Voiced strings for acoustic guitar. Choosing Acoustic Guitar Strings

In this lesson, we will consider 2 questions:

• When do strings need to be changed?
• What strings to put (choose) on an acoustic guitar?

The data is approximate, since the strings are different and the duration of the workout is also individual for each.

With intensive training (from 2 hours per day) - change every 2-3 months

With classes per day up to an hour - once every 3-5 months

With a rare game - listen to the sound, see the wear of the strings. About once every 10 months. — 12 months

What strings to choose for an acoustic guitar?

It is impossible to say unequivocally: "These are best strings for guitar" - after all, everyone chooses his own sound, and selects for himself (for his playing, his style). But if you are a beginner, then you do not have experience yet and we will recommend you popular brands of strings for acoustic guitar.

If you have good guitar, a lot of money, there is little experience in playing the guitar (at least half a year) and you plan to practice long and hard, then we recommend Elixirs ( Elixir). There are different elixirs in stores, with different alloys, coatings - each is good in its own way, read the descriptions and choose what you find interesting, you can start with bronze ones, as many do. Many guitarists stop at elixirs, but for beginners, we do not recommend taking these strings, they are expensive, plus you will not feel the advantages of these strings over others. For beginners, we recommend trying to put elixirs (if possible) a little later, as soon as you complete the entire acoustic course, which is posted on our website.

Here are two popular brands that are perfect for you: Dadario ( D "Addario) martin ( Martin) is also bronze ( phosphor bronze ). These strings are full positive feedback. These guitar strings are reasonably priced, sound good, and last a long time. A good choice for both experienced and beginners. We recommend that you buy your first strings in a regular retail music store, talk to the sellers - they will tell you a lot of interesting things and recommend them.

What string gauge to choose?

String gauge is the thickness of the strings in fractions of an inch. You have probably already heard such names as nines, tens - this is the caliber. It is always present on the packaging of the strings. For example, in this form: 8-38 (eights - called by the thickness of the first string) - the thickness of the first and sixth strings is indicated here.

There are 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 gauges. Eights are the softest, thinnest strings. 13 - The toughest, thickest strings. The sound is also very different, for example, eights sound quieter than others, their bass is less pronounced. But the following gauges 9, 10 - here the sound is denser, louder, but it is already more difficult to clamp them, since the tension of the strings also increases with the increase in gauge. Based on this, we recommend that beginners start with eights, with them you will quickly master the base. Then after a few months you can try nines, then 10, 11 and choose from this what you like best, what suits you best. Listen to how the sound changes with the gauge and how difficult it becomes to clamp the strings.

As soon as you move from eights to large calibers, it will be unusual, painful - this is normal. It takes a few weeks for the fingers to get used to it. We recommend increasing the caliber gradually. Our final "average" recommendation is tens.

I promised that I would tell you about how to choose the right strings for an electric guitar and today we will try to figure it out. Indeed, for a novice guitarist, this will be quite difficult to do, due to the lack of necessary knowledge, skills and habits.

There are also some features in this issue related to which strings to take to start with: thin or thick, steel or nickel, which manufacturer to prefer. For professional guitarists, these questions may seem simple. But what should beginners and those who are just starting to learn the electric guitar do? Let's look at this in more detail.

Foreword

For those who do not yet know how to choose the right electric guitar, I advise you to read the detailed article. I will say right away that the choice of strings is a purely individual process. After some time, you will no longer need any advice, because you yourself will be able to select the strings, their coverage and the gauge (diameter) that will be most convenient for your fingers to play. Chances are that only through trial and error will you be able to find the strings that work best for you. Therefore, the advice in this article will be useful only at the very beginning of your creative journey.

But if you recently bought yourself a new inexpensive guitar, then, accordingly, some strings are already on it. I would suggest changing them first. Of course, they can live on your guitar for a while, you can even learn to play them. But be aware that their quality leaves much to be desired. No one will give you a guarantee that these strings will not break or rust in the near future. Now let's deal with the criteria for choosing electric guitar strings.

