Dr. Thomas Zwieg on The New Il Cannone Direct & Focused Violin Strings

Learn more about the newest addition to the Larsen Strings Family!

 

The Violin Channel recently discussed the new Larsen Strings Il Cannone Direct & Focused Violin Set with Dr. Thomas Zwieg, Vice President of Product Development at Larsen Strings.

 

Tell us about the new Il Cannone Direct & Focused Violin Set:

The new Il Cannone Direct & Focused violin set is a logical add-on to the Il Cannone family. Just as we've successfully introduced Warm & Broad and the Direct & Focused options for our renowned Il Cannone cello strings, we're now introducing a clear, brighter, and more direct sound to our Il Cannone violin line. Our goal is to provide musicians with new opportunities to enhance both the sound and playability of their instruments.

 

What are their main qualities?

The Il Cannone Direct & Focused strings offer a distinctly clear and pure voice, exhibiting an even more pronounced singing quality compared to the current Il Cannone strings. While maintaining a rich tone, they elevate brightness, directness, and focus. In comparison, the existing Il Cannone strings deliver warmer, darker tones. In terms of playability, the new Direct & Focused sets provide slightly more resistance to both bow and fingers.

 

What materials are they made from?

We've implemented a novel synthetic core for these strings. While the winding materials remain traditional — pure silver for G and D, and aluminium for the A — the E strings remain unchanged from that found in the existing Il Cannone set.

 

 

What is their role within the Larsen family of strings?

These strings represent our most direct and focused sound to date, marking a significant milestone. Over the two-year testing period, we discovered that many players particularly favored these strings, especially the Soloist version. They are undoubtedly our most versatile strings yet.

 

How long does it take to develop a new set such as this one?

Development began as early as 2018, running concurrently with our Il Cannone Gold strings.

 

For which players are they best suited?

The Il Cannone Direct & Focused strings are ideally suited for instruments with a warm to neutral sound profile. They thrive with a dynamic bowing technique rather than heavy bow weight and are thus better suited to the demanding professional and ambitious amateur.

 

What have you heard from musicians playing them so far?

A notable observation from musicians is that their issues with wolf notes, particularly at the high C position on the G string, have vanished.

 

Any advice on how to best take care of them?

To ensure the longevity of our strings' quality in both sound and playability, we recommend regular maintenance, including daily cleaning and periodic comprehensive cleaning with alcohol after extended use. For detailed and specific cleaning procedures, we refer to the instructions available on our homepage.

 

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