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FAQ’s Q. How long will gut strings last in storage? If a gut string is kept at a consistent temperature of 65 (F.) and 50% relative humidity, it can be kept in storage for many years. These are certainly not normal conditions, however, and during the humid Summer months followed by very dry Winter months strings tend to degrade in quality. Q. Can I use strings that have been stored a long time? A. The only way to tell if they are still useful is to put them on an instrument and play them. If the string has been adversely affected by climate, it may fray a little sooner than normal, but otherwise it should be playable. It does matter very much what the ambient humidity and temperature are when you put the string on the instrument and begin to play it. If conditions are normal, you may get a reasonable amount of life from the string. Pretty much the same goes for wound strings. When you store a covered string for future use, don't wind it into a tight little coil. Rather, find a reasonably large zip lock envelope where it is in a loose and relaxed coil. This will prevent distortion of the wire over time. Q. How long should a gut string last? A. Obviously the amount of playing you do is a factor. And the size of the string is a factor; smaller diameter strings fray and break more easily than larger gauge strings. Beyond that, the only truly important consideration is the extent to which you can keep your left hand dry. Moisture, more than anything else will cause the fraying which signals the beginning of the end of the useful life of the string. Q. Should I change all my strings at once or only a few at a time? A. There are several things to consider. One is that intonation, particularly that of a fretted instrument, is affected by mounting new strings. Strings that have been on an instrument for a long time will tend to play 'sharp' next to a new string. The harmonics of the open strings may be in tune, but in stopping the string the pitch will sharpen more relative to a new string simply because the older string is not as elastic as it was when you first put it on. Most gambists change the top three strings at once and that seems practical. A violinist can replace an e" string and adjust without much difficulty once the string has stabilized. Q. Is it a good idea to mix and match strings from different sources on my instrument? A. Think of your viol or violin as an amplifier for gut strings. For the instrument to work optimally all the strings must sound and play in tune. The string gauges or diameters must relate to the size of the vibrating string length from nut to bridge, sometimes referred to as the 'mensur' of the instrument. The strings must be proportional to one another in such a way that 'equal feel' is maintained across the fingerboard. This relates not only to the diameter of the string, but to the configuration of the string relative to its' place on the instrument. Generally strings with a lower torsion are used for the top string because the top string or chanterelle generally is under greater tension than the strings below it and so it follows that it must have greater overall strength. A string of the same diameter but with greater torsion may break at that tension where the low torsion string will not. For the middle and lower range of the instrument a higher torsion string is called for because the string needs to be more 'efficient' in storing and releasing energy from the bow. The additional torsion helps the string to move its own mass. You would not want to place a high twist string above a low twist string. These are just some of the matters to take into consideration. It will become apparent that a unified approach is the best way to achieve an optimal sound. Q. My strings squeak under my bow at certain times of the year. What causes this? A. Gut strings are extremely hygroscopic; that is to say, they gain or lose moisture content according to the amount of ambient moisture in the air around them. The elastic characteristics of of gut, that lend it musical qualities, aside from strength, are enabled by collagen, a protein matter that is reliant upon moisture to be activated. So when it is exremely dry, the strings lose that magical equilibrium of elasticity and strength that allows them to store and release energy from the bow. There is simply nothing to be done, short of humidifying the area where you are playing. It is beneficial to keep some sort of dampit in your case, because wood is also hygroscopic and wood joints may come apart if the atmosphere becomes to dry. There is really nothing you can apply directly onto a string to counteract the problem of ambient dryness. Q. Is there a danger of a gut string breaking during a performance? A. Generally, no, as long as the string does not show signs of excessive fraying or of weak spots where the string may appear to be slightly kinked. If this is the case, it is best to change the string prior to performance. Q. If I need to change a string shortly before a performance, or even during a performance, how can I break in the string quickly? A. It is a good idea for a performer to keep a previously used string in the case for just this circumstance. For a string that has been played-in adjusts to pitch very quickly. Remember, as you bring the string up to pitch, lift up on the string at the bridge. Do this by placing a finger under the string on each side of the bridge, then gently lift so that the string momentarily loses contact with the bridge. Do this until the string is stable. Q. What are 'roped' strings? A. Speaking of my own development of roped strings some twenty years ago,they were motivated by the need to create a supple string for the basses of lutes, viols and for the lower strings of instruments with small mensurs such as the violin d' string for example. After twenty years they still have a wide following particularly for the middle strings 'c' and 'e' of the bass gamba which can be problematic. I was inspired by several paintings and woodcuts that portray strings which display a variegated appearance. Roped strings have applications as a c string for bass gamba when the high twist string is lacking in clarity. They also work quite acceptably as pure gut basses G and D if you are considering an all gut stringing. Q. What is a "demi filee" string? A. We know that during the mid to late 18th century a hybrid form of string known as a "demi filee" or half wound string was employed for bass gamba c and for violin d'. In brief the idea was to add mass to a gut string. Since wire of silver or copper is several times heavier than gut, applying one, two, or three threads of wire in open wound fashion to a gut string, you create a string equal in tension at a given pitch, to a pure gut string of considerably greater diameter. The same concept holds true of course for a fully covered string. But the demi filee string has the virtue of a gut timbre, appropriate for the middle range of a gamba or violin. I make the demi filee string by spinning three strands of silver wire in the seams of a roped string. The string is very quick to start and has a very impressive dynamic range. Q. Sometimes my metal wound strings go sharp. What can I do about this? A. Try lifting up on the string at the bridge from time to time as you tune. Just put two fingers under the string on either side of the bridge and lift gently just so the string momentarily loses contact with the bridge. Sometimes the string doesn't move smoothly across the crown of the bridge. The string may stick at the nut also. In this case, running a soft pencil back and forth in the nut groove can supply enough lubricant to keep the string moving smoothly across the nut. |
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