String manufacturers

The first thing you should pay attention to when you start choosing strings for your electric guitar is the brand (manufacturer). I would advise giving preference to such proven brands as:

- the most expensive, long-playing and my favorite strings, which have a coating with a polymer composition, thanks to which they do not lose their original sound so quickly, and they are also soft and quite pleasant to the touch.

D'Addario- the most popular bourgeois strings that our guitarists love.

- quite tenacious and very quality strings. They are in demand mainly among metalworkers. Average price.

- quite affordable and good in quality, I also advise you to try it, you will not regret it, because such strings will last much longer than any fake produced by Petya Ivanov's steel plant No. 3.

— nickel/ steel strings American made at an affordable price. Feedback from guitarists is only positive.

And one more thing, do not really trust the sellers in the store, who will be happy to shove you some stale garbage, especially if they notice that you are not particularly versed in this. So it's better to start by sitting at home "google" or consult with familiar guitarists. Try to decide in advance on the brand of future strings, read the reviews of musicians, look at the same time average price in online stores. And most importantly, the question of choosing strings must be approached purely individually, i.e. decide in advance what sound you want and how comfortable these strings will be for you.

String coating

This is the second and most important criterion when choosing strings for an electric guitar. On the front of the package you can find information about the coating material from which they are made. Regardless of the braid, the core of the string is always made of steel, but its winding can be of several types:

Nickel plating– has a soft sound (ideal for solo performance). Strings with such a coating are considered the most popular today, even despite some of their shortcomings (the winding fades rather quickly, rubs on contact with the frets and loses its original sound in a couple of weeks).

steel coating- has the brightest and sharpest sound, and such strings are made entirely of steel (winding + core). These strings are best suited for metal players and those who want to achieve a harsher and more piercing sound. Not as popular as nickels.

Sometimes, to protect the strings from corrosion, manufacturers apply a special polymer composition to the winding, which ultimately significantly prolongs their life, but the price, as a rule, will also be appropriate for them.

String Gauge

Caliber is the thickness of the string, which is usually expressed in fractions of an inch. As a rule, in sets, the thickness of the 1st and 6th strings is usually indicated, for example: 9 - 42 or 10 - 46. In the jargon of musicians, this sounds like "nine" or "ten". Depending on what style of playing and style of music you prefer, it is necessary when choosing strings to strive for some kind of compromise between richness and loudness of sound, as well as speed and convenience of playing. In practice, it turns out that thick strings have a richer and more powerful sound, but thin ones are the easiest to play, but you have to sacrifice the sound. Here the choice is yours. In general, in my opinion, the most optimal set in terms of thickness and sound is the “ten”.

0,008 - These strings are the softest and thinnest, best suited for beginner guitarists. They don't sound as powerful and tight as thicker kits and are therefore not very popular with experienced guitarists. I wouldn’t recommend staying on the “eight” for a long time, because in the future it will be quite difficult to switch to thick strings, so you need to try to gradually develop your skills and switch to a set of 0.010 or 0.011.

0,009 - "nine", also belongs to the category of soft and thin strings. They are already a little more difficult to play, but the sound will be more dense compared to the "eight".

0,010 - strings of medium thickness. The most popular and widespread among musicians. They combine the best qualities of thin and thick strings: medium stiffness and rather dense sound.

0,011; 0,012; 0,013 - strings of this gauge are considered thick and rather difficult to play. But they have a rich and powerful sound. Such kits are also used for low standing in heavy styles of rock music.

There are also hybrid sets, where the first three tenor strings are of standard thickness, and the 4th, 5th and 6th bass strings can be thicker than the standard. For example, Zakk Wylde plays his signature set in 10-60. Hybrids are created so that the riff sounds the most powerful on the bass strings, and when playing solo there are no difficulties with bends.

Another interesting point. In various sets, the third string may or may not be wound. The third string without winding is most often put by musicians performing rock music, because it is easier to perform solos and bands (braces) on such a string, but for others musical styles, for example jazz, it is the 3rd string that is best suited. Although you should not take this as a rule, experiment!

