I switched to Dominant Pros after using Evahs for 13 years. All violins are different but I don't feel like I've lost any power and the feel of the strings under my fingers is softer. The tone pallet is wider than with Evahs and the sound is warmer. There have been comments regarding the stings being played/broken in and I will say that when I first put them on I felt as though the A and D strings were too similar in timbre but that went away as I played them in. The star of the set is the G (on my violin) the tone is gorgeous. All of the Dom Pro strings feel the same in the upper positions as well, they don't feel like there's more tension as you shift into higher positions. I'm loving them. Great video! 🎻👍🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I've never seen so many strings compared all at once! Bravo, really! These videos are so important! More-so than just a video reviewing a string with no comparison... or even just one comparison. I will recommend this video to many colleagues, musicians looking for new strings, and al my developing students :) Thanks!
Fabulous video!!! They are all great strings and I have played them all myself. But I must say the Dominant Pro strings shined above all the others! In playing them myself I find that they are very comfortable under the fingers and fir my playing I feel they are complex and give me a broader range of expression!! Thanks and both young ladies played wonderfully! 🎻
@@Poreckylife Certainly! Dominant Pro strings have a very different feel under the fingers than Evah Pirazzi; Dom Pros have a softer touch similar to Dominant strings, while Pirazzi strings are a little tougher. They’re both fantastic, and we’d likely pick Evahs over Dom Pros for solo work, but the Dom Pros are great for a variety of uses.
Interesting video. Had no idea Shar was on YT. Strings are like ice cream. There is a vast selection of flavors, brands, styles, etc. Then to expand the palette, there's also gelato and frozen custard. Like cable TV, you pay for over 100 channels but only a handful are worth watching. As we just witnessed, there are more variables. Not one player will sound the same on a particular instrument and setup of strings. Another factor is how 'fresh' are the strings? Regular Dominants sound harsh & metallic for 4-7 days then mellow out and maintain good sound quality for 4-6 months, depending on the amount of playing. A very popular string, Evah Pirazzi green (as opposed to their gold line) has a shorter break-in period and remain at peak quality for a mere 5-6 weeks then nose dive to a dull, unflattering sound quality that leaves one thinking, 'why did I pay $90 for what lasted only a summer music camp?' On a side note, Evah Pirazzi gold E's hiss very easily. Dominant steel E's sound cheap. Never tried Dominant tin E, but why would anyone want a 'tin-E' sound? Never heard of Thomastik Rondo, but I heard a girl named Rhonda play a Mozart Rondo. Jargar strings are bright and harsh. Never tried the Il Cannone but heard Pachelbel's one too many X's. I would concur with the violinists regarding Peter Infeld (PI) strings but they don't work for every violin. Plus, a set w/ platinum E is $150! I remember buying a set of Dominants w/ a wound E for $20 back when you could only order over the phone 1-800-248-SHAR or mail in an order form via USPS. Good strings shouldn't be so expensive. Even cheap strings aren't so cheap anymore. If you play on a darker instrument like a Vuillaume or Lupot, Evah Pirazzi, Jarger and other quick response and more brilliant sounding strings would probably match well. I would imagine the new Dominant Pros would work as well like Vision Titanium Solo w/ a Westminister E. If you play on a brighter sounding instrument, regular Dominants generally work well but you should convince your parents to buy you a Vuillaume or you could busk until you can afford at least a Roth or Derazey. Try experimenting with different brands, even mixing brands and find the right chemistry of strings that works well with your instrument. There's no 'one size fits all' strings. In fact, there are 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, etc. sizes. No! Seriously though, find the "right" strings that match your instrument and your sound quality preference. Don't simply rely on your teacher or retailer's opinion/recommendation. Lastly, record yourself. The strings you think you like will sound different under your ear compared to how they sound out in the audience. Speaking of audience, the guy at the beginning mentioned 'concert hall filling sound' but the string demo was performed/recorded in what looks like Shar's storage room of Franz Hoffman gems and not a concert hall or even a large room. Would love to see that demo. Ultimately, you could own a Strad, a Peccatte and the most expensive set of strings and still sound like an Suzuki book 1 student. Great players sound great regardless of equipment. Thanks to Shar for shooting the vid.
