Pure Corde
Pure Corde
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About the Strings In collaboration with a string manufacturer in Morocco, we produce unpolished handmade strings. We have adapted our strings to the specific requirements of European instruments in keeping with traditional criteria. We can therefore offer a range of strings that represent the material and sound properties of the early Baroque period. Due to strong twisting, they are exceptionally soft and particularly well suited to the medium and lower tonal ranges of the individual instrument. They are also exceptionally responsive and produce a sound that is direct and rich. |
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Types of string “high twist” (medium pitch ranges): strongly twisted string with a direct response, suitable for medium and lower pitch ranges. “triple” (low and mid range): this type of string, due to its multiple twisting, is particularly soft and even more responsive, which makes it ideal for a lower pitch range. “diskant”: upper pitch range. In order to be able to offer our customers complete sets of strings, we carry alongside our PURE CORDE gut strings for medium and lower registers treble strings made by the companies Toro and Aquila. These complement the PURE CORDE gut strings particularly well. The string types “high twist” and “triple” made by PURE CORDE are available in lengths of 120 cm and 180 cm but we also try to produce special sizes if required. |
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The different requirements for gut strings on musical instruments The tonal range of bowed instruments is largely determined by the individual string gauges, which means that the instrument’s various strings will differ greatly in diameter. String tension also plays a part, albeit a minor one. As a consequence, the requirements will vary significantly, in terms of the type of gut used as well as the manufacturing processes for each string. We therefore distinguish between treble strings, for the higher pitch ranges, strings for medium pitch, and bass strings. An instrument’s treble strings have to be particularly tear-proof, since their tensile strength is used to the maximum (an instrument’s treble string should nearly always be stretched almost to breaking point). The necessary tear resistance is achieved through several specific processes during the manufacture of the string, such as the splitting of the guts, rinsing them in a variety of lyes, and the addition of alum and other tanning agents. In addition, the small degree of twisting of the gut fibres ensures the required toughness and tear resistance of the treble string. The medium pitch range of an instrument demands a much softer quality of gut, in order to make the most of the instrument’s responsiveness, sonority and modulation properties. This type of string should receive as little chemical treatment as possible and doesn’t require split gut. Most importantly, these strings call for a very strong twisting of the gut which lends them maximum flexibility. The bass strings, due to the many production methods available, are a different story. Up until ca. 1660, wound gut strings, if they were to be found at all, were a rarity. Musicians at the time had to cope with the very thick, unwound gut strings. In order to make unwound gut strings playable as bass strings, they have to be extremely soft and possess, for us today, an unusually high tension (equal tension). With low-pitched strings, however, tear resistance is not a problem since the tension used is still a great deal below their tearing point, which means that the manufacturing process can just concentrate on making them as soft as possible. This is achieved by using untreated gut and multiple twisting. The method used here to twist the guts resembles techniques used in rope-making. Since we are still working on producing satisfactory treble strings, we carry treble strings made by the companies Toro and Aquila. It is worth mentioning that Aquila produce semi-polished strings whose texture resembles that of PURE CORDE gut strings even though they are made from cow gut. Toro supply our treble strings made from sheep’s gut, which complement our Moroccan strings very well. For medium pitch ranges, we recommend our PURE CORD “high twist” gut strings, which we believe to be unique in their sound qualities and responsiveness. For the lower pitch ranges, we suggest using our PURE CORDE “high twist” gut strings. Should you, due to their extreme thickness, find them lacking in responsiveness, we recommend the PURE CORDE “triple” strings. These sound softer, are even more responsive but might fall a little bit short on crispness. |
