Silver String When it comes to violin strings, is silver or aluminum better?
I'm getting D'addario Zyex strings (synthetic) put on my violin soon, and I'd like to know if it's better to have aluminum or silver. I prefer a rich sound. Also, has anyone tried Thomastik's Special Program gold plated E string? Is it rich? I'd like to try it.
They're not that expensive. The Special Program E string is only $10. There are many differences between guitars and violins. Guitars don't have issues such as whiny strings, while violins do. Yes, the gold makes it sound better.
It's a matter of personal preference. Aluminum sounds great for the first week, but the sound starts to deteriorate fairly quickly. Silver has a slightly thicker sound, and being a less mealeable metal tends to keep its sound quality longer.
The gold E string is a nice idea if there's a particular performance you want to have a rich sound on the E string in the next 2-3 weeks. After that it's time to change the string again. They're the best sounding E strings I've ever heard, but they go bad very quickly.
No jewellery workbox is complete without a selection of silver findings. Essential to any form of jewellery making, silver findings are cheap, plentiful and have a huge range of applications in every aspect of the craft. Used in everything from earrings to broaches, bracelets, necklaces and rings, silver findings are a cheap alternative to gold, allowing everyone to explore the fascinating world of creating their own jewellery.
Silver findings also make it possible to incorporate other aspects into your designs such as the inclusion of precious and semi-precious gemstones. Jewellery making suppliers have catalogues full of silver findings specifically designed to take stones, ranging from pre-cut cabochons to unique, one-off designs that can be adapted to suit a specific stone. The reflection from the silver finding gives the stone added depth and warmth, particularly when working with more translucent stones such as opal or the ever-popular amber.
Silver findings also have an added advantage in that they can be worked and re-worked to create a specific effect. If the jeweller is unhappy with the final result, the stone can be removed easily and the silver finding adjusted to give a better fit or finish. Silver is harder than gold but does tend to scratch easily so it is essential that you use the correct equipment when working with silver findings to ensure that the surface of the metal is not damaged. Deep marks can be very difficult to polish out and may detract from the beauty of the final piece, especially if they are on an exposed surface.
For those who may be allergic to nickel coated findings, silver and in particular Sterling silver findings are a useful alternative as they rarely cause any form of allergic reaction with the skin. It does depend on the copper content of the finding, which if high can turn the skin a green colour, but by selecting good quality findings from a reputable supplier this problem can be easily avoided. Silver findings used in earrings are relatively cheap and easy to use, so it is worth the extra small expense in selecting these over nickel plated findings to ensure that your jewellery can be worn by everyone.
The tiniest finding in anyone's workbox is also the most useful - the humble jump ring. This circular ring, which is split to allow it to be linked to other findings, is used in almost every type of jewellery making, particularly in the manufacture of necklaces and bracelets. Its most usual application is to fix clasps to the ends of strings of beads or chains and means that bracelet and necklace lengths can be adjusted to various sizes. It is always advisable to silver solder the jump ring once it is in place to avoid it catching on a piece of clothing, for example, and opening up allowing the necklace or bracelet to separate.
Silver findings are readily available from all good jewellery making suppliers and a quick scan on the Internet will give you plenty to choose from in your area. However, if you're looking for more unusual findings, don't be afraid to hunt further afield to add a bit of adventurous flare to your designs.
About the Author
Adam Hunter - E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of jewellery making supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver findings
, tools, precious metal clay and gold and silver sheet - gold and silver. Contacts Adam Hunter E-commerce Marketing Manager Tel(DDI): +44 (0) 121 212 6491 E-mail: adam.hunter@cooksongold.com
Jazz Flatwound Whats the difference between a Roundwound and Flatwound bass strings?
are the two the only kind of bass strings?
what's the difference between them?
what would you recommend of a Jazz Bass? for a P Bass?
i personally use flatwounds
the way the strings are made is the diffrence one is slicker and the other is more ridged flatowounds are good for playing jazz bass becasue there slicker so you can do better slides and have faster left hand speed
the round wounds are wound with a round wire so they are bymbier the flat wounds made with a flat wire
review Paul Reed Smith PRS SE Custom Tremolo electric guitar
Covers Letters Can Give Life to a Resume
A resume is the single-most important document a job seeker can have. It's the key professional passport that's required for entry into a new position and sometimes a new career. However, resumes by themselves are lifeless without the accompaniment of a well-crafted cover letter. An apt term, cover letter, because it's designed to do more than physically cover the resume in mailed form; it's to cover those aspects of a job seeker's background that the resume will detail.
