Ever wonder how strings are made? Or why violin strings are so much more expensive than guitar strings? This has come up during string purchase trips with the band, mostly because mine run about four times what the other ladies’ cost and everyone wonders what makes violin strings so special, including me. Instead of asking at the store and exposing my total lack of knowledge about strings (so embarrassing – I’ve been playing most of my life!) I decided to turn to the wonderful world wide web, which surely gives definitive answers to life’s most pressing questions.
Laurie Niles of violinist.com wrote an article detailing the process after she visited the D’Addario string factory a few years back. Also there is a video about the physics of why a beginner often produces scratches and squeaks by Fan Tao, lead researcher in the bowed strings department at D’Addario. Fascinating stuff for string players, enjoy!
That Violin Vibe 