I put a set of gold Evahs on my old German violin and the E was giving me such fits, I swapped it out for the Dominant Pro with the tin plated E. Not sure if that is supposed to have the same impact as a wound string would (by dampening the extraneous vibrations), but I have not had the same trouble with the E whistling now that it's broken in. I'm very happy the swap seems to have helped, and I'm disappointed the Evahs didn't hold up for me on all four strings, but I appreciate the validation that it's maybe not just me.
string comparisons would be more valuable when first is explained what the natural sound color of the instrument is. strings respond differently on a darker sounding instrument, compared to a naturally brighter sounding instrument. Secondly: it would be a better comparison when the strings would be allowed to settle before comparing. Other than that: nice to hear the subtle differences. thank you.
It would get more of an idea, if the strings had been played in for a week on the instrument. My impression from this video is that the Rondo strings function and sound well. The normal Dominants are sounding much more pleasant and charming, than the the rather harsh sounding Dominant Pro. The Evah Pirazzi sound equally unpleasant. How many players really need to have volume at all cost?
Hmm - the effort is appreciated but we really need to know whether they have been played-in or not - strings evolve so quickly over the first few days... As with most of these reviews, the main takeaway is that any differences are subtle, and much less important than the differences between players, instruments, bows and setup. In particular I find that the choice of e can completely transform the performance of the rest of the set. Only the Infelds really stood out with their sweeter tone. As a keen amateur, I've stopped experimenting with expensive strings and play happily with entry-level pro sets like the Tonica or John Pierce Artiste. These are quality neutral strings that are just fine on any reasonably well-balanced fiddle. I can pay 3 or 4 times as much without any meaningful benefit for a player at my level. The reasonable price of these strings means that I can afford to change them when they go dull. In my experience having fresh strings trumps having expensive strings that you can't afford to replace often enough. Even the best strings become unplayable after a time - and with some, like the Evahs, it doesn't take long before they are worse than any student string. If you are a pro soloist, perhaps that extra few percent of performance is worth the eye-watering price-hike. But for most of us, I feel it's the triumph of marketing over common-sense.
These strings were freshly installed. You make excellent points here. These decisions will boil down to a personal choice that is best for your playing and setup.
EXCELLENT REVIEW!! What violin are they using? We have Carlo Lamberti Sonata from Shar. It came with Vision strings. I've tried Dominants and didn't like them. They didn't last as long as Visions, the E string was aweful, and sound wasn't much better than Vision. Tried Pirastro Tonica and sound wasn't nearly as good as Vision. Would you recommend these for certain models you sell, or certain levels of playing?
We used our Lamberti Master series, as they’re wonderfully consistent from violin to violin. We put Vision strings on those! Dominant Pro strings are a direct upgrade from Dominant strings, and we’d recommend them to anyone who enjoys Dominant strings. They’re versatile, and work well in a variety of situations. If you’d like more information or help finding a set of strings for your Sonata, feel free to email us at products@sharmusic.com. Thanks!
Not fair cuz strings fresh you can easily understand from sound but still Evah more darker and soft. Also E and A strings far better if Pirastro. I played on Obligato never get whistle on E also i used Peter Infield and it was whistling. Last week i broke my E while playing Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik :(
I was always bying thomastic strings,loving the bow response they give.But with this set I am badly surprised,I dont have the bow grip on the strings!I edit,they became completely rough,the sound is not coming out!
That's strange, we definitely haven't heard any similar complaints! Have you been consistent with your rosin application? Is the set that is giving you problems purchased from us? If so, don't hesitate to reach out to our customer care department with issues like these. They can be reached via email at sharserv@sharmusic.com, or via phone at 1-800-248-7427.
