tuning fiddles down to play with flat set pipes
- wolvy
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tuning fiddles down to play with flat set pipes
Anyone out there tuning your fiddles down to C or B to play with pipes? What strings (on a normal sized violin) are you finding work well for this?
- Jumper
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Hi, Tom!
I keep a second fiddle tuned to Bb, although unfortunately nobody here in San Diego plays pipes at that pitch. I just use standard strings, and I find that even without a mute this fiddle is quiet enough to play late at night without disturbing my family or neighbors.
I have tuned my "concert-pitch" fiddle down to C or B to play with flat pipes on occasion, but I don't like doing this often because I have to adjust the bridge each time, and it takes a while for pitch to settle after each change. I suspect that frequent tension changes are not too good for my strings either.
I keep a second fiddle tuned to Bb, although unfortunately nobody here in San Diego plays pipes at that pitch. I just use standard strings, and I find that even without a mute this fiddle is quiet enough to play late at night without disturbing my family or neighbors.
I have tuned my "concert-pitch" fiddle down to C or B to play with flat pipes on occasion, but I don't like doing this often because I have to adjust the bridge each time, and it takes a while for pitch to settle after each change. I suspect that frequent tension changes are not too good for my strings either.
Jonathan
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I'd go with steel strings since even with the heavier gauge, tension wouldn't be too bad. That is unless your fiddle is older and not completely healthy. D'Addario Helicores are my fav (cheapest too!), but Pirastro Flexocore and Thomastik Super-Flexibles are all nice full warm sounding steel strings, giving richer tone than the cheapo chrome-steel varieties. You could probably also get away with heavy gauge Pirastro Evah Pirazzis, but being synthetic, they wouldn't last as long. Their tension is also almost as much as steel so that wouldn't make much of a difference.
You could also get a viola. Then you'd have a dedicated instrument to play with flat pipes but could just go with standard strings. CGDA tuned.
You could also get a viola. Then you'd have a dedicated instrument to play with flat pipes but could just go with standard strings. CGDA tuned.
Corin
- fel bautista
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