Good "soloistic" strings for students

September 14, 2023, 2:51 PM · Thomastik Vision, Warchal Brilliant, and Corelli Cantiga are all good choices at a reasonable price point.

September 14, 2023, 3:16 PM · Vision Solo and Vision Solo Titanium are really good strings and they last a long time. I haven't used ordinary Vision strings.

September 14, 2023, 3:22 PM · I have just started using normal Visions on my viola. They are not anywhere near as bright as Solos, at least going by the Shar charts. They are slightly brighter than Obligatos, but they are nothing like Solos or Evans.

September 14, 2023, 4:32 PM · I use Cantiga medium and heavy.
I'd not be tempted to define them "bright"....

September 14, 2023, 5:25 PM · The package says regular Vision are very brilliant and Vision Solo are very warm. Strange, maybe viola is the opposite.

September 14, 2023, 7:02 PM · I used Dominants for a long time but eventually desired strings of greater longevity. I now use Vision Solo (with the silver D string) and they are precisely what my instrument needed. In my experience, they sound darker and rounder than Dominants, but also deeper, thicker, and more "soloistic." My violin is somewhat bright, so Dominants sound rather tinny on it.

Vision Solos, though probably not as bright as you want, are relatively high in tension: about midway between Dominant and Evah Pirazzi. They seem to lose brilliance much more slowly than Dominants. I have not tried the regular Visions since they have a reputation for being brighter than Dominants. However, I heartily recommend the Solos.

(For the E, I tend to switch between Pirastro Gold Label and Goldbrokat. The former has my favorite tone qualities; the latter I like almost as much, and it is undeniably cheap.)

September 15, 2023, 9:25 AM · I believe Jargar markets their new Evoke strings for this audience also

September 17, 2023, 1:38 AM · Look no further than Warchal Brilliant violin strings. They have power, clarity, and depth. Their responsiveness is excellent and their longevity is amazing. I've had them on my violin for almost nine months without any loss in quality of sound. I'll be trying the Larsen Il Cannone Soloist strings next for the first time for comparative purposes. But I doubt I'll ever go back to Evah Pirazzi. The Warchal Brilliants are just as good as the Evah Pirazzi, but they are much less expensive and last much longer.

September 17, 2023, 11:02 AM · @ Alexander. That's a rather definitive statement. "Look no further" regarding Warchal brilliants.

Edited: September 17, 2023, 6:56 PM · For a little brighter sound without the stridency of Evah Pirazzi, TI strings work well. I’ve heard some recommend Visions for fractionals to give a brighter sound to overcome the “thuddy” sound that smaller instruments can often have. However, I’ve always considered Visions to be very tinny, and I think the TIs would give a crisp, bright sound without sacrificing all tone quality.

I really like Rondos for almost every fine instrument I come across. You could try those on a student instrument if you don’t mind the higher price than the more economical sets.

Tonicas are rather good and inexpensive as well, and they are available in fractional sizes should you need them.

September 18, 2023, 7:04 AM · You could try Pirastro Perpetuals. They have a very focused and direct sound, and seem to last well. I would suggest trying just the G to save money, and then move your way up if the G does what you are looking for.

I don't understand why you are specifying high-tension strings though. If you have found Dominants to be satisfactory, but just want higher tension, the Dominants are also available in higher-tension (stark) versions.

September 18, 2023, 8:00 AM · Rondos are pricey, but last long.

Edited: September 18, 2023, 6:29 PM · The strings may make some difference, but a "soloistic" violin will depend on clarity, quick response, a generous dynamic range, balance in all strings and positions, good sound in the high positions of the G and D strings. Strings alone will not bring all those things to a non soloistic violin.