“LIVE” STRINGS: In this Elixir Strings audio file, you'll find the kind of vibrant, beautiful notes you'd expect to hear only from new strings. Complex overtones in the high frequencies make for a full, heavy and attractive sound.
“Dead” strings: Uncoated strings lose their vitality in a very short time due to dirt and corrosion. They are no longer able to vibrate freely, and their sound quality will suffer.
There are many signs that uncoated strings are dying. You'll notice rust, dust and dullness before you even play. But the most important test is to listen to the sound quality of the instrument. By looking at the chart above and listening to the accompanying audio examples, you can see and hear how new strings produce complex overtones, while dead strings sound lifeless due to reduced audio intensity.
You can choose to replace the strings after each performance to ensure sound quality, but this is a time consuming and expensive method. Of course, you can also choose to use Elixir sets. According to many famous musicians, Elixir strings last 3 to 5 times longer than non-coated strings.