No way to know but to try for ourselves. I’m not sure I have the skill to be able to do pppp all the way to ffff so maybe I won’t benefit to the fullest extent. Perhaps an advanced player can actually take full advantage of these strings. Compared to the strings I use and what Tina tried, Dominant Pros had more tone color but seemed more focused. A focused sound was what was the label for visions, but to me it sounded like a no dimensional sound.
Here I prefer the Dominant to the Dominant Pro. I was surprised by the excellent sound quality of the Rondo and the Jargar Superior. At the moment I play Il Cannone, they are wonderful (warmth on G and D is fantastic) but unfortunately very demanding also. Yourself you missed the last note on your demonstration with these strings. Evah Pirazzi sound among the best to my ear. I have never tried a set of Evah, I bought a single G a few years ago and was not convinced. Maybe they are slightly more difficult to master, as Il Cannone to my taste : that C on the A string on the Bach first movement did not emit correctly either.
a not so good sounding violin to choose for string comparison! sounds like a new violin, might need a few years to develop..either that or the set up is horribly wrong.
I think the regular dominant has a warmer sound than the pro.
I switched to Dominant Pros after using Evahs for 13 years. All violins are different but I don't feel like I've lost any power and the feel of the strings under my fingers is softer. The tone pallet is wider than with Evahs and the sound is warmer. There have been comments regarding the stings being played/broken in and I will say that when I first put them on I felt as though the A and D strings were too similar in timbre but that went away as I played them in. The star of the set is the G (on my violin) the tone is gorgeous. All of the Dom Pro strings feel the same in the upper positions as well, they don't feel like there's more tension as you shift into higher positions. I'm loving them. Great video! 🎻👍🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Dominant Pro are quite lower tension than Evah Pirazzi, which makes them easier to play... especially on antique violins.
One day I wish a shop would to sell a package set for several brands of strings to allow us at home to find a set that works for our instruments too.
I am so greatful you played the Rondos, you have helped me very much, thank you.
I've never seen so many strings compared all at once! Bravo, really! These videos are so important! More-so than just a video reviewing a string with no comparison... or even just one comparison. I will recommend this video to many colleagues, musicians looking for new strings, and al my developing students :)
Thanks!
I too found the PI to really have that singing beautiful tone. Its like the resonance and overtones were richer.
This is the exact video I've been looking for
Fabulous video!!! They are all great strings and I have played them all myself. But I must say the Dominant Pro strings shined above all the others! In playing them myself I find that they are very comfortable under the fingers and fir my playing I feel they are complex and give me a broader range of expression!!
Thanks and both young ladies played wonderfully! 🎻
Oh woow. I want to try them now. I just got my evah pirazzi strings. Would you say dominant pro can compare to evah pirazzi ones?
@@Poreckylife Certainly! Dominant Pro strings have a very different feel under the fingers than Evah Pirazzi; Dom Pros have a softer touch similar to Dominant strings, while Pirazzi strings are a little tougher. They’re both fantastic, and we’d likely pick Evahs over Dom Pros for solo work, but the Dom Pros are great for a variety of uses.
They played only in 1st and 3th position. Would had being interesting to appreciated their response in the upper register as well
3rd bro. You're welcome
Very good comparison, a model for others to follow!
