Comparing 4 different viola a strings |dominant pro, jargar, Larsen and alphayue

Рет қаралды 5,380

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 48

@abigailcrossman3373 3 ай бұрын

Great post. Was surprised at how big the difference was. My personal favourite was Larsen but felt the dominant pro balanced better on your viola so was glad you mentioned that was what your other strings were. The cheap string sounded cheap even on your lovely viola! I’m currently on Eva gold for violin and viola and find them very responsive, balanced across the range and very reliable. Larsen was my previous go to string but a bit harder work. I do like a string with longevity in sound quality and Larsen and Eva gold are great for that. I’m probably unusual as a professional performer expecting strings to still sound good after 4 years (10 years in the case of my Larsen’s!!!) I don’t get sweaty hands which I think really helps string life but I spent a lot of my youth trying various strings that either broke or sounded dead after only a few months.

@cedar36 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent comparison and excellent playing. Thank you for doing multiple songs on each string. Loved listening to you play on all of them.

@RonaldHouston 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind and inciteful comment… new video coming about Obbligato strings!

@johnalexander301 Жыл бұрын

So many great string options available. I just put on a fresh set of Larsen Virtuosos with an Original A medium. They are really beautiful sounding and easy playing. Full, open, clear, powerful, resonant and very responsive. I also like the strong A for the added projection.

@RonaldHouston Жыл бұрын

It's awesome to have great choices!!

@renequejanotabinga370 2 жыл бұрын

I do also love the sound of dominant pro. I also play viola. Greetings from the Philippines.

@RonaldHouston 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! The dominant pro seems to work very well indeed!!

@Sophiasapprentice Жыл бұрын

This is exactly the kind of comparison I needed. YOU are exemplary, as always, but this give us a great comparison of string sounds amongst different piece types. Who knew I prefer Larsens?! Now I have to try one. THANK YOU!

@RonaldHouston Жыл бұрын

Thank YOU! Let me know how it goes with Larsen!!

@alexlimkin7397 Ай бұрын

I had been playing Tonica strings primarily since my viola journey started in June 2020--and not replacing them in a timely manner, either. (As much out of ignorance as anything else.) Then, on September 20, less than a month ago, I tried my first set of premium strings--the Dominant Pros. Oh my goodness! My student viola--crafted in a workshop in China and purchased second-hand--sounds more incredible than I know what to do with myself. It's hard to put it down these days.😅 After 100 hours of playing, the G string has started fraying just the tiniest bit--but still sounds great. I'm tempted to try other strings (such as Kaplan Amo or Pro Arte) but it's going to be hard to pry myself away from these Dominant Pros! "This will be our response to violence: to play music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." #TheeGeorgeFloydViola 🎻

@roesparza57 Жыл бұрын

I very like dominant pro! It's a big and sweet sound! Thank you. Can you make a video whit D and G strings?

@ali.p8095 Жыл бұрын

Dominant pro was realy clear and softer than the others 👍👍

@RonaldHouston Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I have the dominant pro on right now and really like it!

@robertpadgett4192 2 жыл бұрын

Will you present a comparison of competing D strings for your next video?

@elainethemusician3310 9 ай бұрын

I like the Larsen and Dominant Pro equally, but I think the Larsen just has the edge for me. Even the Alphoyue was ok for a budget string. I have just bought a set of Alphoyue strings on behalf of an intermediate standard pupil. I have never liked Jargar strings but I believe a number of ‘cellists choose them. I like Pirastro strings best and have Obligato on my violin, but they are very expensive for viola. I find Tonicas are the best budget string and far superior to Dominants, which I really don’t like much so I was interested to see just how good the Pros are - very good. I also think that different strings are better on the violin than on the viola.

@RonaldHouston 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for your info

@joaoecker 5 ай бұрын

I bought the alphayue strings and found them to have a very dark sound, so I bought Spirocore and they worked really well

@RonaldHouston 4 ай бұрын

Sounds good!!!

@karenlozada6006 7 ай бұрын

Excellent playing! Thank you for making this comparison video. Your viola has such color! Who made it?

@RonaldHouston 6 ай бұрын

My viola is made my Anthony Lane... I talk about the viola on my setup videos!

@hartmutlindemann9735 Ай бұрын

The Jargar superior A is only good for violas with an A string that is too loud and harsh. It can hide these faults to some extend. A fantastic sounding A and D string is included in the Dynamo set.

@virginiadesouky3356 2 жыл бұрын

But don’t strings react differently on different instruments? Would they “feel” different on each instrument? I’m guessing that what feels best on your viola might not feel the best on my viola….

@RonaldHouston 2 жыл бұрын

Yes .... And.... No.... They do text differently on different instruments... But.. You CAN feel the quality of the string and the overall sound and strengths of each string!

@zakariakhalil3460 Ай бұрын

What is the closest brand of viola strings to plain gut for the A string?

@liesbethmeijnckens4618 7 ай бұрын

Thanks! Interesting to find this post at the moment I’m looking for new strings. I was wondering how to compare the Rondo Thomastik string to the 4 in the video. I remember you talked about the Rondo before. And what about the often used Heliocore? How to compare this to the chosen set?

@RonaldHouston 7 ай бұрын

Hi.. I really do not care for the helicore strings.. To me... They do not provide the resistance I enjoy from a string.. The rondo is also a good choice! Most of the time.. I like to use a complete set and am always happy with the rondo strings

@liesbethmeijnckens4618 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for your reply. In the meanwhile i have made a real journey. Have tried a lot of strings on my viola. And…. The best sound is the helicore set with a Larsen A string. Totally different too regarding preferences of my viola collegues. Interesting to learn the differences depending the viola and the importance to try by yourself

@robertpadgett4192 2 жыл бұрын

The Jargar A sounds as rough as it feels.

@adeilsonbispo4670 Жыл бұрын

Muito Obrigado pelo trabalho

@crafterman2345 2 жыл бұрын

Very helpful, thank you!

@robertpadgett4192 2 жыл бұрын

This video is Grade AAAA quality.

@crafterman2345 2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha

@miguelmarquez4192 9 ай бұрын

I was set yp with dominants and a jargar a as a youngster and i took it as gospel. But i feel what you feel. Bumpy and thin and didnt match the tone of the others. I tried evahs and loved them but as they settled in they developed a wolf. My viola might just prefer dominants even though people like to gear shame and act like ive got red labels on.

@RonaldHouston 9 ай бұрын

Try dominant pro