I use viola obligato for low C, but my instrument string length is 36 cm. When there is too much rattle due to low tension, in 34,5 lenght instruments, sometimes trying a higher tension string helps. Find out on viola charts, like this http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/upload/TI_viola%20folder%2005_07print.pdf a string with higher tension (for example, a metal core, also cheaper) and try. Anyway it is difficult to be able to play at "normal" wheel speed, with coups, without taking such low string up to the harmonics.
2008/5/29 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hi Arle > The limited success refers to the finnicky nature of the set up. It seems > highly unforgiving as far as cotton/rosin application goes and delights in > going to harmonics on some notes and rattling the playing key on others. > I've tried Pirastro Aricore, Corelli Crystal and several cheap viola c > strings and they all seem to give the same effect to some degree. > Going lighter using copper on gut eases the symptoms but the tone is rather > thin and it is too key pressure sensitive. > The best string I've found came out of my recycling box. It's viola length, > looks like silver on gut, has black silk windings on the ends and has an > outside diameter of 43 thou. Its excursion is 3/8" which is just about > tolerable .The packet has long since disappeared so no help there.I tried an > NRI string which looked identical but gave a very thin tone. > When it is happy, it has a great sound and gives the sound of an alto > instrument without the extra keyboard length. I have found that double bass > rosin ( well polished ) works the best. > Neil > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Arle Lommel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 8:08 PM > Subject: Re: [HG] Chanterelle string for low D > > > Hi Neil, >> >> How do you define "limited success"? What hasn't worked with what you've >> tried? I admit that I can't help you here since I play in C/G with an >> octave chanter using viola strings with no problem, but you want to go a >> fourth lower and there I have no success. But in any event it would help to >> know what the problem you've faced is exactly. >> >> Part of the problem may be that you're really quite low. Balázs Nagy >> experimented with chanterelles in the range you suggest for a bass >> instrument and found that below a certain pitch (somewhere near where you're >> talking about, if I remember correctly), the vibrational envelope of the >> string gets too big for the tangents to effectively stop the string (the >> string bounces off them or something like that), so you end up with unclear >> intonation and other related problems. I don't remember all the details, >> but he ran into these problems when trying to pitch a Hungarian instrument >> down an octave, which would put it right near the range you're talking >> about. >> >> -Arle >> >> >> On May 28, 2008, at 2:50 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >> Hi all >>> I'm not usually one to plead for help but this problem is costing a lot >>> of time and money so any help will be greatly appreciated. >>> >>> I've just built a three chantrelle gurdy 345mm scale length and am tuning >>> it to normal D/G tuning . The third chanterelle is to be the next octave D >>> down. >>> >>> Has anyone found a string to achieve a reasonable result at this pitch ? >>> I've tried a lot of viola C strings with limited success. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Neil Brook >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1470 - Release >> Date: 28/05/2008 07:20 >> >> >