Winding types

Twisted strings are divided into several types, depending on the winding and material:

Round winding flat winding
Semicircular winding Hexagonal winding

Round winding

Strings with such a winding are considered the easiest to manufacture and the cheapest. They have a round core inside, around which a round wire is wound. The disadvantages include the following:

• The presence of a relief profile that causes a "whistling" while sliding fingers along the string.
• A rough surface that wears out the frets and fretboard much faster.
• Winding loose to the core, which can rotate around it after damage.

flat winding

Flat wound strings also have a round core inside, but wound wire has a smoother square profile with rounded corners. This profile reduces whistle, makes the strings more comfortable to play, and reduces fret and fretboard wear. The sound of these strings is less bright than roundwound strings. They are more expensive for the price.

Semicircular winding

Nothing more than a hybrid of the two previous windings. These strings have sound characteristics round along with the sensations of a flat winding. At first they are made the same as with a round winding, but then they are polished and pressed. outside wire almost flat.

Hexagonal winding

The profile of the core is a hexagon with a tightly wound round wire that follows the shape of the core. Thanks to this design, the problem of winding torsion around the core is solved and the sound is significantly improved due to its close connection with the winding. The downside is that sharp ribs wear out the nut and fretboard much faster than roundwrap, and are also less comfortable to play.

• Do not throw away old strings as they will still be useful to you if any string breaks, and the store is far away.
• Before buying, explain to the seller that it is for the electric guitar that you need the strings, and not for any other, so that you will not be sold the wrong thing.
• In order to somehow extend the life of the strings, try to wash your hands before playing so that there is no dirt and grease on them, and after playing, wipe the strings with a special liquid or a dry cloth from above and below.
• Try to change your strings at least every six months, because even the best ones don't live that long. During this time, their characteristics change: inhomogeneity occurs in thickness, the sound loses its richness, or microcracks may appear.
• If one string suddenly breaks, then you can purchase it separately, without buying a whole set. In this case, try to select a similar string.

In order to determine if your guitar needs to be changed strings, you should pay attention to the following:

• dull guitar sound
• the guitar doesn't stay in tune;
• the strings are corroded or look dirty;
• intonation is broken (the same note should sound clearly in different places neck);
• the winding shows signs of wear;
• a lot of time has passed since the last replacement;
• the strings are too soft/hard.

In conclusion, I want to wish you good luck friends! Now you know how to choose electric guitar strings and you can safely go shopping. I tried to collect as much information as possible in this article, so share it with your friends in in social networks below on the page. I will be glad to your comments and additions. All the best!

The choice of strings is a purely individual matter and it is impossible to say unequivocally which strings to choose, this also applies to instruments. Demanding musicians sometimes spend years picking up strings for themselves, sometimes one at a time from different sets. Even if they finally pick it up, then, you see, the string manufacturers will come up with something new, and the search begins again. A good musician, as a creative person, will always look for better and better strings, but for a novice guitarist, when choosing strings, it is important to decide on the main thing; what kind of music and what guitar he will play, then the choice of strings will not be such a painful problem.

First, a little about what strings are. In fact, any thread or wire can be a string, as long as it does not break or stretch from the influence of the player. Once upon a time, when there were no guitars or violins yet, our distant ancestors played sinew (made from animal intestines) and silk strings that did not have a winding. The gut strings have survived to this day, but for a number of reasons now they remain almost only on harps and are sometimes found on violins (mainly when performing authentic music). Only in the 19th century did a metal (copper, silver) winding appear on the core strings, which made it possible to improve the timbre of the bass strings, at the same time reducing their tension, which made life easier for the performer and enriched the timbre of his instrument. At the same time, with the advent of the piano, the first experiments in the production of steel-based strings appeared, which later found application for other instruments. The 20th century greatly expanded the range of types of strings, adding many new ones to the already existing ones: synthetic, on a steel cable, multilayer, with a profile winding (not round, but flat or semicircular, etc.), bimetallic (combining two or more materials ), combined, etc. Let's try to figure out what determines the need for such diversity.

