I just bought a new fiddle. I would love lots of suggestions for more mellow strings to try. I have Larsens, which are rather loud. The dominants weren't too good, besides being rather hard. Also, what are good gut strings to try? The only gut I've tried are the Gold Label. What do you all think of Evahs?
On my fiddles, Evah's are nice, but they're not exactly mellow. A tad on the bright side (at least on the A and E strings).
For the last year, I've been using Thomastik Vision Titanium Soloists. I buy only the G, D, and A strings and use a Lensner GoldBrokat E string. The Visions are silky, warm, focused but not bright, and responsive even with the lightest touch, which allows for some very mellow playing.
As far as gut string recommendations, I've switched to the new Pirastro Passiones. They are great-sounding gut strings that break in fast and are very stable. They also have a fairly good response and are fairly mellow. I'm in love with everything about them, except the price.
I used to use Olivs and they are very mellow and sound great, but they take forever to break in and the A has very fragile windings.
''if you want mellow, try Obligato instead'' Ids agree with that advice. I use various combinations of Pirastro gut strings . at the moment my A is unwound gut. Eudoxa, Some gold and some old black label and eudoxa.
IM very interested in the passiones but I have a rake of old pirastro from a luthiers clear out. enough for years so.....
Of course the quality and type and materials etc effect your tone.
DJF, you agree with llig that if you want mellow you play mellow. Then tell us you have mellow strings on your fiddle? which is it? the strings do affect the tone or they dont? I found dominants my least favourite string, each to their own of course. Each fiddle will respond differently to different strings.
#I tried evah recently but they were too edgy for that fiddle. fine on a differant one. I like Eudoxa and the gold label pirastro.
DJF - in my experience, different strings feel different under the fingers. I find corelli and some steel string brands to feel "hard", and strings like gut and zyex evah pirazzi to feel "soft". It's interesting, as the latter 2 are supposedly of a higher tension.
"So Screetch, does the Passione A hold up longer than the Oliv A?"
So far so good. I'm on my second set and so far no problems at all with the A. And they are very stable for gut, no doubt about it. Similar to synthetic.
Why do you want mellow? From my listening and playing experience, steel strings that are full, loud and have lots of presence are/have been used by many Irish fiddlers for years. To go mellow and gut is a little odd isnt it? Some professionals will go that way for certain pieces on certain recordings, but that's that. The best fiddlers Ive been around want the most out of their instrument and that includes lows, mids and highs... as well as volume.
Im with llig jig, the original post was about limiting volume and that has more to do with playing than the string.
But again, my question is WHY? Why do want a string thats limiting the volume? Less experienced fiddlers always want to kill the sound of the fiddle, where more experienced fiddlers want more power to work with.
WHen I first started playing I thought my fiddle was a problem... it sounded high and tinny and LOUD, but then I recorded it and took it out around other players and became more experienced about what fiddle music IS... and it is a great fiddle just the way it is. Id never want to "mellow" it down. In fact the more volume available to use, the better!
Huh? that doesn't make sense.. If you want your fiddle quieter put a variable mute on... like blutack. The question clearly says mellow, to my mind that means the fundamental tone of the string and fiddle in conjunction. If you want quieter, play quieter. Of course the bow also makes a big difference in tone production.
So eneriacht , you mean tone or volume?. different things entirely, as we all know. right?
Mellow does not just mean less volume. It also means a wider, warmer sound.
The original post is about finding mellower strings for a new fiddle. That makes perfect sense to me. If you have a fiddle that sounds a bit on the harsh side, it makes a lot of sense to look for strings that will tone down the edge.
And yes, traditionally steel strings have been popular in all types of fiddling. But that's not necessarily because they are the best strings for fiddling today.
Consider that the cheapest strings are steel strings, and back before synthetics came along the only choice was between steel and gut. And the extra volume that steel gave--at the cost of a harsh, thin sound--was needed at one time. Now we have amplification.
You don't have to use steel strings for fiddling, and there's nothing wrong with using gut. The only real downside to fiddling with gut is that they tend to have a slower response.
Strings are a very personal choice, and there's really no wrong way to go as long as you like them. And they *do* need to match the fiddle, which I think is what the original post was really about.
