As a violinist, you’ll know that it’s not just the instrument itself that’s important. It’s the bow, the cleaning, strings, too. However, choosing violin strings can be confusing. With a range of materials, lengths, strengths, and fittings out there, it’s easy to get strung up (pun intended) on which ones may be best for you.
To start with, it’s worth noting that there are four strings on a standard acoustic violin: E, A, D, and G. Having said this, there are also five-string violin models and even one with seven strings – but these tend to be electric violins. The strings are tightened with tuning pegs and fine tuners.
If you want to restring your violin or just change the factory strings it came with, you need to choose the right ones! Firstly, there’s light, medium, and heavy tension – this is determined by the construction, core, and thickness of the string. For beginner players, it’s recommended that you start with medium strings as these will deliver a perfect in-between sound and feel.
There’s also a variety of different materials that the violin core can be made from, including nylon (synthetic), steel, and, in traditional construction, animal gut. Different windings include aluminium, steel, silver, gold, platinum, and tungsten – and these all provide a range of tones.
Once you’re experienced in playing, you can start to experiment and look at various thicknesses and sounds to suit your playing situation.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything there is to know about the strings of a violin.
In a hurry?
| String Component | Types |
|---|---|
| Core | Synthetic, steel, spiral, rope, gut |
| Winding | Aluminium, steel, silver, gold, platinum, tungsten |
| End type | Ball end, loop end, knot end |
| Tension | Medium, light, heavy |
What are violin open strings?
On a standard four-string violin, open strings are all of the standard E, A, D, and G notes. The term “open” means they’re played without needing to press the string at the fretboard.
How do you play an open string?
So, you play an open string without applying pressure to the fretboard, but how do you get it to make a sound? Open strings are played by either bowing the strings or plucking (pizzicato). However, each string is different! They require varying levels of pressure.
E string
This is the thinnest string of them all and requires the least weight on the strings. Apply too much pressure and you’ll get a squeaky unsavoury tone rather than that beautiful bright violin sound.
The E string tends to be plated or left bare, this is due to the effect that winding can have on a string. Specifcially when it comes to the E string, the winding can hinder the integrity of the string if not done properly.
A and D strings
The A and D strings are slightly thicker than the E string and need a moderate amount of weight to accurately get the tones you need.
The D string is the second thickest on the violin and produces a warm tonality. Slightly thinner, the A string is available in a wide variety of windings.
G string
The fourth string on the violin (top to bottom) is the G and it’s the thickest. Due to its robust sizing, this string requires a decent amount of pressure from your bow or pizzicato playing. This is naturally the lowest tone out of all of the violin strings and is available in a wide variety of windings.
Practice makes perfect
As soon as you master the main technique of bowing open strings, you can progress onto finger placement along the violin fingerboard. Focusing on open tones allows you to gauge how much pressure needs to be put on each string to generate a decent tone. You’ll also be able to practice the correct positioning of your arms and elbow for each string.
It’s great to get these basics nailed before you start advancing to more complex playing. Having correct form and technique will improve the rest of your playing, ensuring you’re getting the best out of your instrument.
How to choose the right violin strings
Different cores
The construction of the string can largely alter its sound and longevity. The main types of string construction are synthetic, steel, spiral, rope, and gut.
Synthetic strings (usually nylon) are often warm and rich, and they’ll easily suit a wide range of temperature changes. This means if you’re looking for a string that offers these musical qualities and is easy to store and maintain, synthetic strings are for you.
Popular nylon core strings like the Pirastro Tonica Violin String Set are often a go-to set for players, delivering reliability and quality sounds.
If you’re looking for a violin string that’s affordable and easy to play, steel strings are a go-to. For this reason, steel strings are a popular choice of string for beginners.
Packs such as the Thomastik Dominant Violin String Set, Steel E, 4/4 Size, Medium are ideal due to their balance of quality and affordability and are a popular teacher choice for students.
Other recommendations for beginners are the D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Size, Medium, which are affordable and offer a fast bow response for added clarity.
Gut strings are great if you’re a player at a higher level and you’re looking for a more traditional string core. These provide that same warm, rich tonal character, but require maintenance to keep them in good shape. They also need to be stored properly as they’re not as resistant to temperature changes as synthetic strings.
String packs like the Pirastro Eudoxa Violin String Set, Medium Gauge are a great choice if you want a string with a gut core. If you’re looking to spend a little extra on your strings, the Pirastro Passione Violin String Set is a superb choice. This set is perfectly suited to soloists or ensemble players who don’t mind stretching their budget to attain a more traditional sound.
