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A R T I C L E S
Set-up - an introduction
Guide to cello measurements
What is a full-sized cello?
Bridge design
Taming wolf notes
Tailpieces and tailcords
The challenge of trying cellos
Left hand comfort for cellists
Right hand comfort for cellists
Healthy cello backs
Cello
transport
Review of A and D strings
Review of G and C strings
Survey
of string design
G.B. Guadagnini's cellos
Study of 1729 Guarneri cello
Bow testing techniques
The
appeal of bows
Players test bows
Saving the Pernambuco
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Feedback from cellists
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Feedback from cellists
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Feedback from cellists
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Feedback from cellists
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Feedback from cellists
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
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Core
Strategy - A survey of strings
A list of modern string-making materials reads like an alchemist's recipe
book. Silver, aluminium and nickel windings jostle with tungsten, tin and
titanium, while hidden within lie sheep gut, nylon, space age synthetics
or intricate braids woven from fine steel threads. From the oldest
companies such as Pirastro to the newest makers such as Larsen Strings,
manufacturers are working to provide an ever wider range of strings to
satisfy the diverse characters and tastes of instruments and players.
Strings can be most easily categorised and understood by an analysis of
their core materials. Sheep gut has always been the traditional core for
strings, and is still highly desirable for what Steven Isserlis describes
as its expressive range and alive, engaging sound. But gut tends to lack
the power required by many modern soloists and its quick response to
changes in temperature and humidity necessitates frequent re-tuning.
Modern manufacturing processes have improved its durability and power, but
many contemporary players find that its weaknesses outweigh its strengths.
The simplest steel strings are made from a single solid steel core which
can also be wound with wire. Most string makers have also developed their
own specially constructed 'rope' core of fine steel fibres, as Jim
Cavanaugh of the Super Sensitive Musical String Company describes: 'A
multi-stranded core gives a quicker bow response and takes the edge off
the brightness characteristic of many solid core strings. The rope core is
also very flexible and slightly elastic, so it will feel somewhat softer
under the fingers.'
Multi stranded metal core strings have become extremely popular with
cellists and bassists and seem to have contributed to an evolution in
bowing style, as Fan Tao, head of research and development at D'Addario
explains: 'When you exert heavy vertical bow pressure on a gut or nylon
string it starts to twist, which suppresses the sound. Steel core strings
are much stiffer and have a smaller diameter than gut, which means they
resist twisting much better. This allows you to use much more bow force,
much closer to the bridge. If you watch videos of Pablo Casals, you see
him using lots of bow speed on his gut strings, well away from the bridge,
but modern cellists using metal strings are able to play as hard as they
can, really close to the bridge, using very slow bow speeds, which is why
steel core strings have been widely accepted by cellists.'
Norman Pickering, an acknowledged world authority on strings, believes
that metal core strings have huge potential: 'The stumbling block for
metal strings has been getting them good enough for players to like. But I
think metal strings have huge potential for future development because of
their stability and the ease with which you can adjust their tonal
quality.'
In 1970 Thomastik-Infeld brought out their Dominant string, which caused a
revolution in string design through its use of a highly flexible
multi-thread nylon core. Nylon (also known as Perlon) quickly became a
widely accepted substitute for gut, due to its resistance to changes of
heat and humidity, its durability and relative warmth of tone.
Meanwhile, research and development departments throughout the world have
been hard at work, systematically testing an exotic range of new synthetic
substances in the search for the holy grail of ever more stable, beautiful
sounding synthetic substitutes for natural gut. This research has led to
the introduction over the last ten years of a new generation of highly
stable synthetic strings with a variety of playing qualities.
The Danish company Larsen Strings is one of the newest arrivals on the
scene. 'In 1990 I set out to produce a fine metal cello A string using a
100 year old string winding machine in my garage,' Larsen recalls. 'I
experimented with many different materials and, after many disappointments
and consolatory bottles of wine, I finally created my first successful
string. Nowadays I employ expert technicians using advanced machinery, but
I still oversee the whole process.' Larsen is best known for his metal
cello strings, but he has recently introduced synthetic core strings for
violin and viola.
The Super Sensitive Musical String Company (based in Florida, US) is a
family business, like most string manufacturers. 'We are now going from
the 'Model T' era of string making into the computerised era,' Jim
Cavanaugh reveals. 'It's very important to use the most modern production
techniques as they create better quality, faster production and a more
consistent string. The Octava is our most recent string, which we
developed in response to a demand from teachers for an economical perlon
core string for intermediate students. We brought it out six months ago
and the response has been phenomenal.'