The cover letter is most effective when it introduces the job seeker to the reader. Like a sort of written handshake, the cover letter introduces the person, his credentials and desired direction for the future.
By presenting the person, the cover letter includes factual personal information such as name, address (usually home), business, cell and home telephone numbers and a personal email address (sometimes a business email address is listed).
I recommend a personal or home email address because they generally change less frequently than the business address. Also, by providing a home email address, the job seeker is giving the headhunter or potential employer a way to contact him privately and sometimes at a later date.
Conveys personality
A good cover letter will also reveal a snippet of information regarding the personality and possibly character of the writer. Depending on the writing style chosen by the candidate - formal, cookie-cutter, informal, friendly, chatty, conversational - the reader is able to gain some insight into the author of the letter. This preliminary process often helps narrow the list of those who may be pre-screened via phone or invited for in-person interviews.
The credentials portion of the letter is also a window into the mind of the writer. By emphasizing and highlighting select parts of his background, the job seeker is signaling the reader to look more closely at certain parts of his resume. It also should indicate in what direction the job seeker is heading. This helps the headhunter/employer to see how the job seeker perceives himself in relation to his peers.
The uninitiated might think that a person's experience and credentials are nothing more than a bunch of facts and dates in chronological order. It's the cover letter that summarizes and crystallizes what the writer feels about the most relevant parts of his background. Determining how a job seeker perceives himself, and the skills he brings to bear, is an integral part of the headhunter's job. We have to make sure that the candidates' perception of themselves will match ultimately with how they present themselves to our client.
Lastly, the direction in which a job seeker wants to go is critical to the entire job search process. The more clearly one expresses his aims, hopes, goals and direction, the smoother the process. A cover letter is the best place to state that direction.
One cannot speak about cover letters without emphasizing the need to use the spell and grammar check. Solid writing, good grammar and correct spelling and punctuation are the bedrocks of communication.
A most unusual approach
And from the folder labeled unusual cover letters and correspondence comes the following group that I've saved for just this type of occasion:
A cover letter typed neatly on the back of a postcard entitled: Where do I fit in the job market?
A one-page letter with an inset color photo of the candidate holding a basketball captioned: Pete Smith, World's Worst Basketball Player. The headline reads: He could never hit the J, but there are no Js in PR. The letter continues with references to his PR experience and analogies to basketball.
What's Halloween without a letter on bright orange paper titled: There'll be no tricks, only treats, if you can help me find a job!
Memorable stunts include one candidate who telegrammed a client following an interview: I have a great idea for your campaign. Hire me and I'll tell you what it is, AND another who sent a client a thank-you in the form of a wheel of Brie. Accompanying that was a note that began, I just wanted to thank the big cheese himself...
Jane Doe Up for Grabs screams another letter. It then goes on to describe how this freelancer promises to dress in professional attire (including pantyhose); how her cats went nuts with her credit cards and how she yearns for the normal life of a full-time job.
And finally, one helpful soul who visited Spring Associates' website wrote: In order to be taken seriously as the leading PR Executive Search firm, proof read you (sic) home page. There is a misspelled word Associates in the first paragraph. Thanks. And thank you!
These letters may not have gotten the writers the intended result - a job, but they certainly gave me a chuckle and got my attention. Do they really work? You be the judge.
About the Author
Spring Associates, Inc. is arguably the most imitated search firm in public relations. Dennis Spring created his firm in 1980. In addition to executive search services, the company also handles communications audits, mergers and acquisitions, client/agency reviews and PR agency selection searches.
Dennis Spring has served on the Management Boards of the New York chapters of the IABC, The Publicity Club, and the International Committee of the PRSA. He has also spoken before numerous professional organizations and appeared on national TV and radio interview programs.
His writing credits include ad hoc and regular columns on subjects about the PR industry and various career issues, with articles appearing in PR News, Public Relations Journal, PR Services Magazine, PR Business and PR Week.
Spring Associates was the FIRST to compile and publish The Official PR Salary & Bonus Report. Considered by many as the industry standard for accurate and reliable salary, bonus and PR agency hourly billing rates. The Report has been published annually since 1996.
