Until about 1970, these two options were the only ones available to violinists. Then, Thomastik-Infeld introduced their synthetic-core strings and yet again changed the industry.
These new strings have now had some time to evolve and find their way into the hearts of many musicians, even becoming more popular than their predecessors. There are differences between synthetic strings and other available strings that you should know about before spending your money.
Dominant, one of the most popular string brands on the market, are composed from perlon, a type of nylon. These perlon-core strings are well liked because of the improvements over steel and gut-core strings. Steel-core strings became popular primarily because of their stability compared to gut strings.
Gut-core strings are known for sounding better, but even slight temperature and humidity changes can cause them to go out of tune. Even if you don't mind retuning, gut-core strings have a much slower response time that many musicians want to avoid. The synthetic fibers in Dominant strings offer much of the sound quality of gut-core strings while being more stable. Like steel-core strings, they stay in tune and respond quickly.
Many musicians, from students to professionals, use Dominant strings on their instruments. Dominant has become one of the most popular string brands in the world by offering strings with a rich, full sound while remaining affordable. Fortunately, affordability doesn't have to mean the strings sound cheap, which is why they are a default string for many musicians.
You should keep in mind that every string sounds different on different instruments so you may want to pick accordingly, or even consider mixing and matching. Finally, as with most synthetic strings, they take some time to reach their stretched length and may have to be tuned more often while they stretch out, but will eventually settle.
When you buy Dominant violin strings from a reputable company like Triangle Strings, it allows you to get a great price and the confidence gained from buying from a reliable seller. The warm sound and affordable price have given Dominant strings a reputation as a default string for many musicians.
Dominant strings have become a staple string for many musicians in the industry and countless students trying to improve their craft. Whether you are striving to be a professional or just looking to get the most out of your violin hobby, Dominant strings are a solid and reliable option.