String tension is the measurement of how hard a string is pressed to achieve its desired pitch. When your strings finally finish their mission, and you are finding new strings for replacement, a dilemma between choosing normal tension strings and hard tension strings may make you hesitate before purchasing the most suitable strings.
In guitar playing terms, tension refers to the effort it takes for you to strum your guitar. The weight of the pick, the thickness of strings, and their tension – all play a role in how hard you must work when playing music on your instrument.
Choosing between hard and normal-tension strings is a real struggle for newbies. Continue reading if you're looking for more in-depth information on the reasons why a guitarist would want to play with normal or hard strings.
Classification of Strings Based on Tension
Normal-tension
Normal guitar strings are used for rhythm playing and add a bright and shimmery tone to the song, causing it to sound richer in overtones. They have more volume than other kinds of guitar strings, but they move more loosely around the fret, making them easier on fingertips - this is why they are best for beginners who use guitars more sporadically.
Hard tension
Hard tension strings are a bit harder to push down on the fingerboard (or fretboard) but generally speaking. They're not so hard that it is impossible to play with them. Their sound tends to be slightly duller, but higher tension strings are louder overall. With low action, this amplified loudness more than makes up for any possible loss in clarity of tone that comes with using high-tension strings.
Top 6 Differences between Normal and Hard Tension Strings
The thickness of the string
The thickness of the string is to do with the normal and hard tension strings offered by the manufacturer. If analyzing the thickness of the strings between normal and hard strings of the same brand, the difference is obvious. Hard strings are thicker and offer more tension than normal strings.
Strength of plucking
Hard tension strings classical guitar feels completely different compared to the normal one. The former’s strings are physically harder to press down against the fretboard. Even though they are harder to press than low tension strings, you may not notice this extra effort when you play. On the other hand, persisting with high tension strings can strengthen your left hand and give you a higher volume.
Buzz sound
If you have a stronger hand, hard tension strings are worth the investment. They do not buzz sounds even on heavier hands. However, normal tension strings cause a buzzing sound with heavier hands. On the contrary, the tight strings are tolerant to the aggressive touch, so hard tension strings are the savior for those who prefer hard touch.
Resistance
Hard tension strings are tighter and require more force to play. In contrast, the normal tension strings are lighter to play. As the hard tension makes the resistance more prominent and can hinder the guitar play, normal tension strings are preferable for those who like slight or less resistance.
Vibrato
Vibrato is the tone color that is most prominent and strongest for a guitarist's palette. Normally vibrato generates on a classical guitar by rolling the hard finger and varying the string tension. It means that for vibrato, normal tension strings are more sensitive than hard tension strings.
Tone
String tension plays a vital role in the tone and volume of the sound. Normal-tension strings produce sharp sound initially, which will settle down later. In contrast, hard tension strings produce a consistent tone and minimize pitch blends.
Choosing Alice AC139 for Normal and Hard Tension
Alice offers AC139, a complete solution for your guitar's normal and hard tension strings. It is a production marvel with an automatic winding machine for consistent performance and quality. If you are finding the best nylon strings for classical guitar, nothing beats Alice AC139. It produces clear notes, small dampening, and an anti-rusting coating that best suits your needs for a long time playing.
Conclusion
We hope this article can help you identify the top 6 differences between hard tension strings guitar and normal ones. Each has its benefits and downsides that depend on your play type and what you want to achieve. Alice is a top brand in manufacturing both hard tension strings and normal ones on their quality focus automatic machines. We offer more than 2000 products and accessories related to guitars and other instruments, and you can find your most satisfying ones among them!
FAQs
Hard tension strings are tighter and require more force to play. In contrast, the normal tension strings are lighter to play. As the hard tension makes the resistance more prominent and can hinder the guitar play, normal tension strings are preferable for those who like slight or less resistance.
What is the difference between hard tension and normal tension guitar strings? ›
High tension
Also called "hard tension", it features strong tension. The sound does not easily get muddy even with strong strokes, and a sound with a core is obtained. Compared to low tension and normal tension, they do not respond well to delicate performances.
What are the 6 different guitar strings? ›
The guitar has 6 strings. Listed from low to high, the guitar string notes are: E, A, D, G, B, E. To help memorize these string names, there are a couple of sayings that we can use: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie or Eat A Dead Grasshopper Before Everything.
What is the difference between high tension and medium strings? ›
High tension strings (strong) tend to provide a greater volume and improved projection. They amplify the ground tone of the sound, to the detriment of the higher harmonics. On the opposite, medium and soft strings are often used for instruments in need of a broader harmonic spectrum.
How is the difference between low and high tension on classical guitar? ›
What is the difference between the different kinds of string tensions (on a classical guitar)? Basically lower string tensions are easier to play and sustain longer, while high are harder to play and produce a louder attack- also there is a theory that higher can sound better.
What does higher tension strings do? ›
The higher your string tension, the more control you'll have on your shots. The looser your string tension, the more power you'll get on each shot.
How does string tension affect guitar? ›
A higher tension or tighter string means a high pitch or shrillness. A low tension means a low pitch. Thickness of a string and the tension in which it is held mainly determines the pitch of the string.
What is string 6 on A guitar? ›
The thickest string is called the 6th string. In standard guitar tuning, this is tuned to E and is often referred to as the "low E string," meaning the lowest note you can play.
What instrument has only 6 strings? ›
Guitars typically have six strings. Each string has a different thickness. Starting from the thinnest string, the strings are called string 1, string 2, and so on, up until string 6.
Do guitars have 6 or 7 strings? ›
7-string guitars tend to be somewhat more expensive than their 6-string counterparts due to the added complexity and materials. Try Before You Buy: If possible, try both 6-string and 7-string guitars in a music store to get a feel for their playability and sound.
Hard tension strings are a bit harder to push down on the fingerboard (or fretboard) but generally speaking. They're not so hard that it is impossible to play with them. Their sound tends to be slightly duller, but higher tension strings are louder overall.
What are the 3 different types of strings? ›
Although strings are made from a wide variety of materials, the three most common are nylon, polyester and the serous membrane of cow intestines.
What are the pros and cons of high string tension? ›
A higher tension will provide more power and control only if you can consistently hit the sweet spot. The downside is that the strings will likely break if you miss the sweet spot.
What is the difference between hard strings and soft strings? ›
The “hard” gives a strong, loud sound with an edge to it. “Soft” gives an almost muted sound, with no real edge, and noticeably less volume at its maximum possible. “Medium” is just that; somewhat more edge and volume than “soft”, and less than “hard”.
Is low tension or high tension better? ›
Higher the the tension - a smaller sweet spot on the racket, better control, lesser repulsion. Lower the tension - bigger sweet spot, better repulsion, lesser control. For the same string.
Are low tension guitar strings easier to play? ›
On other guitars, high tension could choke the top and inhibit some of the nuance in the sound. Higher tension can give you a wider dynamic range. In terms of playability, lower tension is easier to play, but some find it too loose which can be problematic if you have low action or have a strong right hand attack.
What is the recommended guitar string tension? ›
Short Scale - . 34.0lbs Medium Scale - 35.7lbs Long Scale - 40.3lbs Extra Long Scale - 45.2lbs As you can see for the exact same string gauge, tuned to the exact same pitch, the tension varies depending on the scale length of the instrument.
Does string tension really matter? ›
One of the most important roles of string tension is its ability to provide power to a player's shots. Higher string tension allows the strings to store more energy and transfer it to the ball upon impact.
