electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Strings and things
String materials
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: BobTheDog
Page 1 of 1 [5 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Antimon



Joined: Jan 18, 2005
Posts: 4145
Location: Sweden
Audio files: 371
G2 patch files: 100

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 2:38 am    Post subject: String materials Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

While walking back from having bought breakfast bread just now I came to thinking about guitar strings. I got a smallish acoustic guitar from a friend a while back. It had five old metal strings on it, that were tuned down a bit and sounded kind of cool. I recorded a couple of dittys with it, then I changed the strings to nylon because its neck is wide and I wasn't in possession of a nylon string at the time.

I'm thinking about changing back to steel strings to get that cool sound, but anyway I got to thinking now as I walked about that the steel strings (though I guess it's nickel really, or some alloy) are kind of cool, the way they're made thick and flexible and fairly durable. They do snap though... so I thought about silk, and how I've heard that there's nothing like silk in terms of strength vs diameter.

So... could you make some awesome guitar strings out of silk (I guess it would be expensive though)? Are there other materials that have been used, besides the common nylon and nickel? I recall hearing something about tendons being used for strings in the olden days.

Most importantly perhaps, what different kinds of sounds can you get out of different kinds of strings?

Just some sunday morning musings...

/Stefan

_________________
Antimon's Window
@soundcloud @Flattr home - you can't explain music
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
blue hell
Site Admin


Joined: Apr 03, 2004
Posts: 24079
Location: The Netherlands, Enschede
Audio files: 278
G2 patch files: 320

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 3:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Silk seems to have some history ... http://www.silkqin.com/03qobj/strings/raykovstrings.htm
_________________
Jan
also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
[Q]



Joined: Sep 09, 2010
Posts: 413
Location: Continuum
Audio files: 57

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The Guqin uses silk strings Smile

NAGA New Silk String

http://www.chineseculture.net/musicmall/instruments/htmls/guqin/naganewsilkstring.htm

http://www.guqin.org/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Oskar



Joined: Jul 29, 2004
Posts: 1751
Location: Norway

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Martin - and possibly others - make strings with BOTH silk and steel.

http://www.martinguitar.com/strings/choosing.php?typ=Martin%20Folk

_________________
Where there are too many policemen, there is no liberty. Where there are too many soldiers, there is no peace. Where there are too many lawyers, there is no justice.
Lin Yutang (1895-1976)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Antimon



Joined: Jan 18, 2005
Posts: 4145
Location: Sweden
Audio files: 371
G2 patch files: 100

PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Interesting, all. I should have guessed that silk had already been done in East Asia!
_________________
Antimon's Window
@soundcloud @Flattr home - you can't explain music
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: BobTheDog
Page 1 of 1 [5 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Strings and things
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use