Anne Jarl Hansen took over the Danish firm Jargar Strings in 1993. 'My
father worked with the strings all his life, always improving them. We
still do things in quite an old fashioned way: all our strings are made by
hand by twenty people who work in their own homes. Most of the workers
just concentrate on one string, such as a cello A string.' Jargar strings
are particularly popular with cellists: 'The steel core gives the cello a
brilliant sound and is very stable. Our most popular string is the medium
tension, but we sell a fair number of forte strings in France and southern
Europe, while our dolce strings are more popular in the UK,' Hansen
reveals.
Dogal Strings, whose factory lies just outside Venice, Italy, have been
producing steel strings by hand since the Second World War, when their
factory producing gut strings was destroyed by bombing. 'It was very hard
to get supplies of gut after the war, so the company decided to produce a
low tension steel string,' Franca Cella Lavelli recalls. 'We have also
been experimenting with synthetic alternatives, and discovered a
multi-fibre used for modern racing sails, which we now use for our new
Vivaldi violin strings. We can only use this wonderful material because we
make the strings by hand, and our workers can only make a Vivaldi string
after working with us for seven years.'
Fan Tao recently took over research and development at D'Addario (based in
New York State, US) from Norman Pickering, who had spent twenty years as
the company's R&D consultant. 'We are constantly developing new ideas
because players still want the sound of a gut string but also the
durability and stability of steel core strings,' Tao explains. D'Addario's
most recent innovation is Zyex, which has a space-age synthetic core. 'The
core is unique,' Tao reveals, 'It is an incredibly expensive substance
used to insulate space craft and satellites. Unlike gut, and even perlon,
it remains very stable in changes of temperature and humidity and has a
very warm tone, which works particularly well with bright new
instruments.'
Thomastik-Infeld, based in Vienna, Austria, are justly proud of their
world famous brand, Dominant. Helmut Frank, their marketing manager,
reports that they are still working to improve the string's quality and
materials. 'After thirty years of success with Dominant, we thought it was
time to come up with some new ideas for the string market, so we
introduced Infeld Red and Blue for violin. These strings have a new
synthetic core, but are still made in the tradition of Dominant strings.'
Annette Muller-Zierach and her brother are the sixth generation to work
for her family firm, Pirastro, which is based in Offenbach, Germany. 'We
are always working to find something which people will like and which is
easy to play, and we are very pleased with the response to Evah Pirazzi,
Obligato and Violino, all of which share the same new synthetic core
material.' Pirastro's latest offering is their No. 1 Universal E string.
'The idea was to create an E string with an easy response and which does
not whistle,' Muller-Zierach reveals. 'We are delighted by the response so
far.'
With so many dedicated companies producing fine strings, where is the
player to start? Larsen urges caution: 'If you are truly happy with the
strings you already play, I would not advise you to change them. If you
have a happy marriage, why get a divorce?'
If you are unhappy with your instrument's performance, first check your
set up, advises Bruno Price, New York dealer. 'I've met frustrated players
with a harlequin mix of strings on their instruments still searching for
the magic combination, when what they really need is a new bridge and post
or just re-glued seams,' he recalls. Price also advises players to replace
their strings regularly. 'If someone comes in with their instrument
sounding terrible, it's often because their strings are six months old,'
he reveals.
David Morris of J&A Beare Ltd, London, advocates a 'small is beautiful'
approach to string experimentation. 'If you want a change, try a small,
sideways step, by experimenting with a different tension,' he suggests.
Most strings are manufactured in up to three different tensions (low,
medium and high) but these tensions vary from brand to brand and maker to
maker. Norman Pickering explains the effect of tension on string
performance: 'As the tension of a string increases, you get a higher
volume of sound, but you lose controllability and response. Some players
have powerful instruments and like playing on a low tension string for its
responsiveness. We recommend medium tension as the starting point and high
tension only for very special purposes.'
Another area for minor experimentation is with string windings, which vary
in density and tone. Tungsten, for example, is almost twice as dense as
silver, which is three times as dense as Aluminium. Many string brands
offer a variety of windings. Thomastik Spirocore cello G strings, for
example, are available wound with chrome, silver or tungsten. Jargar's
standard cello strings are wound with chrome, while their 'Silver Sound' G
and C strings are wound with pure silver. 'Silver Sound strings make a
more mellow sound which is very popular with chamber musicians, but they
are also used by soloists such as Julian Lloyd Webber,' Hansen explains.
