Comparable in sound to gut, without gut's disadvantages.
Dominant series viola strings are one of the most widely used synthetic strings, Thomastik Dominant strings have a highly flexible, multi-strand nylon core that is comparable in sound and feel to natural gut. They cater to artists who feel uncomfortable with steel strings. The resounding success of the Dominant string owes a lot to its similarity in tone and response to gut strings, without gut's inherent drawbacks.
The sound of the Dominant string is full and mellow, yet rich in overtones. Its radiance, its ability to project sound without being metallic, comes to the fore both in arco and pizzicato. Other advantages are Dominant's effortless response to intricate fingering and its tuning stability even under extreme atmospheric conditions. But Dominant's beauty of tone is not as long lasting as that of a steel string, a price the discerning musician will be prepared to pay for this quality of sound. Dominant strings should be changed at appropriate intervals to ensure continuity of tone color.
The sound of the Dominant string is full and mellow, yet rich in overtones. Its radiance, its ability to project sound without being metallic, comes to the fore both in arco and pizzicato. Other advantages are Dominant's effortless response to intricate fingering and its tuning stability even under extreme atmospheric conditions. But Dominant's beauty of tone is not as long lasting as that of a steel string, a price the discerning musician will be prepared to pay for this quality of sound. Dominant strings should be changed at appropriate intervals to ensure continuity of tone color.