I'm guessing that catherine meant 'warmer' rather than mellow as in 'laid back', and while I can get some warmth by playing away from the bridge, in my limited experience strings make a big difference. I've got Evah Pirazzis on now, very nice but expensive. I think for the price the Visions are more my cup of tea, and will trade back down to them again for my next set. I've never experimented with mixing sets, I'll take Will's input on board but I don't think my ear's advanced enough to appreciate the nuance. Synthetics though do seem to be the best of both steel/gut worlds.
Cath, how old is this fiddle? Is it already well played in, or are you doing that?
I'm in the process of playing in a nice 80 yearold fiddle that hasn't been played in years. It's gradually opening up with daily playing and consistent humidifying. The progress is noticeable week to week. Sometimes it helps to just play the thing, regardless of what strings are on it.
The blutack goes on the bridge, like any mute.... Why on earth not? have you tried it? if not what makes you think you are qualified to advise against it? Do answer... you have an answer?
A de-damper works wonders wil, as a short cut, tried it have you?
Fidkid, I just don't like the Vision E strings--thin and bright. The other three are well matched. The GoldBrokat E has been a good (inexpensive) match so far.
I've mixed Evah's and Visions (just replacing a string as the wrapping wears out) and it works okay. The Evah and Vision G's in particular are very similar.
Jig, I live in a dry climate--often 10% humidity. I use two humidifiers in my case to keep my fiddle happy.
Blutack is a mix of rubber, polymers, and oil. These ingredients can damage your fiddle's varnish, and the oils in particular are bad for your strings, particularly down by the bridge, where they will seep along the wrapping and interfere with the rosin (possibly even contaminating your bow hair). If you want to mute your fiddle, buy a mute. The cheapo ebony bridge mutes muffle it a little. The sliding spring mutes favored by violinists quiet it a bit more. The heavy rubber or brass bridge mutes really shut down the volume. Or you can just clip a clothespin to the bridge, from the bass side (so it's well away from the bow). Better yet, learn to play softly without a mute.
None of which has anything to do with Cath's query....
I want it all. Volume, highs, mids and lows. Jargars give me that. Helicore comes close. Gut and synthetic have their uses but when I think of Irish fiddling I think steel and those who do not fear it. Heck Gavin tunes UP sometimes and Burke isnt afraid to let the fiddle be the fiddle and scare off those who just don't like fiddle music. To hell with mellow.
will, I have used blu tack for years. it works fine, I have not suffered from any of the problems you suggest might happen. I live in a very damp environment, I have a dehumidifier going 24/7. perhaps if I had a very valuable instrument your points might be relevant. but the blutak touches neither strings nor varnish.
it allows variable muting from almost none to extreme. what other mute offers that range?
Anyhow, you didnt answer my question, have you tried it?
I used Jargurs for years, but my new fiddle didn't respond well to them. So I tried Eudoxa.. It now sings to me. The evah's were too bright, and edgy on a quite bright and edgy fiddle. They are great on the electric though.
I too crave a rich dark sound from my fiddle, It doesn't cut through the session as much as a more trebly fiddle but life is full of compromise eh? I remember when I first bought my German fiddle I tried all the fiddles and that was my choice, rich, dark and old. The edgy strings were fine on that. but now I have Eudoxa on her also....
jig, I don't need to put petrochemicals on my bridge, or anywhere near my strings, thank you. I can play at all rangers of volume just fine without a mute, from a roar to below a whisper.
[This is just weird. He's completely oblivious to how he projects his own foibles onto everyone else. Sigh. It does get old.]
Hey jig, another way to mute your fiddle is to drop a cinder block on it from the roof of a three story building. Please don't tell me what's wrong with this idea until you've tried it....
So you havent....
Thought so.... Say no more...
. so now ,do we get to insults and character assassination ? sigh , it does get tedious and predictable doesnt it. ?
While yer at it, make a video, please? Maybe you could play a tune or two first, then drop the block, and then demonstrate the flaws in my suggestion for muting your fiddle, eh? Ta.
What are you on about? I simply suggest an effective mute that I have been using for donkeys years. that works very well , that has none of the problems you imagine. Now your creating some weird fantasy about breeze blocks?
The fact is you are recommending against something you have never tried . You are pontificating upon a subject you know next to nothing about. simple really.