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Production The guts used in string-making are a by-product of meat production. The string maker’s job begins at the abattoir where he selects suitable animals by age. The intestines are removed, repeatedly cleansed, inspected and scraped. Depending on the desired gauge of the strings, the intestines are twisted together in strands from two to over one hundred. During the subsequent drying process great care is taken that the correct degree of tension and twisting is maintained throughout. We receive the strings in this, their “raw” state, here in Potsdam where we hang them up yet again and, after another drying phase, polish, measure, cut, inspect, und finally package them. The meticulous work of the Moroccan string maker, combined with all the final measuring and testing procedures carried out at our end, ensure that tuning is possible in perfect fifths. We achieve this without the usual machine-polishing of the strings, which means that the fibres remain intact; this has a positive impact on sound quality as well as durability. What’s more, due to the prompt processing of the guts during production in Morocco, we can avoid the use of chemical preservatives. Their tight twisting makes PURE CORDE gut strings exceptionally soft. They are also unusually responsive and produce a sound that is direct and rich. |
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Why Marokko? Morocco is where the tribe of the Gnawa lives. The Gnawa are an ethnic minority descended from slaves who came originally from West Africa. Their traditional music is dominated by the Gimbri, a three-string long-necked lute. (For more information, click on this link: de. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnawa). The Gimbri is traditionally strung with gut strings. Since Gnawa music is very popular in Morocco, there has been a continuous demand for traditionally produced gut strings which led to the string maker’s craft being passed from generation to generation. Today, Moroccan gut strings, because of their traditional production methods, afford valuable insights into the history of sound production. Ideally adapted to the special requirements of European bowed instruments, these strings find favour with an increasing number of players of European Baroque music. |
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Videos
Watch: Dane Roberts (baroque orchestra Freiburg) about PURE CORDE
Watch: prearrangement of a "triple" string
Watch: Workshop
| VIOLIN | ||||
| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. |
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| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| a' | High twist gut |
0,82 mm |
0,86 mm |
0,90 mm |
| d' | High twist gut | 1,22 mm |
1,28 mm |
1,36 mm |
| g' | High twist gut | 1,84 mm |
1,92 mm |
2,04 mm |
| g' | Triple gut |
1,84 mm |
1,92 mm |
2,04 mm |
| VIOLA | ||||
| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. | ||||
| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| d' | High twist gut | 1,10 mm |
1,14 mm |
1,20 mm |
| g | High twist gut | 1,64 mm |
1,70 mm |
1,80 mm |
| c | High twist gut | 2,44 mm |
2,56 mm |
2,70 mm |
| c |
Triple gut | 2,44 mm |
2,56 mm |
2,70 mm |
| CELLO | ||||
| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. |
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| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| d | High twist gut | 1,68 mm |
1,74 mm |
1,86 mm |
| G | High twist gut | 2,50 mm |
2,62 mm |
2,78 mm |
| C | High twist gut | 3,74 mm |
3,92 mm |
4,16 mm |
| C | Triple gut | 3,74 mm | 3,92 mm | 4,16 mm |
| TREBLE VIOL | ||||
| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. | ||||
| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| e' | High twist gut | 0,94 mm |
0,98 mm |
1,04 mm |
| c' | High twist gut | 1,18 mm |
1,22 mm |
1,30 mm |
| g | High twist gut | 1,56 mm |
1,64 mm |
1,74 mm |
| d | High twist gut | 2,08 mm |
2,18 mm |
2,30 mm |
| d | Triple gut | 2,08 mm |
2,18 mm |
2,30 mm |
| TENOR VIOL |
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| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. | ||||
| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| a | High twist gut | 1,02 mm |
1,08 mm |
1,14 mm |
| f | High twist gut | 1,30 mm |
1,36 mm |
1,44 mm |
| c | High twist gut | 1,72 mm |
1,80 mm |
1,92 mm |
| G | High twist gut | 2,30 mm |
2,42 mm |
2,56 mm |
| G | Triple gut |
2,30 mm |
2,42 mm |
2,56 mm |
| BASS VIOL |
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| Equal Tension - Length: 120 cm. |
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| Key | Type | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| e | High twist gut | 1,20 mm |
1,26 mm |
1,34 mm |
| C | High twist gut | 1,52 mm |
1,58 mm |
1,68 mm |
| G | High twist gut | 2,02 mm |
2,12 mm |
2,24 mm |
| D | High twist gut | 2,70 mm |
2,82 mm |
3,00 mm |
| D | Triple gut | 2,70 mm |
2,82 mm |
3,00 mm |