String types

gut strings in principle, they do not last long on a fretted instrument, so they are almost out of use (they are not found in Russia).

Synthetic strings- usually used for classical guitar. They were substitutes for unstable vein. The first three strings are a calibrated nylon line, and the three bass strings are made on a polyfilament (consisting of a large number threads) twisted synthetic base. The traditional winding for them is silver-plated copper. The silver coating (several thousandths of a millimeter) improves the sound of relatively dull copper, does not darken when touched by fingers, and looks very nice, however, it wears off over time. Many firms successfully use other copper-containing alloys as windings, which are in no way inferior in sound and far exceed silver-plated copper in their durability.

Strings on a steel mono-base (usually on a hex core) are used very widely in pop music, as well as by those who appreciate sonority (“metal”) in the guitar. These strings have a higher tension than synthetic strings and are placed on guitars of a different, reinforced type. And although there are still strings on a steel base with a winding of silver-plated copper, this is rather their disadvantage, since the steel base does not allow the twisted string to bend around the guitar fret like a synthetic one, which is why these strings serve several times less than those with a winding of bronze, brass, stainless steel, etc.

Guitar strings on steel wire they are not found in Russia, although they probably exist in the West, but not for the mass buyer, because. they should be several times more expensive than the above.

Concerning strings with a flat winding or with a semicircular lying flat side up, these strings have a longer service life and do not have the characteristic whistle of fingers on the winding turns when changing positions. They tend to be a little less bright, but guitarists who have to record in the studio love to put them on.

For all guitar strings there are many sizes, which is determined by the requirements of the musician and his instrument. Unlike bowed instruments, where the length of the string of a full instrument (4/4) is the same, guitars are different in scale (the length of the working part of the string). There are instruments with a scale from 610 mm to 660 mm and even more, so the same set of strings will have different tensions. For a shorter guitar, heavier (almost always thicker) strings should be used. The standard scale of the guitar is increasingly considered the size of 648 mm.

About string tension

Guitarists are accustomed to determining the tension of strings on a steel base by the number of the first string, indicated in thousandths of an inch, i.e. #10 "medium-light" tension string set is a set where the first string has a diameter of 0.010 inches = 0.254 mm. But few people pay attention to the diameters of other strings, and this is important. American steel-backed acoustic guitar strings are typically sized for large instruments that are primarily played with a pick. These kits provide higher twisted string tension than most traditionally prefer. Russian performers who have instruments of a different design and prefer not the volume of the instrument, but its melodiousness, i.e. pedal (duration) of sound, which can only be obtained on strings with less tension.

The figure shows the string tension for six-string guitar. The upper graph shows the tension of the “loud” strings, the lower one - less loud, but with a larger pedal, i.e. "melodious".

The tension of synthetic-based guitar strings (for classical guitar) is also determined based on the sections of the strings, but here the difference in the tension of strings of different sizes is negligible, which is partly due to the fact that the scale of the instrument itself has settled and is about 650 mm. Even 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) deviation in line diameter for the first three strings is no longer significant for string tension, since nylon itself is more than 7 times lighter than steel.

conclusions

From all of the above, you can already draw some conclusions about which strings to choose. The choice is mainly determined by what sound (timbre) you yourself like, what instrument you have at your disposal and what kind of music you play. For a beginner guitarist, when choosing strings, you can advise the following:

If you like muted sound and soft strings- you should opt for synthetic strings, but they should only be used on a classical guitar, otherwise the sound will be too weak.

For those who want the power of sound and sonority and who has a large, American-style instrument, steel-based strings no lower than No. 11 should be preferred. True, this requires strong fingers.

Those who do not want to have calluses on their left hand fingers, but who do not like the “plastic” sound of synthetic strings, can be advised to put steel-based strings No. 9 and 10. In this case, it may be necessary to slightly increase the height of the strings above the neck due to the height of the lower nut, since soft (or rather light) strings have a greater range of vibration and can touch the frets when playing.

