don't sound out of tune? I am using a brand of shar stings but they sound horrible. If you guys could put some links down in the comments I would be VERY thankful.
(My violin isn't a five sting fiddle, just a classical Carlos Lamberti Violin.)
Thank You!
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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It depends on what sound you like. Every brand of strings will sound differently on different violins. I've had good luck with Dominants or the Fiddlerman strings that are very similar.
Currently I've got Warchal Amber (full set) on my main violin and I'm pretty happy with the sound/feel.
It's tough to find the right combination because violin strings are not cheap! Usually the safe bet at the best price is to try the Fiddlerman strings as a starting point.
I'm afraid to say that "strings" don't cause "out of tune". I know because I'm seldom perfectly "in tune"!
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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Everyone's violin is different & everyone has different perceptions.
If you want something Focused, choose something from the top half of this chart (maybe around the middle of the top). The more Brilliant are to the right, but (I feel) too brilliant can also possibly mean harsh.
You can click on ANY of the strings in this chart to learn more:
Fiddlershop String Comparison Chart
I, personally, would steer clear of metal-core (if played hard, they can bend out of tune) - choose among the synthetic-core strings.
Good strings can be expensive.
My best advice is to try a single string from a few brands to test - if you like one, then try the rest of the set, but many people mix & match to get the sound they want.
...I've tried strings others love & I've hated some... just saying.
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Thanks! 
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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compared helicores are not too expensive. theyve always seemed to be able to project or be loud. they are steel strings. Theyve always seemed a bit bright but ddadario says theyre considered warm. Larsen virtuoso strings have seemed easier to get volume from than say obligatos. but that could also be because they seemed to be on the brighter side.
Id try a steel string set and see what you think. the helicores also seemed like they were more responsive to everything, which could be good. they arent a favorite of mine but what you said made me think you may want to give them a shot, alot of people love 'em.
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I don't remember how long you've been playing, but from your videos I suspect you and I have the same problem when it comes to intonation.
Strings won't change technique and good solid intonation comes from technique. In my search to solve a problem with a wolf tone in my violin, I've learned that changing strings doesn't change much, if anything, at all. Some/most people will disagree with that and on one level they'd be correct but for practical purposes changing strings won't change the overall sound of any particular player to any great degree.
For instance; in my case changing strings won't stop my bow from bouncing. New strings won't stop me from being off on my fingering. New strings won't sound great when I put too much bow pressure on them with little to no bow speed. New strings will still squeak when I make bow direction changes. And so on because those are all technique problems that I have and strings won't address them at all.
It's an awful thing to hear, and it's even worse coming from someone like me, but it's in your technique and not your equipment where intonation issues are identified and cured. Ask your instructor for help and if there are extra curricular exercises you can do for better intonation. Then do them. Do them a lot. Do them until you're tired of listening to yourself doing them and you want to scream about how boring and stupid they are. Then take a deep breath and do them some more. And repeat.
As for strings, currently I'm using Larsen Tzgane strings. I changed to them from Tomastick Dominants but I won't be using them again when it's time to replace them because the E is too harsh and sensitive while the G is too soft and lazy sounding. But that's for me and others may have different thoughts/opinions.
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SiennaAViolin said
Does anyone know a good brand of strings that get loud, sound clear, and don't sound out of tune? I am using a brand of shar stings but they sound horrible. If you guys could put some links down in the comments I would be VERY thankful.(My violin isn't a five sting fiddle, just a classical Carlos Lamberti Violin.)
Thank You!
What strings have you tested on this violin so far?
The out of tune part is debatable. Flexible strings stay in tune more than stiff strings. Obviously synthetic core is the best for this question, but if the strings are too flexible, you won't get the same power. Perhaps you want to test Obligato.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I use pirastro tonicas , cheap and good all rounders. I think they sound good once they bed in.