Interesting video. Had no idea Shar was on YT. Strings are like ice cream. There is a vast selection of flavors, brands, styles, etc. Then to expand the palette, there's also gelato and frozen custard. Like cable TV, you pay for over 100 channels but only a handful are worth watching. As we just witnessed, there are more variables. Not one player will sound the same on a particular instrument and setup of strings. Another factor is how 'fresh' are the strings? Regular Dominants sound harsh & metallic for 4-7 days then mellow out and maintain good sound quality for 4-6 months, depending on the amount of playing. A very popular string, Evah Pirazzi green (as opposed to their gold line) has a shorter break-in period and remain at peak quality for a mere 5-6 weeks then nose dive to a dull, unflattering sound quality that leaves one thinking, 'why did I pay $90 for what lasted only a summer music camp?' On a side note, Evah Pirazzi gold E's hiss very easily. Dominant steel E's sound cheap. Never tried Dominant tin E, but why would anyone want a 'tin-E' sound? Never heard of Thomastik Rondo, but I heard a girl named Rhonda play a Mozart Rondo. Jargar strings are bright and harsh. Never tried the Il Cannone but heard Pachelbel's one too many X's. I would concur with the violinists regarding Peter Infeld (PI) strings but they don't work for every violin. Plus, a set w/ platinum E is $150! I remember buying a set of Dominants w/ a wound E for $20 back when you could only order over the phone 1-800-248-SHAR or mail in an order form via USPS. Good strings shouldn't be so expensive. Even cheap strings aren't so cheap anymore. If you play on a darker instrument like a Vuillaume or Lupot, Evah Pirazzi, Jarger and other quick response and more brilliant sounding strings would probably match well. I would imagine the new Dominant Pros would work as well like Vision Titanium Solo w/ a Westminister E. If you play on a brighter sounding instrument, regular Dominants generally work well but you should convince your parents to buy you a Vuillaume or you could busk until you can afford at least a Roth or Derazey. Try experimenting with different brands, even mixing brands and find the right chemistry of strings that works well with your instrument. There's no 'one size fits all' strings. In fact, there are 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, etc. sizes. No! Seriously though, find the "right" strings that match your instrument and your sound quality preference. Don't simply rely on your teacher or retailer's opinion/recommendation. Lastly, record yourself. The strings you think you like will sound different under your ear compared to how they sound out in the audience. Speaking of audience, the guy at the beginning mentioned 'concert hall filling sound' but the string demo was performed/recorded in what looks like Shar's storage room of Franz Hoffman gems and not a concert hall or even a large room. Would love to see that demo. Ultimately, you could own a Strad, a Peccatte and the most expensive set of strings and still sound like an Suzuki book 1 student. Great players sound great regardless of equipment. Thanks to Shar for shooting the vid.
Great info there!
I put a set of gold Evahs on my old German violin and the E was giving me such fits, I swapped it out for the Dominant Pro with the tin plated E. Not sure if that is supposed to have the same impact as a wound string would (by dampening the extraneous vibrations), but I have not had the same trouble with the E whistling now that it's broken in. I'm very happy the swap seems to have helped, and I'm disappointed the Evahs didn't hold up for me on all four strings, but I appreciate the validation that it's maybe not just me.
Very good! Thank you!
very useful and nicely presented.
Dose it really make a difference I don’t think so. They all sound good it’s the player choice what they like. Thanks for the video.
string comparisons would be more valuable when first is explained what the natural sound color of the instrument is. strings respond differently on a darker sounding instrument, compared to a naturally brighter sounding instrument. Secondly: it would be a better comparison when the strings would be allowed to settle before comparing. Other than that: nice to hear the subtle differences. thank you.
It would get more of an idea, if the strings had been played in for a week on the instrument. My impression from this video is that the Rondo strings function and sound well. The normal Dominants are sounding much more pleasant and charming, than the the rather harsh sounding Dominant Pro. The Evah Pirazzi sound equally unpleasant. How many players really need to have volume at all cost?
Hmm - the effort is appreciated but we really need to know whether they have been played-in or not - strings evolve so quickly over the first few days...
As with most of these reviews, the main takeaway is that any differences are subtle, and much less important than the differences between players, instruments, bows and setup. In particular I find that the choice of e can completely transform the performance of the rest of the set. Only the Infelds really stood out with their sweeter tone.
