Strings for scordatura tuning

[uguntde]

I would like to study the Biber Rosenkranz (mystery) sonatas. For this I use a modernised Kloz violin.

Now I am not sure I can use modern synthetic strings. I tried some unwound gut strings - which is probably what we hear in most period instrument recordings - but would prefer a more modern string. I neither like the gut sound nor the issues that come with tuning. I also choose to use a chin rest.

 

The only hint I found on what is commonly used for scordatura is Annegret Seidel's youtube video with several baroque violins, she uses G Eudoxa and D/A/E gut.

 

Does a dominant cause too much stress if tuned on A440?

Is there another string that people use?

 

 

 

[Stephen Fine]

I'd worry too.  #3, #7, & #8…  That's some high tension on the bass side of the bridge.

 

The last time I saw them all performed (by Julia Wedman), she used 3 or 4 violins.  There's no way to retune for #11 on the fly.

 

Have you tried wound gut instead of raw gut?  It may provide you with the playing experience you're looking for.  Then again, it'll still sound like gut, so maybe not.

[uguntde]

Wound gut, I assume, won't survive this very long. Eudoxa's' were never known for a good life time.

But tensioning a Dominant G string to a D sound scary. One could use a D sting of course.

[La Folia]

I don't know your requirements, but tuning up 1 step will cause early failure of a lot of synthetic strings.  Zyex strings tolerate tuning up quite well.

[Dwight Brown]

I am not at all versed in this area from a musical standpoint beyond knowing a about the Bach Fifth 'Cello Suite, and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertant.  From the stand point of physics it would be reasonable to use lighter gauge strings in a situation requiring you to tune higher and heavier gauge strings in a situation requiring you to tune down.  For a given string length and a given pitch, tension will rise as the thickness of the string increases.  I am pretty sure there is an equation to quantify this.

 

DLB

 

Maybe this could be used?

 

http://liutaiomottola.com/formulae/tension.htm

[deans]

Most of the gut string outfits will make any gauge string to give you the tension you want at the pitch you want. And most people playing Biber opt for gut strings.

 

For synthetics, you might want to contact Pyramid strings, I believe at one point they would make custom strings of any gauge, even perlon core. Supersensitive makes a fairly wide range gauges in their Sensicore line (I think 4-5 gauges for some strings), so a thinner gauge tuned up or a thicker gauge tuned down might work for a given pitch, or better yet give them a call and see if they can come up with a custom solution.