Tapehead
Member
Some additional technical comments about boiling strings:
1. Elevation affects the boiling point of water. Thus you can expect different-sounding strings depending on whether you live in Mexico City or New Orleans.
2. Hard water: additional calcium in water is shown to add a certain smoothness to the tone, which some describe as "milky" smooth
3. Type of pan: iron pots will tend to add elemental iron to the water, which uniquely prepares your strings for that desired "metal" sound. Glass pans on the other hand definitely sound more transparent.
4. Last but not least, the length of the boiling session warrants consideration. If you prefer your strings "al dente" for a somewhat harder tone, 5-7 minutes should suffice. For a softer, more pliable tone, go for 12-15 minutes.
I would hate to conclude my comments without mentioning another important item--the leftover water. It is quite tasty, particularly with the addition of a bouillon cube and some parsley. Nutritious too. Great for those late night recording sessions.
1. Elevation affects the boiling point of water. Thus you can expect different-sounding strings depending on whether you live in Mexico City or New Orleans.
2. Hard water: additional calcium in water is shown to add a certain smoothness to the tone, which some describe as "milky" smooth
3. Type of pan: iron pots will tend to add elemental iron to the water, which uniquely prepares your strings for that desired "metal" sound. Glass pans on the other hand definitely sound more transparent.
4. Last but not least, the length of the boiling session warrants consideration. If you prefer your strings "al dente" for a somewhat harder tone, 5-7 minutes should suffice. For a softer, more pliable tone, go for 12-15 minutes.
I would hate to conclude my comments without mentioning another important item--the leftover water. It is quite tasty, particularly with the addition of a bouillon cube and some parsley. Nutritious too. Great for those late night recording sessions.