solo strings in orch tuning?

shwashwa · #1 03-18-2008, 07:48 AM

can someone recommend a good string for solo playing in orch tuning? i just put some belcantos on but i dont think they're the ticket. i've had corelli mediums on and i'm considering going back to those, but sometimes i thought the low tension made it hard to get the fast stuff out with the bow? could that be possible? lately i'm thinking of helicore orchestral light. any thoughts?

shwashwa · #2 03-18-2008, 09:05 AM

related question: how are spirocore solo gauge in orchestral tuning? are they scratchy under the bow at all?

jmnbass · #3 03-18-2008, 01:28 PM

solo tomastiks for e and a work really well. You just have to think more horizontally with the bow strokes, instead of vertically, with alot of downward pressure. The d and g solos would probably be too bright, but I have never tried it.

Michael Glynn · #4 03-19-2008, 09:28 AM

If you liked the Corelli mediums have you thought of trying the forte or TX gauges? I used the 370TX for a while and they bowed very well and had a bright, penetrating sound. On my bass I felt that they were lacking a little fundamental, though.

**Bob Gollihur** · #5 03-19-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwashwa

can someone recommend a good string for solo playing in orch tuning? i just put some belcantos on but i dont think they're the ticket. i've had corelli mediums on and i'm considering going back to those, but sometimes i thought the low tension made it hard to get the fast stuff out with the bow? could that be possible? lately i'm thinking of helicore orchestral light. any thoughts?

I don't recommend the mediums if there's a lot of arco in their future, IMHO they are a bit too low tension, and don't stand up to the bow as well as the F or TX weights.

shwashwa · #6 03-19-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Gollihur

I don't recommend the mediums if there's a lot of arco in their future, IMHO they are a bit too low tension, and don't stand up to the bow as well as the F or TX weights.

i'm talking about solo repetoire, not orchestral section stuff. alot of guys have been saying the lighter gauge is good for the solo stuff, so im surprised that you say that. . i had a set of the corelli forte on that bass before the belcanto, and i was getting alittle too much scratch, but i didnt let them mellow for too long. i tried someone else's bass a while back with helicore orchestrals on and liked it, but you know how that goes... might not be the same on my bass.

**Bob Gollihur** · #7 03-20-2008, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwashwa

i'm talking about solo repetoire, not orchestral section stuff. alot of guys have been saying the lighter gauge is good for the solo stuff, so im surprised that you say that. . i had a set of the corelli forte on that bass before the belcanto, and i was getting alittle too much scratch, but i didnt let them mellow for too long. i tried someone else's bass a while back with helicore orchestrals on and liked it, but you know how that goes... might not be the same on my bass.

I guess it's a matter of personal preference, I like a string that offers a reasonable amount of resistance, one that recovers more quickly. But I'm no solo player, and if those characteristics are not desirable for solo play, it's not in my repertoire.

igor kondur · #8 03-24-2008, 04:00 AM

My bass loves low tension string-not Spiro Weich,ONLY Solo Spiro in orc.tune
last year Avishai Cohen was playing at my bass with his trio in Moscow City-jazz festival-The SOUND WAS GREAT With this set.
BUT IT WAS AVISHAI

flickfan82x · #9 03-28-2008, 04:26 PM

Totally agree with Bob Gollihur. I can never play with string that make me uncomfortable.

KSB - Ken Smith · #10 04-29-2008, 09:36 AM

In my rack was a friends German Blockless Bass for repair evaluation and I noticed it had a fairly new set of Helicores on it.

To make a long story short (if at all possible) my Storioni was going into restoration so I took off the Stark E to use on my Candi Bass which is now also in repair at a different shop. I took my Storioni Bass back because it will not get touched for over a year due to that Luthiers busy schedule. I have a concert this week and have decided that despite its 44" string length, it's the best Bass for the Job.

All I had for an E was the regular gauge Flexocor that I took off the Candi. I like having the E up on the A peg and the Candi being a smaller Bass, the E was cut a bit and would not reach so I had to put the E on the E-peg at the bottom. It was ok but not as tight as the Stark up on the A-tuner.

Then, I looked at my friends Bass and asked him if I could give him some other strings I had and try his Helicores on my Stroioni (which it had on the G,D and A when I bought the Bass with Ext E/C Superflex). He said 'sure, you can have them.

So, I switch strings yesterday between 3 Basses and put Flatchromes on his Bass (sounded great) that were on my Lombardi. I put the Flexocors from the Storioni on the Lombardi (improved it) and put the Helicores on the Storioni.

My hands were a bit sore. Then I noticed how soft, thin and light feeling the Helicores were and measured the E. It was .101/2", not 105/106 like I remembered them being. But wait, what's that yellow wrap at the front of the Silk on the String. SOLO GAUGE??

Yikes.. The E String barely cleared the Nut as the Bass is long and a full sized type model with about a 44 1/4 - 44 1/2" string length with the Bridge moved down. I thought they were light but sounded good. Just not as loud as regular Flexocors with the Stark E. Or are they?

I played the first rehearsal last night (Verdi's Requiem) and they did just fine. Yes, I would like a thicker sound and string and possibly more volume, but they bow nice and I can raise the string height a bit to make up for volume. I was saying to my stand matye that I was going to put back the Flexocors and just leave the E on but changed my mind by the end of rehearsal.

I think they sound just fine and I will leave them on the Bass to play the next concert or two with it at 44" strings length and these solo strings tuned Orchestra. Something different for me and totally by accident. Go figure..

Downright_Low · #11 05-10-2008, 01:43 PM

I guess heavier means darker, but I don't know myself if heavier = easier bowing. I read on Thomastik-Infeld.com that one of they're strings ...which ones were they... have less inertia, so you can have that or a heavier string with more support under the bow. What you like is what wins I guess...

But that's cool someone is trying and liking solo strings at orchestral pitch. I have been thinking about this very thing for my next set, especially since my fingerboard has yet to be dressed and my action is not as low as it should be (ouch). My reasons are mostly playability in the left had, and bow-ability, in terms of easiness, but my bass is dark, too. Do they hold pitch well? If it's a good bass that can help, with good tuners.

I have been thinking about it and probably will have to embrace some loss of underbelly-bass but they must let the top be free as ever... I wonder what the string makers think of this.

anonymous12251111 · #12 06-17-2008, 03:02 PM

Dominant Solo Strings tuned down to Orchestra pitch work really nicely!

Downright_Low · #13 06-22-2008, 11:12 PM

Are you doing alot of bwoing with these solo dominants tuned down to orchestra pitch? (Because I bow) Thanks for that tip-