It gets really predictable now. Perhaps a few more will round to your defence, with a mass attack on an uppity stranger . I await the dreaded onslaught.... shaking in my boots..
jig, you remind me of those drunks at rock concerts who got some idea into their head that they are better than Bono or Sting or Jagger and try to climb onto the stage for some reflected glory, leaping about waving their arms, until security drags them away...
Thats great WB, enjoy your imagination, its a great thing to have.
I visualise you as a crabby frustrated old man living alone in the hills , Im sure we are both far of the mark eh?
I have no need to jump on stage, unless I'm getting paid for it I prefer being at home playing a few tunes. besides all that loud rock music, all those people, the heat. no thanks. too old for that kind of thing.
Right on the money, jig, I'm a crabby frustrated old man living alone in the hills, how did you guess ? And I wouldn't swap places with anyone I ever met or heard about.
Thats great too WB, I spent many years living rough in the hills. chopping wood and carrying water. with willow and rushes my bed and canvas my roof. playing my fiddle round the fire, watering the horses. Ahh that was the life. now I have this bl00dy house, more like a cave, washing machine , flush toilet, Fridge. electrickery, its all good but still , when the kids have left home Im off too.
I just read the post on the other thread about the father whose son was killed riding his motorcycle.
I think it's extremely difficult to find what your heart truly desires, and then even more difficult to make it into a practical reality. Most people I have met soon start complaining about the compromises and sacrifices they have to make for one reason or another.
I'm fortunate in that respect. There's nothing that I don't like about living here, there's nothing I don't like about myself and my daily life. What's frustrating is getting old, less energy, less stamina, but that's compensated by other things.
So did I. It was supposed to be yesterday, but the surgeon's office called me on Sunday and told me he was sick and they'd have to reschedule. New date is June 2.
It will by my sixth hip surgery and the other ones were worse, so I'm not too worried about it. And yeah, I want to get it over with, which is why I'm kinda ticked off about it being rescheduled at the last minute.
Yeah, I've had some experience with blutack on a fiddle. In the bad old days they used to use crap like that to affix the piezoelectric pickups on bridges. The best thing about it was the "SPROING!" noise the pickup made when it inevitably lost its grip. The worst thing was the nasty, oily residue that got on your bridge, closing the pores, soiling it, and generally degrading its structure and performance. My next step was imagining enough of it to actually mute tone and what that would do. Don't put blutack on your fiddle!
Thanks for the tip, Will, my I’ll try the Visions/GoldBrokat E mix, when the Evahs die. I have a pretty decent Chinese strad, it’s just a little bright and I want to take the edge off.
Personally, I don’t love a super warm sound, solo it sounds beautiful for some tunes but I’ve heard it get muddy at speed, and even lost in a session. I do understand of course that a good player can make just about anything work.
I regularly play two fiddles. One is warm and open, the other very similar but more focused and a touch brighter. Both are highly resonant--"built in reverb" is what one maker/player said when he heard them. It's a treat to be able to switch between the two. I use the Vision soloists on both. So if your fiddle is a tad bright or edgy, the Visions may ease that a touch, without losing the focus and projection.
Thanks for all the info. I didn't anticipate so many responses. Will, your idea of dropping a brick on a fiddle from a 3 story building is too hilarious for words.
So, for those of you who are wondering, my fiddle is new, it definetely needs the playing out a lot. I wasn't just referring to volume, but more the tone of the strings. I am looking for strings which will just bring out a slightly warmer tone. If the fiddle has a warm tone, but is loud, I don't mind that as much as a sort of harsh tone, which sometimes rings in my ears.
It's really nice to be able to hear the notes clearly on my new fiddle.I think it's helping with intonation. By the way, my last fiddle was a $40 one, which was so quiet you could barely hear it unless you were playing it.
The dominants were hard on my fingers after a few hours of playing, compared to the larsens which feel softer under the fingers. I'll have to try some of the string suggestions.
This has been a very interesting discussion. It's amazing how others were able to answer questions to me pretty correctly.
I've never heard of blu tack. I haven't used a mute in a year or so.
Nice to have some more strings to try. There are so many, you could spend a fortune trying to find a good string.
Cath, you may also find that your new fiddle is just a lot more responsive than the old one, and your bowing will have to adjust to get a less harsh tone. In short, you may be accustomed to pushing the old fiddle pretty hard just to get some sound out of it. Backing way off and letting just the weight of the bow do the work for you may feel weird at first, but your fiddle may respond much to your liking, regardless of what strings are on it.