As a keen amateur, I've stopped experimenting with expensive strings and play happily with entry-level pro sets like the Tonica or John Pierce Artiste. These are quality neutral strings that are just fine on any reasonably well-balanced fiddle. I can pay 3 or 4 times as much without any meaningful benefit for a player at my level.
The reasonable price of these strings means that I can afford to change them when they go dull. In my experience having fresh strings trumps having expensive strings that you can't afford to replace often enough. Even the best strings become unplayable after a time - and with some, like the Evahs, it doesn't take long before they are worse than any student string.
If you are a pro soloist, perhaps that extra few percent of performance is worth the eye-watering price-hike. But for most of us, I feel it's the triumph of marketing over common-sense.
These strings were freshly installed. You make excellent points here. These decisions will boil down to a personal choice that is best for your playing and setup.
EXCELLENT REVIEW!!
What violin are they using? We have Carlo Lamberti Sonata from Shar. It came with Vision strings. I've tried Dominants and didn't like them. They didn't last as long as Visions, the E string was aweful, and sound wasn't much better than Vision. Tried Pirastro Tonica and sound wasn't nearly as good as Vision.
Would you recommend these for certain models you sell, or certain levels of playing?
We used our Lamberti Master series, as they’re wonderfully consistent from violin to violin. We put Vision strings on those!
Dominant Pro strings are a direct upgrade from Dominant strings, and we’d recommend them to anyone who enjoys Dominant strings. They’re versatile, and work well in a variety of situations.
If you’d like more information or help finding a set of strings for your Sonata, feel free to email us at products@sharmusic.com. Thanks!
Me gustaría comprar uno de esos violines
Not fair cuz strings fresh you can easily understand from sound but still Evah more darker and soft. Also E and A strings far better if Pirastro. I played on Obligato never get whistle on E also i used Peter Infield and it was whistling. Last week i broke my E while playing Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik :(
nice video... for me dominant sounds much better :)
I was always bying thomastic strings,loving the bow response they give.But with this set I am badly surprised,I dont have the bow grip on the strings!I edit,they became completely rough,the sound is not coming out!
That's strange, we definitely haven't heard any similar complaints! Have you been consistent with your rosin application?
Is the set that is giving you problems purchased from us? If so, don't hesitate to reach out to our customer care department with issues like these. They can be reached via email at sharserv@sharmusic.com, or via phone at 1-800-248-7427.
No way to know but to try for ourselves. I’m not sure I have the skill to be able to do pppp all the way to ffff so maybe I won’t benefit to the fullest extent. Perhaps an advanced player can actually take full advantage of these strings. Compared to the strings I use and what Tina tried, Dominant Pros had more tone color but seemed more focused. A focused sound was what was the label for visions, but to me it sounded like a no dimensional sound.
I'm playing regular dominant with a pirastro gold E. I'm wanting to move up in quality. Are the Pros good or move up to Rondo?
The Pros are great! However, if you're just moving from the regular dominant, you may have a better time with Rondos!
@@SharMusicTV Awesome!! Thank You for your answer!
Here I prefer the Dominant to the Dominant Pro. I was surprised by the excellent sound quality of the Rondo and the Jargar Superior. At the moment I play Il Cannone, they are wonderful (warmth on G and D is fantastic) but unfortunately very demanding also. Yourself you missed the last note on your demonstration with these strings. Evah Pirazzi sound among the best to my ear. I have never tried a set of Evah, I bought a single G a few years ago and was not convinced. Maybe they are slightly more difficult to master, as Il Cannone to my taste : that C on the A string on the Bach first movement did not emit correctly either.
They said they didn’t allow the strings to break in. The dominants sounds more Modular than dominant pro here, Pro just sounded loud and louder to me
Are these strings broken in?
Hi Monica, these strings were freshly installed.
What song is she playing?
Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio
a not so good sounding violin to choose for string comparison! sounds like a new violin, might need a few years to develop..either that or the set up is horribly wrong.