Rope core strings are much more flexible and are generally constructed from braided steel threads. They produce a responsive sound and have a lightweight feel. The Thomastik SuperFlexible Violin String Set is a great example of strings with a rope core; they’re perfect for players looking to add a unique tone to their playing.
Similarly, the Pirastro Flexocor Permanent Violin String Set is also a great choice for a balanced playing sound.
Spiral core strings offer a flexible multiwire spiral rope core rather than a single strand, this ensures the string is as durable as possible. It also adds a great deal of projection to your playing. String sets like the Thomastik Spirocore Violin String Set, Chrome Wound, 4/4 Size, Medium are a great choice for spiral cores as they offer responsivity and are suited to a wide range of music genres.
String windings
Once you know what core you’re looking for, it’s a good idea to decide what winding you may want from your strings. This is essentially what the strings are covered and wound with. The most popular winding materials are aluminium, steel, silver, gold, platinum, and tungsten.
Naturally, the winding material will affect the string diameter and, subsequently, its sound and playing response. It can also alter the feel volume and overall durability of the string.
There are string sets that include a wide variety of cores and windings in a varied number of sizes. Packs like the Larsen Aurora Violin String Set, 4/4 Size, Medium provide a varied selection of windings, including aluminium and high-grade silver windings for a varied sound.
Aluminium is one of the many windings that you may come across. It’s thick in diameter, has an increased bow response, and offers a strong, bright tonality.
Steel windings produce less noise and have a lower bow response. You can achieve a good amount of volume with steel strings, and they offer a much darker sound than aluminium. This is a great choice if you want a string that won’t corrode easily.
Silver windings are much smaller than other windings. They deliver a medium bow response, low volume, medium brightness, and medium corrosion resistance. If you’re looking for a versatile sound, silver wound is a great choice of string.
You may also find similar constructions, such as tungsten, which provides a sound with plenty of attack, whilst gold and platinum wound strings offer a rich tonality.
There’s tension!
String tension is another factor to consider when choosing the perfect violin string for you. When we discuss string tension, we’re referring to how much tension needs to be applied to the violin to achieve the desired note. The thicker the string, the more tension the string will require.
Thicker strings require more tension to produce the desired sound than thinner strings, and this results in a powerful sound from the string. However, due to the string’s thickness and high tension, it’s less responsive to softer playing.
With this in mind, the best tension for budding violinists to start with is medium due to its balanced response and tonality.
Don’t forget about end types
Each brand offers different end types, but there are three main options: ball end, loop end, and removable ball end. Typically, most violin strings come complete with a ball end fitting, which easily fits into the tailpiece. Most older violins, however, require loop strings.
If you’re looking for an adaptable string end type, removable ball end strings are ideal as they allow you to convert it into a loop end string.
When to change your strings
So, you’ve chosen your string type, but when do you change your violin strings? Well, it all depends on how often you play your instrument, what techniques you use, and how much you sweat corrodes your strings.
Some players change their strings every month, some between 6 and 12 months – there’s no hard and fast rule! However, the more you play your violin, the more often you should change your strings. This will ensure you get the most out of your sound; it also minimises the chances of your strings snapping mid-performance.
Sometimes, you can easily identify if your strings are deteriorating as they’ll start to sound dull due to the core of the string fatiguing.
There are steps you can take to ensure your strings are kept in good condition, such as wiping your strings after every playing session. This will help to remove oils, dirt, and rosin from your violin strings. Tools such as the String Cleaner for Violin can be particularly handy and effective.
When changing any strings, it’s best to not only fully clean the violin but also use peg soap/paste to reduce any slippage of the pegs and make tuning much easier. Products such as the Hill String Instrument Peg Paste and the Conrad Goetz Peg Soap are great choices as they’re easy to apply to your violin.
FAQs
What is the 4th string on a violin?
The 4th string on a violin is tuned to G, this is also the thickest string on a violin and subsequently the lowest-pitched string.
How many strings are on a violin?
There are four strings on a violin, making up the E, A, D, and G notes. Each string gradually progresses in diameter and tone, with the E string being the thinnest and the G string being the thickest.
What are the strings on a violin from left to right?
From left to right, the strings on a violin are tuned to G, D, A, and E, with G being the lowest-pitched and thickest string and E being the highest-pitched and thinnest string.
Final thoughts
The strings of a violin can have a profound effect on the instrument’s overall sound as well as your playing. There are multiple factors to consider when deciding which one to buy, but, really, it all comes down to the kind of sound you want, your playing ability, and your budget.
We’ve suggested some of our favourite strings throughout the article, but you can take a look at the whole range via the link below.
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