Think of it like switching from a 1970 Pinto to a 2008 Maserati--if you punch the throttle with the same abandon as on the Pinto, the Maserati will likely leave a cloud of tire smoke and you'll miss the first turn in the road. It begs for a lighter touch.
Dominants are fairly warm strings on most fiddles, though I consistently find their E strings to be a bit shrill. Even when you back *way* off the E (which needs very little touch to get it singing).
Listen to Kevin Burke live... tell me that doesnt get in his ears! Listen to him hit that opne e string. I love it! You should be able to tget most of the sounds you wan't from most of the high quality steel sets available with unwound e's. Helicore, Jargar... Id still stay away from the synthetics. Play your fiddle from different positions... just turning your head to the left or right will vary what you are hearing. Play it from your chest and listen to it that way. Is the box resonating fully even with the open e? It should, and it should be loud. You can spend a fortune on fiddle strings as you said... but dont!
Mellow string suggestions
Mellow string suggestions
I just bought a new fiddle. I would love lots of suggestions for more mellow strings to try. I have Larsens, which are rather loud. The dominants weren't too good, besides being rather hard. Also, what are good gut strings to try? The only gut I've tried are the Gold Label. What do you all think of Evahs?
Thanks.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by enirehtac
Re: Mellow string suggestions
On my fiddles, Evah's are nice, but they're not exactly mellow. A tad on the bright side (at least on the A and E strings).
For the last year, I've been using Thomastik Vision Titanium Soloists. I buy only the G, D, and A strings and use a Lensner GoldBrokat E string. The Visions are silky, warm, focused but not bright, and responsive even with the lightest touch, which allows for some very mellow playing.
YMMV.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I use Evah Pirazzi, but if you want mellow, try Obligato instead.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by mcdevincabe
Re: Mellow string suggestions
There are loads of discussions about strings on this site - do a couple of searches and you'll find them
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Hup
Re: Mellow string suggestions
As far as gut string recommendations, I've switched to the new Pirastro Passiones. They are great-sounding gut strings that break in fast and are very stable. They also have a fairly good response and are fairly mellow. I'm in love with everything about them, except the price.
I used to use Olivs and they are very mellow and sound great, but they take forever to break in and the A has very fragile windings.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
So Screetch, does the Passione A hold up longer than the Oliv A? Or have you played a set long enough to know?
Not often you see "gut" and "stable" in the same sentence.... Piqued my interest.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
For what it's worth my violin is singing with Thomastik Vision, on slow airs and dance tunes.
B x
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by briantheflute
Re: Mellow string suggestions
If you want mellow, play mellow. It's got very little to do with the strings.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Mellow string suggestions
^exactly llig
I have dominants on my violin, they are very mellow...particularly on the lower strings.
What do you mean when you say the dominants are rather hard?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by D.J.F.
Re: Mellow string suggestions
''if you want mellow, try Obligato instead'' Ids agree with that advice. I use various combinations of Pirastro gut strings . at the moment my A is unwound gut. Eudoxa, Some gold and some old black label and eudoxa.
IM very interested in the passiones but I have a rake of old pirastro from a luthiers clear out. enough for years so.....
Of course the quality and type and materials etc effect your tone.
DJF, you agree with llig that if you want mellow you play mellow. Then tell us you have mellow strings on your fiddle? which is it? the strings do affect the tone or they dont? I found dominants my least favourite string, each to their own of course. Each fiddle will respond differently to different strings.
#I tried evah recently but they were too edgy for that fiddle. fine on a differant one. I like Eudoxa and the gold label pirastro.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
try helicores for an inexpensive, mellow option.
DJF - in my experience, different strings feel different under the fingers. I find corelli and some steel string brands to feel "hard", and strings like gut and zyex evah pirazzi to feel "soft". It's interesting, as the latter 2 are supposedly of a higher tension.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by reenactor
Re: Mellow string suggestions
"So Screetch, does the Passione A hold up longer than the Oliv A?"