Cant beat a sunny day
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Regardless of brand, strings shouldn't sound "out of tune" unless they're so old that they have gone false. It's possible that your pegs are slipping, if your strings are constantly drifting flat. But in general intonation is a matter of technique, not strings.
Shar is a shop, not a brand, so we still have no idea what strings you've been using. If you're not sure what they are, you can use this handy guide to identify them.
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@AndrewH, they are these kind of strings https://www.sharmusic.com/Shar.....quantity=1.
@RDP, I am not out of tune. Even my teacher says they sound bad.
They are not very good quality so yeah.
These are the strings I'm gonna get, https://gimmesomestrings.com/t.....trings/.
( @RDP, I have been playing for 3 years.
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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SiennaAViolin said
@AndrewH, they are these kind of strings https://www.sharmusic.com/Shar.....quantity=1.
Wow, ALL solid steel for 10 bucks a set! That's like Segovia using fishing line on his guitar. I wonder why Shar even stock them. I guess they are just old-timey fiddlin' strings for something your great-great grampy whittled from a floorboard*, pass the spittoon, dang!
If it's because some people can't afford the best strings twice a year, then I'd recommend they try to find the money for Tonicas, or the Fiddlershop equivalent, for best value.
Dominants are a step up from Tonicas (to oversimplify it).
My first violin was a Stentor which came supplied with Tonicas. My teacher said when they needed replacing use Tonicas or Dominants.
Eventually you'll categorise your violin's temperament, and then you might want strings to balance it out - my Breton is very warm. Dominants are good on it, but I'm going to try something brighter (I've ordered some Visions) as an experiment in the summer. (Warchal Brilliants are a bit expensive at 'thestringzone', but Fiddlershop's price is excellent). For less desireable violins, like my Stentor or my Gewa, I could look at the warm & subtle strings on the charts, but, since I don't play those violins anymore, it's not worth it, unless I start gigging with the Gewa (D'Addario Pro-Arte look like a contender - if only for price - I wasn't a fan of d'Addario guitar or uke strings, and I'm not a fan of their Zyexes, which are currently on the Gewa. I must play it again to remind myself what it sounds like and study the charts more).
The only other thing about Dominants is they are low tension (see chart below), so bowing sul tasto has to be very delicate or they quack, and if a violin were a millimeter or two short, it would be worse - the shorter the string, the lower the tension. Visions are slightly higher tension than Dominants. All-solid steel strings would be ultra-high tension (Helicores and Old Fiddler strings are high tension), unless they are very thin. Either way is horrible.
(as an aside, if you did have a violin that was a few mm short, you could try 3/4 size Dominants on it - that would increase their tension, maybe to an ideal value, but it would shorten their life - my guitar's high-tension Augustine bass strings snap pretty quickly)
* Actually, my luthier literally did make a violin out of a floorboard - some of them are good enough spruce to be tonewood! But he didn't put a snake rattle inside.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
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Thanks everyone!
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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@SiennaAViolin -
Let us know what you think of your new strings after you put them on! 🤗
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@ELBCK I will.
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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I am actually getting the Fiddler Man strings now. Can't wait to see how they work.
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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Hope that you love them Sienna. Lots of people do. I don't know how many of you know this, but if you break one of our strings within 3 months of purchase, doesn't matter if you over tightened or something sharp on your violin cut them..... we'll replace them.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said
... I don't know how many of you know this, but if you break one of our strings within 3 months of purchase, doesn't matter if you over tightened or something sharp on your violin cut them..... we'll replace them.
@Fiddlerman - Nice to know! Glad you're looking out for us!
The old curmudgeon!
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@Fiddlerman Thank you! The strings work amazing. I love the Fiddler Shop.
"In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music."
- Dmitri Shostakovich.
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I love the Fiddlerman strings on mr Concert Deluxe violin.
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Aargh - I've just found that at TheStringZone, if you buy a set of Dominants, you get medium tension, but if you buy each string individually, you get a choice of low, medium or high tension!
Andrew
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