AboutDavid Expertise I mainly aim to answer questions about playing techniques--intonation,
vibrato, bowing etc. I am somewhat familiar with Baroque and Classical music, though not as much with Romantic. I am unable to answer questions about advanced music theory, violin crafters/brands or the monetary value of a violin.
Experience I have played the violin about nine discontinuous years. Most of my work has been orchestral, with some soloing throughout. I was principal 2nd violinist of the Disney Honors Orchestra in 1998, a six-time All-State Orchestra violinist, a two-time assistant concertmaster and two-time concertmaster of my All-County Orchestra. I also have perfect pitch, which I believe can be learned (though I do not claim to know how to teach it).
Since starting medical school in 2004, I have had fewer chances to play, but I hope to someday resume on a regular basis.
Expert: David Date: 3/1/2004 Subject: E string on a new violin
Question Dear David,
I am buying a new violin for my boy from a luthier. He sent me a $1,500 violin for tryout. The music teacher (over 30 years experience) tried it and said that the E string (Dominant gold plated) doesn't sound as good as the other strings (Helicore) in terms of richness, smooth and brightness. The seller wants to send me different E strings for trials but the teacher said it won't make difference because the violin structure was made already. Can you comment on this? Do you suggest any E string to improve the sound quality?
Thanks, Simon
Answer Hi Simon,
In my experience, E strings are a little trickier to pick than the others, because they wear out faster and seem to vary more in terms of sound quality. Keep in mind that just because a string doesn't sound good on your violin doesn't mean it's low quality, for different strings are made for different sounding violins. I'm not the best authority on string brands because I've only tried a few, but the ones that have worked best for me are the Lenzner Goldbrokat, Pirastro Synoxa, and Corelli Alliance. I've heard the Obligato is very nice as well though I haven't used it myself.
The main problem in trying to answer your question is that I don't know exactly how your violin sounds. If the E string doesn't sound as good as the others, it is quite possible that the violin is a particularly deep-sounding model and needs a very bright E string, like the Synoxa. I know I'm going to be in trouble for this but I do not agree that the brand/model of string doesn't make a difference in the violin's sound--again, strings sound different on different violins and one violin's ideal string may sound terrible on another violin.
Another possibility is not that the string type is wrong, but that the violin is faulty. If the teacher finds that certain notes just won't come out clearly, particularly in the high register of the E string, the violin may have "wolf tones" (most common in the high register). I've tested some violins valued at $1500 or more and found wolf tones, so I didn't buy them...while you can get a nice violin for $1500, the price tag doesn't necessarily reflect quality.
My suggestion, though I admit it may be inconvenient, would be to try more than one violin, with a back to back comparison if possible. Hearing one right after the other permits the best assessment, and it's helped me choose a good violin for both myself and my younger siblings. The result will be well worth the inconvenience, for if you pick a good violin now, your boy won't need or want to get another one for a good while.
Hope this is of some assistance, and I wish you well in your musical endeavors.
Sincerely, David