So far so good. I'm on my second set and so far no problems at all with the A. And they are very stable for gut, no doubt about it. Similar to synthetic.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Why do you want mellow? From my listening and playing experience, steel strings that are full, loud and have lots of presence are/have been used by many Irish fiddlers for years. To go mellow and gut is a little odd isnt it? Some professionals will go that way for certain pieces on certain recordings, but that's that. The best fiddlers Ive been around want the most out of their instrument and that includes lows, mids and highs... as well as volume.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by McCracken
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I never said that strings don't make a difference, I said they make very little difference.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Yes you did.. Still untrue. they make a fundamental difference. I would expect any fiddler of any calibre to understand that.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Im with llig jig, the original post was about limiting volume and that has more to do with playing than the string.
But again, my question is WHY? Why do want a string thats limiting the volume? Less experienced fiddlers always want to kill the sound of the fiddle, where more experienced fiddlers want more power to work with.
WHen I first started playing I thought my fiddle was a problem... it sounded high and tinny and LOUD, but then I recorded it and took it out around other players and became more experienced about what fiddle music IS... and it is a great fiddle just the way it is. Id never want to "mellow" it down. In fact the more volume available to use, the better!
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by McCracken
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Huh? that doesn't make sense.. If you want your fiddle quieter put a variable mute on... like blutack. The question clearly says mellow, to my mind that means the fundamental tone of the string and fiddle in conjunction. If you want quieter, play quieter. Of course the bow also makes a big difference in tone production.
So eneriacht , you mean tone or volume?. different things entirely, as we all know. right?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Mellow does not just mean less volume. It also means a wider, warmer sound.
The original post is about finding mellower strings for a new fiddle. That makes perfect sense to me. If you have a fiddle that sounds a bit on the harsh side, it makes a lot of sense to look for strings that will tone down the edge.
And yes, traditionally steel strings have been popular in all types of fiddling. But that's not necessarily because they are the best strings for fiddling today.
Consider that the cheapest strings are steel strings, and back before synthetics came along the only choice was between steel and gut. And the extra volume that steel gave--at the cost of a harsh, thin sound--was needed at one time. Now we have amplification.
You don't have to use steel strings for fiddling, and there's nothing wrong with using gut. The only real downside to fiddling with gut is that they tend to have a slower response.
Strings are a very personal choice, and there's really no wrong way to go as long as you like them. And they *do* need to match the fiddle, which I think is what the original post was really about.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Don't put blutack on your fiddle.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by reenactor
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I'm guessing that catherine meant 'warmer' rather than mellow as in 'laid back', and while I can get some warmth by playing away from the bridge, in my limited experience strings make a big difference. I've got Evah Pirazzis on now, very nice but expensive. I think for the price the Visions are more my cup of tea, and will trade back down to them again for my next set. I've never experimented with mixing sets, I'll take Will's input on board but I don't think my ear's advanced enough to appreciate the nuance. Synthetics though do seem to be the best of both steel/gut worlds.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Mellow string suggestions
PLEASE don't put blutack on your fiddle.
Cath, how old is this fiddle? Is it already well played in, or are you doing that?
I'm in the process of playing in a nice 80 yearold fiddle that hasn't been played in years. It's gradually opening up with daily playing and consistent humidifying. The progress is noticeable week to week. Sometimes it helps to just play the thing, regardless of what strings are on it.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
The blutack goes on the bridge, like any mute.... Why on earth not? have you tried it? if not what makes you think you are qualified to advise against it? Do answer... you have an answer?
A de-damper works wonders wil, as a short cut, tried it have you?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Fidkid, I just don't like the Vision E strings--thin and bright. The other three are well matched. The GoldBrokat E has been a good (inexpensive) match so far.
I've mixed Evah's and Visions (just replacing a string as the wrapping wears out) and it works okay. The Evah and Vision G's in particular are very similar.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Jig, I live in a dry climate--often 10% humidity. I use two humidifiers in my case to keep my fiddle happy.
Blutack is a mix of rubber, polymers, and oil. These ingredients can damage your fiddle's varnish, and the oils in particular are bad for your strings, particularly down by the bridge, where they will seep along the wrapping and interfere with the rosin (possibly even contaminating your bow hair). If you want to mute your fiddle, buy a mute. The cheapo ebony bridge mutes muffle it a little. The sliding spring mutes favored by violinists quiet it a bit more. The heavy rubber or brass bridge mutes really shut down the volume. Or you can just clip a clothespin to the bridge, from the bass side (so it's well away from the bow). Better yet, learn to play softly without a mute.
None of which has anything to do with Cath's query....