And finally, one more piece of advice - always tune your strings with a tuning fork, because in addition to the fact that when you overtighten you spoil the instrument itself, the strings can stretch out for a long time with a overtightening and in the correct tuning they will sound worse.

Usually you will find a long article of several pages, which describes all the intricacies of string selection, but in reality, the choice comes down to several essentially identical options.

What strings to choose for electric guitar? The choice of strings for electric guitar depends on your task. If you just need high-quality strings, or you are a beginner musician, start with the main manufacturers, market leaders: American Ernie Ball, La Bella (this company deserves special attention - for example, they invented the same strings for electric guitar, and they have a huge range) or D "Addario. The most popular calibers are 9-42 (softer, it will be convenient for a beginner guitarist, easier to play solo), 10-46 (usually put on strat and similar guitars, generally the most popular caliber) and 10-52 (set by default on LesPaul, they sound a little lower than 10-46 and a little harsher), and if the guitar is a 7-string, start with 10-56. Traditional materials are steel strings with nickel wound (Nickel wound), start with them. For warmer For a (vintage) tone, choose Pure Nickel wound, for a brighter tone, choose a Steel wound (Stainless Steel wound). We advise rock musicians to pay attention to Ernie Ball and Dunlop - it is easier to achieve a hard sound with them, and they cope better with rough treatment.:) Strings with increased service life due to special coating - for example, Elixir, will last 3-4 times longer, it is very convenient if the guitar is not used very actively - when idle, the strings will not be exposed to the environment for a long time. Next, take a look at smaller brands like Curt Mangan or Kerly, which have their own specialties and manufacturing techniques, and they might be the best strings for you!

What strings to buy for bass guitar? For beginners, and most, standard gauge strings with soft or medium tension: 45-100 or 45-105 (40-125 or 45-125 for a 5-string guitar) from any manufacturer, with traditional nickel-plated windings, will do. Often the choice is made in favor of steelwound strings - they have a brighter tone with an extended low range. If you need strings with extended life - choose coated strings (coated) such as Elixir or other manufacturers. It is easy to find similar strings in our catalog by checking the product filters for Extended Service Life or Protective Coating. For example, the D series Addario NYXL and Ernie Ball Cobalt offer better, richer sound.

What strings to buy for classical guitar? First of all, if you are just starting to play, we recommend the average tension of the strings, so it will be easier for your hands and fingers. A stiffer tension will produce a rich and loud sound, but these strings are a little more difficult to play. Classical guitar strings are made primarily of nylon and silver-plated copper windings. Similar strings of good quality at a low price offer known to everyone American companies D "ADDARIO and ERNIE BALL, or inexpensive series from the German HANNABACH - they are suitable for a beginner musician or for everyday amateur playing, and they will never disappoint you. If you are seriously learning to play the guitar and want to get an excellent sound and make the learning process more enjoyable - try SAVAREZ strings, which are recommended by most music schools and teachers. Find the strings that will maximize the sound of your guitar and will be comfortable for you!

What strings to buy for acoustic guitar? For beginners, we recommend 10-47 or 10-50 gauges, which have a softer string tension, so it will be easier for hands and fingers, it will make learning easier and more comfortable. 11-52 or 12-54 have a stiffer tension, but also a more powerful sonic response - choose these strings if you already have experience playing the guitar. The second important criterion is the material. 80/20 bronze (Bronze Alloy) is brighter, Phosphor bronze (Phosphor Bronze) is warmer and richer, and specially coated strings (Ernie Ball Everlast or Elixir) last especially long. There are other alloys, such as Aluminum Bronze or Nickel Bronze, which are brighter in the mid-high range, and more resistant to corrosion even without a special coating. Whatever you choose, they will not disappoint with their quality.

Strings are the main working element of the guitar, which determines the comfort and quality of the game. Each musician has his own preferences in this regard, developed on the basis of many years of experience. It is more difficult for beginners - they only have to start searching, which may not always end successfully. How to reduce the percentage of errors? What should you pay attention to?

