Not unlike car tyres, the actual strings you play on will suffer from general wear and tear and eventually stop working in the way they are meant to. In short, they simply wear out, or in a worst-case scenario they will break, in the same way a car tyre may have a blow out, hopefully not while you are in a performance situation. When this happens, they will need replacing. The main reasons for replacing them are to continue to be able to play in tune, and also to produce the sound that you desire.
The easiest way to keep on top of wear and tear, and prevent awkward breakages, is by replacing your strings regularly. The frequency with which you will find yourself doing so depends on many factors. In general, violinists and violists will find themselves needing to replace their strings more frequently than players of the cello or double bass.
Whilst cost is a factor when replacing strings, delaying doing so can result in issues apart from the loss of tone and ability to play well in tune. As strings wear out, players tend to find themselves pressing harder on the strings with their fingers to enable them to ‘speak’ correctly. This increase in pressure can cause overuse injuries of the tendons in the fingers and wrist, and in upper string players, greater pressure on their shoulders. If the string wears away at pressure points, it is in danger of suddenly breaking while you play, and this can be dangerous for upper string players' eyes, particularly the e string for violinists.
Along with replacing strings, there are certain actions a player can take that will extend the productive life of them. The most obvious thing is to have a well set-up instrument. A well fitted bridge, with correctly spaced grooves that correspond with those at the nut, and the correct angle from the fingerboard are factors that can both extend the life of your strings. Make sure that you clean your strings after playing by wiping them with a soft, clean cloth. This will remove any build-up of rosing and also the oil from your fingers, both having a corrosive effect on the strings.
The main factor in how frequently you change your stings will be how often you play it. For an average player who may do 30 minutes a day, a good rule of thumb would be to replace the strings annually on violins and violas, with cello and bass strings lasting longer. As your playing time increases, so will the frequency of replacing them, with professional players perhaps changing theirs every three months. Gut strings will need replacing far more regularly than synthetic or metal strings too, as their sound deadens quickly.
As you become more accustomed to your instrument, you will know when it is time for a new string just by listening. Your instrument will not sound as nice as usual and will just not remain in tune. At that point, you can either replace the string yourself if you have the necessary skills to, ask your teacher, or visit a local reputable dealer. One word of warning though; if replacing all of your strings, don’t do so in one go, but rather one at a time, allowing each string to settle in tension and pitch before moving on to the next, over a matter of a few hours, or even a couple of days.
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