I have recently noticed (although I've probably just been really unobservant) that when i play in the higher positions on the G and D strings (especially the G string), the sound which is made by the violin sounds almost dull and scratchy at times, and non-resonant. I am currently using Pirastro Obligato strings.

Does anyone here happen to have any idea what may be the cause and any way to remedie this?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

While the use of different strings may help, such as Evah Pirazzi's (which are slightly more responsive and brighter sounding), it may well be that the instrument itself doesn't have the quality of sound within that range on the G and D string. If it's the latter, then trying out combinations of different strings can make an improvement on the sound, but you may still find the tone a bit woolly in that range.

I used Obligato for a while, and although I loved them to start off with I decided they were a bit harsh in the end, and the tension a bit too high for my liking. I've gone back to Dominanst but may try Olives at some point because I've heard they're very good.

On the other hand, it's just such a personal thing - you really do have to find the best strings for your particular violin and the way you play your particular violin. The trouble is, it's an expensive business chopping and changing strings; you can buy a new set at say £30-£40 and if it turns out you don't like them after all, what do you do? Spend the same again on something else you might not like? Or play safe, which is what I've just done by going back to Dominants.

Violinia

Yea, I know what you mean. I find Dominants are generally slightly dull on my violin and Obligato gives a really nice resonant tone in general. Works great for most violin concertos (especially Mendelssohn's), I think, as a lot of them go high on the E string, but kinda in a spot of bother when one needs to go high on the G....but still sounds nice nonetheless I guess.

I stupidly bought some Dominants and despise them with my heart and soul. What I am doing is borrowing people's spare sets of strings, they don't mind because I stretch them out, and trying them for a week or 2 on my violin. I think this is the best way of deciding on new strings, other than finding a soloist whos pure sound you really like, if you can completely ignore their playing, and considering them.

A question for Dominant users: if you do a couple of hours practice, do you end up with black stuff on your left fingertips? I do, and I can't get it off because my callouses are growing over it - yucky!

*puts on violin L-plates*

I thought the reason I had black all over my fingertips was paint or something coming off my beginner violin - a cheap model of the variety you can get from Tesco Online for 60 quid - not the Dominant strings I put on it.

I'm interested that you have this happen from the strings. I've only just put Dominants on my "proper" violin, so I'll be curious to see what happens.

Does the £60 violins from Tesco sound any good? I was looking into buying one for someone.

Well, you have to bear in mind that (i) I only have ten weeks' experience of the violin so any playing I did on it sounded horrible as a result of my incompetence/inexperience and (ii) it sounded marginally less horrible when I swapped from the original strings to Dominants.

But, having said that, I used it to record on the Virtual Concert, and got some positive feedback, so subject to those caveats I think it did the job.

My new Gliga Gems (thank you Santa), which cost five times as much, sounds an enormous lot better.

Is it the strings that puts the black stuff on your fingers? I use Obligatos, and my viola certainly isn't cheap, but I still get the black stuff all over my left finger tips, hmm..

I use Obligato strings but I don't get back stuff on my fingers though...the eternal puzzle this has become lol.

At a guess, perhaps the "black stuff" comes from the fingerboard itsef. On cheaper instruments, this is made from a generic hardwood which is dyed black, whereas more expensive instruments use pure ebony. Any such black dye may come off on fingers, and also wear away in time.

Makes sense I suppose, but then how come I never got it until I changed strings? Same violin, same fingerboard. And I thought my fingerboard was ebony

I think it relates to the level of acidity in your skin. If you have some kind of wound metal string, and your skin is acidic, then you're likely to get black fingers. I get it on my steel strung guitar, and it's definitely not coming from my fretboard. I don't get it off my gut strung guitar.

People with more alkaline skin don't get this problem.

Yes, that's probably the explanation. There was a related thread recently: http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?showtopic=11219&hl=acidic , maybe you're a "ruster"...

Wow thanks! Does anyone know if it's possible to do something about this?
You certainly do learn something new every day!

I don't know if this really is the same thing, but when I used to play with Pirastro Chordas (pure gut strings), they used to break very quickly, and I was told that it was because the sweat in my hands was acidic and eroding the string as i played, and I got recommended some other gut strings with a "varnish layer" over them, I think. But to be honest, I have never had that problem before with Obligato or Dominants.

try the simple solution of washing your hands before you play, and don't put hand cream on before playing. That will clear the immediate acid oiliness off your skin.

I dont know the brand but i use titanium strings (for violin) and they have a really nice and bright sound no matter what position or string!

Don't you find them a bit piercing? They hurt my ears! I tried hard to make them sound nice but...nope. Not for me. Have you tried some very high position work on the E string with them yet?

I use Dominant strings and I do find that I got the black stuff on my fingers for the first week after changing string. Maybe the string is still new? But after 2 weeks of playing on the new set of dominant strings, everything goes back to normal, no more black stuff for me.

Well I changed to Dominant 2/3 months ago and still have it. I tried washing my hands before practice, een tried an alkaline soap and it worked really well, only problem is that it softens my callouses on my fingertips LOADS and then it's extremely painful to play for the first 15 minutes Maybe I should just change strings...

{puts on scientific head}

Acidic sweat (with varying acid levels) will react in some way with the string windings. It is likely that different string manufacturers will use different grades of aluminium in the string windings. While aluminium in itself does not corrode, the surface still oxidises slightly into a microscopic powdery layer. Therefore the amount of oxidation that goes on from contact with sweat, combined with a general reaction with the air and environment, will dictate just how black your fingers may become.

When I used to use Dominant strings I did find that new strings and strings that hadn't been played in a while left more of the black deposit on my finger tips than those that were in frequent use (yes, call me a nerd if you like). From that I concluded that the more the strings are played on (daily), the less and less the black deposit appears on the fingers. The oxidation process itself obviously takes place over a few days or perhaps a few weeks, rather than hours, but once the surface has oxidised it can take some time before it clears itself from within the actual string windings.

Well Ive really only practiced up to 5th position so does that count? Personally i like but that's my opinion!