How to choose acoustic guitar strings

The strings give the guitar personality. The peculiarity of the game is influenced by their thickness - it contributes to the appearance of volume in the sound. According to this criterion, all strings are divided into three groups:

1. Thin. They do not require excessive pressure during the game, but they sound quiet.
2. Medium. They represent the optimal balance between grip strength and pleasant sound.
3. Thick. Designed for experienced guitarists with trained left hand fingers. Demonstrate a rich and juicy sound.

Beginners are usually advised medium thickness strings. Sets 0.10-0.48 and 0.11-0.52 are considered the best in terms of sound transmission.

The second criterion when choosing strings for acoustics is the type of winding. It is peculiar to the fourth, fifth, sixth and sometimes third string. Winding happens:

• flat - characterized by a matte, slightly muffled sound;
• round - has a bright and sonorous sound.

The third string can be both without winding and with it (thicker in sets). In the latter case, the sound becomes more beautiful and rich, but due to the thinness of the winding, it has to be changed regularly along with the rest of the set of strings.

Unwound strings are more durable, but exhibit fewer overtones, which can cause the sound to be perceived as out of harmony. It should be remembered - the more often the winding, the more deaf and "bass" the sound is.

Much depends on the material used. Usually there are such options:

The choice of strings is a purely individual task. You have to try and compare. It is recommended to study the "habits" of your favorite musicians and play with the same strings they use.

Many beginners decide to stick with copper. This material, due to its good performance and low cost, enjoys continued popularity.

Be careful when buying silver wound strings. Most often, these are just copper wires coated with a very thin layer of silver, which is quickly erased (especially if the product is Korean or Chinese-made). It is believed that such a winding mainly affects the aesthetics, and not the sound quality. Although some musicians are confident in the indispensability of silver in the performance of fingering. If possible, it is better to try such strings yourself and draw your own conclusions.

The choice of strings is influenced by the type of acoustic guitar - classical or pop. Classic models mainly used in teaching the game. The following strings are used for these instruments:

Pop instruments involve working with such strings:

1. On a monolithic steel base with a copper or bronze winding.
2. With semi-circular or flat winding. Subspecies of the previous version. They do not emit a characteristic “whistling” when sliding fingers, they are distinguished by dullness on bass strings and sonority on windless ones.
3. Steel, covered with a layer of thin synthetics.

The pop guitar assumes that the user already has some playing experience, so the strings are used harder and harder, which has a positive effect on the brightness of the sound.

How to choose electric guitar strings

All electric guitar strings are based on a steel core. It can have a winding of the following materials:

Nickel-plated strings are more popular, steel models are much less common.

There are several types of winding:

1. Round. The simplest and most inexpensive option, which has pronounced disadvantages in the form of:
   • looseness to the core, which causes the “looseness” of the winding in case of damage to the string;
   • relief profile, provoking the occurrence of "whistling" when sliding fingers;
   • roughness, which accelerates the wear of the fretboard and frets.
2. Flat. An improved type of wrapping that does not show "whistle" and provides less wear on the fretboard and frets. The strings are comfortable to play, but not as bright as roundwound models.
3. Semicircular. Combines the bright sound of round strings with the tactile feel of flat strings.
4. Hexagonal. Due to the close contact of the core with the winding, best quality sound. True, at the same time, the wear of the lining and sills is accelerated (the process takes place in less time than in the case of a round winding). Also hexagonal strings are not very comfortable.

You need to select the winding, guided by your own ideas about what the sound should be like, as well as the budget allocated for the purchase. Any option can be a good choice in a particular case.

The best gauge of electric guitar strings is ten (0.010). It is this thickness that allows you to combine a sufficient level of rigidity with the density of the sound. "Eights" (0.008) are suitable only during the training period, you should not linger on them for a long time: the strings are very soft and thin, which affects the sound. Strings from 0.011 and "older" are difficult because of their thickness, but they demonstrate a spacious and powerful sound.

Knowing your instrument is the main task of a musician. Therefore, the selection of strings should be experimental. Did you like the guitar? Did she sound? Only through trial and error can you find the "those" strings that will help you achieve your own sound and develop it.