Effects of winding configuration on the perceived timbre of aluminum-wound violin strings

Winding construction of violin strings may influence subjective impressions of timbre even with comparable constituent materials and the same nominal pitch. However, the effects of winding-related structural differences on these impressions of timbre remain unclear. In this study, a subjective evaluation of timbre was conducted using two commercially available violin A-strings, designated as String-1 and String-2. Material characterization indicated that both strings had comparable constituent materials, including polyether ether ketone (PEEK)-like synthetic multifilament cores and two layers of Al-5Mg alloy flat-wire windings. The two strings differed in the winding configuration, helical geometry, total linear density, and component-wise mass distribution. The participants' musical experience was measured using the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index. Subjective evaluations showed that String-2 was rated as more massive than String-1 regardless of musical experience. These results suggest that even among strings with comparable constituent materials, the contact conditions and mechanical properties associated with differences in the winding structure of strings may influence the subjective impressions of the timbre of a violin, especially in terms of massiveness.