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I want it all. Volume, highs, mids and lows. Jargars give me that. Helicore comes close. Gut and synthetic have their uses but when I think of Irish fiddling I think steel and those who do not fear it. Heck Gavin tunes UP sometimes and Burke isnt afraid to let the fiddle be the fiddle and scare off those who just don't like fiddle music. To hell with mellow.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by McCracken
Re: Mellow string suggestions
will, I have used blu tack for years. it works fine, I have not suffered from any of the problems you suggest might happen. I live in a very damp environment, I have a dehumidifier going 24/7. perhaps if I had a very valuable instrument your points might be relevant. but the blutak touches neither strings nor varnish.
it allows variable muting from almost none to extreme. what other mute offers that range?
Anyhow, you didnt answer my question, have you tried it?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I used Jargurs for years, but my new fiddle didn't respond well to them. So I tried Eudoxa.. It now sings to me.
The evah's were too bright, and edgy on a quite bright and edgy fiddle. They are great on the electric though.
I too crave a rich dark sound from my fiddle, It doesn't cut through the session as much as a more trebly fiddle but life is full of compromise eh? I remember when I first bought my German fiddle I tried all the fiddles and that was my choice, rich, dark and old. The edgy strings were fine on that. but now I have Eudoxa on her also....
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
jig, I don't need to put petrochemicals on my bridge, or anywhere near my strings, thank you. I can play at all rangers of volume just fine without a mute, from a roar to below a whisper.
[This is just weird. He's completely oblivious to how he projects his own foibles onto everyone else. Sigh. It does get old.]
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Hey jig, another way to mute your fiddle is to drop a cinder block on it from the roof of a three story building. Please don't tell me what's wrong with this idea until you've tried it....
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
So you havent....
Thought so.... Say no more...
. so now ,do we get to insults and character assassination ? sigh , it does get tedious and predictable doesnt it. ?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
jig, I promise: I'll put blu-tack on my bridge when you've gone and dropped a cinder block on your fiddle from three stories up. Cross my heart.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
While yer at it, make a video, please? Maybe you could play a tune or two first, then drop the block, and then demonstrate the flaws in my suggestion for muting your fiddle, eh? Ta.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
What are you on about? I simply suggest an effective mute that I have been using for donkeys years. that works very well , that has none of the problems you imagine. Now your creating some weird fantasy about breeze blocks?
The fact is you are recommending against something you have never tried . You are pontificating upon a subject you know next to nothing about. simple really.
It gets really predictable now. Perhaps a few more will round to your defence, with a mass attack on an uppity stranger . I await the dreaded onslaught.... shaking in my boots..
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
jig, you remind me of those drunks at rock concerts who got some idea into their head that they are better than Bono or Sting or Jagger and try to climb onto the stage for some reflected glory, leaping about waving their arms, until security drags them away...
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by wolfbird
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Thats great WB, enjoy your imagination, its a great thing to have.
I visualise you as a crabby frustrated old man living alone in the hills , Im sure we are both far of the mark eh?
I have no need to jump on stage, unless I'm getting paid for it I prefer being at home playing a few tunes. besides all that loud rock music, all those people, the heat. no thanks. too old for that kind of thing.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Right on the money, jig, I'm a crabby frustrated old man living alone in the hills, how did you guess ? And I wouldn't swap places with anyone I ever met or heard about.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by wolfbird
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Thats great too WB, I spent many years living rough in the hills. chopping wood and carrying water. with willow and rushes my bed and canvas my roof. playing my fiddle round the fire, watering the horses. Ahh that was the life. now I have this bl00dy house, more like a cave, washing machine , flush toilet, Fridge. electrickery, its all good but still , when the kids have left home Im off too.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Here we go again.
I don't understand how people can complain about jig on the one hand and then provoke him on the other. It takes two to tango.
We've been through this before, we know where it goes. Can't you guys just drop it, or does another thread need to be ruined?
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I just read the post on the other thread about the father whose son was killed riding his motorcycle.
I think it's extremely difficult to find what your heart truly desires, and then even more difficult to make it into a practical reality. Most people I have met soon start complaining about the compromises and sacrifices they have to make for one reason or another.
I'm fortunate in that respect. There's nothing that I don't like about living here, there's nothing I don't like about myself and my daily life. What's frustrating is getting old, less energy, less stamina, but that's compensated by other things.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by wolfbird
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Jeez thats sad. My heare goes out to him, my son wants a Mbike . I bought Kayaks instead.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by jig
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I thought you were going to have an operation, screetch ?
