Big, Boomy Orchestral Strings.

[anonymous12251111]

Hi all. I'm looking for a pair of orchestra strings that have a very dark, penetrating and boomy/round tone, especially when playing pizz in the section.

I've been considering putting Olivs on my lowest two strings, and then perhaps Evah's on the top two?

I need a set that has a very "male" bass sound. I've tried a few sets but they're amiss.

1. Belcanto's...They just sounded kinda wimpy....The Pizz was really thin on the lower strings. I like a very very large gauge lower two strings so I can really get a good round/bouncy pizz that resonates.

2. Velvet Regulars/Suites...Not a fan.

I'm going to be performing the Rossini Duetto soon, so I'd like a pair of strings that really bring out the pizz section in the second movement. I'm going for a very organ like boomy sound.

Any suggestions welcome.

I take it Olivs on the bottom two would be a nice thick sound?

[ADissen]

if you liked the low tension with the belcantos then i would urge you to look into buying Spirocore Solos for the top two strings and tuning them down. they are very similar to Belcantos in the loose tension but have a stronger tone with lots of core fundamental. both pizz and arco are really quite nice. I have Spirocore Solo A and E tuned down to orchestra on top and Dominants on bottom. not very satisfied with the dominants so ill be interested to hear what people have to say about the Oliv A and E . But, ive converted a Peabody professor into this practice with the Spiro Solo's and in the "spirocore unbowability myth" thread it was brought up that the Berlin phil used to tune down the SS's in the 80's.
theres one option

all the best
andrew

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by ADissen

if you liked the low tension with the belcantos then i would urge you to look into buying Spirocore Solos for the top two strings and tuning them down. they are very similar to Belcantos in the loose tension but have a stronger tone with lots of core fundamental. both pizz and arco are really quite nice. I have Spirocore Solo A and E tuned down to orchestra on top and Dominants on bottom. not very satisfied with the dominants so ill be interested to hear what people have to say about the Oliv A and E . But, ive converted a Peabody professor into this practice with the Spiro Solo's and in the "spirocore unbowability myth" thread it was brought up that the Berlin phil used to tune down the SS's in the 80's.
theres one option

all the best
andrew

I didn't really like anything about belcanto's lol. No offence.

I prefer higher tension and very very low action on the top two.

[ADissen]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

I didn't really like anything about belcanto's lol. No offence.

none taken.
ill surely be checking this thread out as more people voice their opinions

[bassdoubler]

BEL CANTOS!!!!!!!! They changed my life, and opened up my bass like it was meant to be. I've used tons of strings and I have yet to encounter a string that provides both a FAT HUGE arco sound as well as fat and well defined pizz. like the Bel Cantos. When I was at NYU, my teacher and all the students in the program one by one eventually switched to Bel Cantos when they finally tried a set on their basses. Just my 2....

how could you not like them??? I thought the tension was pretty high....

[kurt muroki]

i love high tension as well. it depends on the bass, but, I have to say that there are few strings that can come close to the combination of sound, intonation and clarity of steel pirastros. flexocore originals or orig flatwound chromsteels for orchestra. I agree that the pizzes in the rossini (among other pieces) usually sound like an empty basketball hitting a concrete slab. I know that strings have something to do with it, but at least 80% is how we pizz. In the rossini I recommend playing the pizzes in a similar manner as if you were bowing them... same gesture... Oh and I think that it's good that we all like different strings.

Of all the strings ive heard in halls (I never judge by what they sound like under my ear) my top favorites are flexocore, flatwound chromsteel, spirocore solo and orchestra strings, and superflexible low E sometimes.

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by kurt muroki

I agree that the pizzes in the rossini (among other pieces) usually sound like an empty basketball hitting a concrete slab.

That was absolutely hilarious. But, you're absolutely correct when you say that the pizz gesture should be sound as if it's bowed. In Berlin the pizz sound is very thick and thumpy, reminds me of Rainer Zepperitz.

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by bassdoubler

BEL CANTOS!!!!!!!! They changed my life, and opened up my bass like it was meant to be. I've used tons of strings and I have yet to encounter a string that provides both a FAT HUGE arco sound as well as fat and well defined pizz. like the Bel Cantos. When I was at NYU, my teacher and all the students in the program one by one eventually switched to Bel Cantos when they finally tried a set on their basses. Just my 2....

how could you not like them??? I thought the tension was pretty high....

The E was too low tension for my taste. I found it very floppy. More so I was concerned with the sound of these strings. On my instrument they sounded very dead and toneless.

[bassdoubler]

wow....maybe you got a bad set? I mean that doesn't change the tension problem but my bass had the exact opposite reaction to the Bel Cantos....maybe that's how different uprights can be

[dchan]

I'd go with the Pirastro orchestral strings, but beware the E strings on some of them. That said, maybe you should adjust your technique accordingly to bring out the pizz notes more clearly (what Kurt said).

[chris dammann]

has anyone used E and A olivs? i'm curious about them as well.

[Francois Blais]

Good ol' Original Flexocors? (or Original Flatchromes)

[JoeyNaeger]

Originally Posted by Francois Blais

Good ol' Original Flexocors? (or Original Flatchromes)

+1 these are the ultimate in ballsy, dark orchestral goodness.