If minor adjustments to your string selection do not help, what is your
next step? 'Don't be afraid to experiment', urges Elisabeth Schneider,
violinist and conservatoire teacher in Copenhagen, Denmark. 'I was very
influenced by my teacher's taste, but I think it is essential for every
player to make a personal choice in strings. It's as natural as a painter
selecting special pigments to suit his taste in colour and texture.'
Robin Aitchison, a violin maker in Ely, UK offers string trials to players
who are unhappy with their sound or who want to experiment with the latest
innovations in string technology. 'When players arrive I ask them to play
to me and describe what they like about the sound and how they might like
to improve it. Then I check the set up of each instrument, as I find that
about 20% of all instruments need a sound post adjustment before new
strings can be considered.'
'Violins and violas are often successfully strung using one brand for the
three lower strings and a personal choice for the top,' Aitchison
explains. 'However, stringing cellos tends to be more complex because of
the different tonal qualities sought by players from the upper and lower
registers and the challenge of creating a comfortable transition between
the two.'
David Juritz, leader of the London Mozart Players, used Dominants for many
years on his Gagliano violin. When he changed to a Guadagnini two years
ago, he found he needed another solution. 'I am no expert on strings, and
just assumed that Dominants would suit my new violin, but I found it
impossible to control the sound. I was advised to try gut strings, and was
amazed by how the quickly and happily the violin settled down. It's a
complete joy to play now. The Olivs last for up to six months, but I
change my metal E strings every few weeks as I find they deteriorate
quickly.'
Glenn Dicterow, concert master and soloist with the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra, plays a del Gesu violin. 'I play to an audience of 2,800 people
four times a week, so one of my biggest priorities is being heard clearly.
I am often sent samples of new strings and I always try them out, but I
always went back to the Dominants I've been playing for the last thirty
years. Then two years ago I found that using a soft Helicore A string made
a big improvement to the whole instrument. Its sound blends well with the
Dominant D and G, but its greater softness release some of the tension on
the bridge and freed up the lower strings too. I am a little more fickle
with E strings, depending on the repertoire I'm playing.
Cellist Oleg Kogan has had a 'rags to riches' experience with strings, as
he grew up in Russia, where good strings were scarce. 'When I was a young
student there were no good strings at all. When I moved to Moscow I found
some nice strings made for the Bolshoi theatre and then I was able to
obtain some Thomastik strings, which were an absolute revelation to me at
the time. When I started travelling outside Russia, I discovered Jargar
strings, which I loved, and then when I came to the UK I came across
Spirocore and then Larsen, so I have finally settled on Spirocore for the
bottom two and Larsen for the top two strings. I'd like to experiment more
with a good luthier, when I have time.'
Violinist Maciej Rakowski, violin professor at the Royal Northern College
of Music, Manchester, is an avid experimenter with strings. He plays a
Carlo Tononi of Venice violin which has a troublesome wolf note. 'Sound is
very important to me and I try to give my instrument a set up and strings
which will bring out its true tonal qualities. When it comes to strings,
we violinists are spoilt for choice nowadays, and I always want to try the
newest strings because you never know what is going to work on your fiddle
until you try it.'
After trying almost every string on the market, Rakowski's choice has
narrowed down considerably. 'It's a bit like developing your own taste in
wine,' he admits. 'Eudoxas are by far the nicest strings to play on, but
they don't produce enough power from my violin. Evah Pirazzi are great,
but I find them difficult to play pianissimo with them on my violin. I
liked the sound of Helicore, but they felt a bit tough under my bow. Then
I tried Infeld, which felt better, but the wolf was kicking in more than
with Helicore. At the moment I'm back with Dominants, but I'm thinking of
trying a combination of different string types next. Alternatively, I
could always spend a couple of million on a Strad!'
'You can never predict the result when experimenting with strings,'
Aitchison admits. 'Not only does each string behave very differently on
every instrument, but each player's taste and playing technique is utterly
unique, and will bring out very different qualities in the same string.
Nevertheless, if you are prepared to test a wide range of strings the
results can be very rewarding.'
© Sarah Mnatzaganian 2003
Published in the Strad Magazine
August 2003
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in or introduced into any form of retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means,
including photocopying and recording now known or devised hereafter,
without the prior permission of Sarah Mnatzaganian.
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