(sorry to go even further off topic)
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by wolfbird
Re: Mellow string suggestions
So did I. It was supposed to be yesterday, but the surgeon's office called me on Sunday and told me he was sick and they'd have to reschedule. New date is June 2.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Aaw, well, sympathy anyway screetch. I had major surgery a few times. It's nice to get it over and done.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by wolfbird
Re: Mellow string suggestions
It will by my sixth hip surgery and the other ones were worse, so I'm not too worried about it. And yeah, I want to get it over with, which is why I'm kinda ticked off about it being rescheduled at the last minute.
# Posted on May 13th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Yeah, I've had some experience with blutack on a fiddle. In the bad old days they used to use crap like that to affix the piezoelectric pickups on bridges. The best thing about it was the "SPROING!" noise the pickup made when it inevitably lost its grip. The worst thing was the nasty, oily residue that got on your bridge, closing the pores, soiling it, and generally degrading its structure and performance. My next step was imagining enough of it to actually mute tone and what that would do. Don't put blutack on your fiddle!
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by reenactor
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Thanks for the tip, Will, my I’ll try the Visions/GoldBrokat E mix, when the Evahs die. I have a pretty decent Chinese strad, it’s just a little bright and I want to take the edge off.
Personally, I don’t love a super warm sound, solo it sounds beautiful for some tunes but I’ve heard it get muddy at speed, and even lost in a session. I do understand of course that a good player can make just about anything work.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Mellow string suggestions
I regularly play two fiddles. One is warm and open, the other very similar but more focused and a touch brighter. Both are highly resonant--"built in reverb" is what one maker/player said when he heard them.
It's a treat to be able to switch between the two. I use the Vision soloists on both. So if your fiddle is a tad bright or edgy, the Visions may ease that a touch, without losing the focus and projection.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Thanks for all the info. I didn't anticipate so many responses. Will, your idea of dropping a brick on a fiddle from a 3 story building is too hilarious for words.
So, for those of you who are wondering, my fiddle is new, it definetely needs the playing out a lot. I wasn't just referring to volume, but more the tone of the strings. I am looking for strings which will just bring out a slightly warmer tone. If the fiddle has a warm tone, but is loud, I don't mind that as much as a sort of harsh tone, which sometimes rings in my ears.
It's really nice to be able to hear the notes clearly on my new fiddle.I think it's helping with intonation. By the way, my last fiddle was a $40 one, which was so quiet you could barely hear it unless you were playing it.
The dominants were hard on my fingers after a few hours of playing, compared to the larsens which feel softer under the fingers. I'll have to try some of the string suggestions.
This has been a very interesting discussion. It's amazing how others were able to answer questions to me pretty correctly.
I've never heard of blu tack. I haven't used a mute in a year or so.
Nice to have some more strings to try. There are so many, you could spend a fortune trying to find a good string.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by enirehtac
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Cath, you may also find that your new fiddle is just a lot more responsive than the old one, and your bowing will have to adjust to get a less harsh tone. In short, you may be accustomed to pushing the old fiddle pretty hard just to get some sound out of it. Backing way off and letting just the weight of the bow do the work for you may feel weird at first, but your fiddle may respond much to your liking, regardless of what strings are on it.
Think of it like switching from a 1970 Pinto to a 2008 Maserati--if you punch the throttle with the same abandon as on the Pinto, the Maserati will likely leave a cloud of tire smoke and you'll miss the first turn in the road. It begs for a lighter touch.
Dominants are fairly warm strings on most fiddles, though I consistently find their E strings to be a bit shrill. Even when you back *way* off the E (which needs very little touch to get it singing).
Good luck string hunting!
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Mellow string suggestions
Listen to Kevin Burke live... tell me that doesnt get in his ears! Listen to him hit that opne e string. I love it! You should be able to tget most of the sounds you wan't from most of the high quality steel sets available with unwound e's. Helicore, Jargar... Id still stay away from the synthetics. Play your fiddle from different positions... just turning your head to the left or right will vary what you are hearing. Play it from your chest and listen to it that way. Is the box resonating fully even with the open e? It should, and it should be loud. You can spend a fortune on fiddle strings as you said... but dont!
# Posted on May 21st 2008 by McCracken