Broad peak in the overall response question

[Scott Pope]

Quite alright. Yes, the math is only a means. If it doesn't sound as it needs to out front, then it's all just a...well, you know.

BUT...without the math, there is no good way besides subjectivity to narrow down the universe to a manageable set of choices.

I have always said that specs for anything having to do with music are not like an engineer's project manual in that if you specify a certain criteria, then you run the numbers and come up with the structural application. I have tinkered with electric instruments, guitars, basses, etc., since 1975. It amuses me that someone will say, for example, "My Strat pickup was supposed to measure 6.1 kohms, but it only measures 6.05!" With manufacturing tolerences, "Just noticable difference," etc., get over it!!! The wood and the player are much more important. Likewise, even before putting them on, by listening closely, the bass itself will tell you what strings are most appropriate. I seriously enjoy Ken's comments and essays on the basses that come through his shop and how different strings react differently. I just wish I had the means to go visit his shop and play the various basses to experience the magnificent diversity myself.

Rather, the numbers are useful like a naturalist's field guide. You use a field guide to get you to the general vicinity, then use your own tools and experience, like binoculars trying to find a particular bird species, to narrow down to the most likely places to see what is being sought.

That's what tension figures are for: to help narrow the universe. Since there is such a wide variety of string construction, and an even wider spectrum of players, genre and repertoire, there is way too much to try to sample everything. Over on TalkBass you'll run into guys who have spent hundreds, nay, thousands of dollars chasing "The" set of strings. Likewise, on the brass forums, you'll run into guys chasing "The" mouthpiece, etc.

WARNING -- BIASED OPINION FOLLOWS: I believe that the reason Pirastro does not publish tension specs is because they don't want to "lose" customers. But in this global day and age of internet, and since computers bring out the "spec" guy in all of us, what they don't realize is that if they publish the specs, like TI and other companies do, they are more likely to get even more customers as they peruse the specs, then do the research on forums (or, in classical Latin, fora), their teacher, and their colleagues, to focus on a few viable choices, which would generate even more sales. We must move beyond relying only on subjective criteria, bias, entrenched opinion, and the ever-dreaded, "Well, we've always done it that way," as an excuse rather than a point of departure. If there are good objective reasons that it's always been done that way and should continue to be done that way, great! Otherwise, it's an excuse bordering on bigotry.

No spec, especially tension, is the "be-all-end-all" of string choice. To the contrary, it is probably the last criterion that should be consulted. Nevertheless, it should be out there for the reasons I stated above so the player can have another point of reference, after the recommendations of the string company, the player's private tutor, the conductor of the ensemble, and of colleagues and section/stand mates playing the same or similar instruments and repertoire, to help make the right choice, given the expense of a set of strings.

[Ken Smith]

As far as tensions of strings, I find that the exact same set feels different on some basses because of the bass itself. If measured on a machine you might have something to go on but on a bass, loose the numbers. They don't help.

I have been pretty definite on the set-up of my various D.Basses over the years. A few days ago I was invited to see an English Chamber Orchestra playing in Philly. The Principal bassist is Leon Bosch. After the concert I went back stage to look over his bass and play on it. Leon is one of the better players in the world today and watching him on stage you would think his action is like that of a guitar. He told me he uses 10-12?mm on the G at the end of FB and about 14mm on the E. His spacing on the G and D was closer than the A and E and from D to A was a bigger gap. He prefers this by choice. I could barely press the strings down and play anything on his beautiful Gagliano bass. I only had a few minutes to try the Bass before it went into the trunk for shipping out but I did learn something. What works for one person may not work for another. He CAN and did play on my action set-ups a few weeks ago when I lent him a Bass for a Master class and Solo concert but in NO way was I able to play HIS set-up. Also, he uses Original Flatchromes for both Orchestra or Solo. He tunes up the regular set a step up to A tuning for solos, WITH 10/12mm - 14MM action. That is some strong playing.

As I have mentioned before, there are so many things that make a bass play better or worse for any player besides the strings. What do you do to save 100s or 1000s on testing strings? Ask people that might know the real answer. I do this myself all the time. Sometimes it works and sometimes, my BASS doesn't like that particular set.

Now, write down what you put on a bass, when and how the set-up is. Then monitor how the strings are the first hour, day, week, month, etc. and save that information. 1, 2, 3 years later changing strings, your notes written down will tell you more than your memory does. It might save you money. In the last few years, the bass I have used the most is my Hart. I remember to a degree how I liked certain sets and didn't like others on 'that' bass. Some of the strings tried I liked more on other basses or not at all. I didn't write it down but I don't need to as much because I might use another bass the next month. The saying goes, "do as I say, not as I do". In this case, you should apply that rule as my goals with basses are different than most other peoples goals that use or have one main bass.

If I had to live for 10 years just playing the Hart, I would start writing down what I remember.

Now, where did I put that paper with my string notes?

[Richard Prowse]

...but let me say first that Scott's comments sound very intelligent to me.
That said, I'll make my point.
I had my bow changed back to French three days ago. When I got home and started playing everything sounded wrong and the French hold was not working. Remember that, ten years ago, I played French for about 25 years, and on a violin before that.
Now the strings sounded wrong and the tone was disappointing. As I've put the hours in (practice) things have started to change pretty dramatically. My point is this... getting used to your equipment and setup is a pretty vital part of the equation too (and I stress a part). Too often we blame the string, or the bow, or the setup without having put in a bit of sweat.
Scott, you mentioned brass players and mouthpieces. That's a perfect example of what I'm saying. I played trumpet for quite a few years. I hate to think what I spent on mouthpieces! Really I should have concentrated on working on my embrochure.

[Scott Pope]

Richard, thanks. When I got back into tuba playing, I borrowed several mouthpieces, doing exactly what Ken suggested - taking notes. Then I had a long conversation with Matt Walters at Dillon Music about my playing, my tuba, the ensembles, the repertoire, and especially the weak points. He made his recommendation. His mouthpiece man, Vladimir, altered the contour of the rim a little bit for my personal preference. It is now the mouthpiece I play. Sure, I have a couple others, but by being careful up front, I have saved thousands of $$ on the safari and avoided the "mouthpiece du jour" rut that I see so many brass players fall into.

The mouthpieces have specs as well. Being long distance, I could tell Matt I like the way "X" mouthpiece feels, but I like the tone of "Y" better, and the response of "Z." Because the specs of the mouthpieces were available, he was able to help translate my subjective impressions and observations into objective criteria to help me choose the proper mouthpiece for me out of that universe.

I guess that's the bottom line with the string rants, and I've used up too much of Ken's bandwidth already. Thanks, Ken.