Do you avoid playing open strings whenever possible?

[muffinbutton]

I play deathcore and other -core stuff. So yeah. I use them a lot. I also have a locking nut, so it sounds the same.

 

[purg3be]

I love the bottom strings played open but I try to avoid the higher ones. You can put so much more feels in fretted notes plus you can actually bend strings.

 

[farren]

As AugmentedFourth wrote, for string players, intonation is a concern. As far as I know (not being a string player, but knowing a few and having to deal with them on occasion), open strings are encouraged to check intonation.

I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).

I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.

 

[Jzbass25]

I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).

I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.

It's definitely more emphasized to close notes on violin than it is on bass and even cello. I can't really say for viola since I've never played it but I could ask a friend who plays.

Some people even on fretted instruments like bass dislike using open strings, hence (as others said) that's why the zero fret is around. Phil Lesh said don't play open strings unless you mean it, which I can agree with depending on situation, back to my earlier post it is all situational for me no matter what instrument. Yes violin you do close the notes more often because you want more control over the shrillness and usually violin is trying to sing a melody which can call for vibrato and other lyrical touches to the string that you can't really get with open strings.

Personally though on guitar I love open strings, not even that, I love slight clashing which open and fretted notes can do. Vai does it with some of his bigger chords and I love the sound, Boston Rain melody and his new Album has some good examples of what I'm talking about.

 

[celticelk]

I love the bottom strings played open but I try to avoid the higher ones. You can put so much more feels in fretted notes plus you can actually bend strings.

There are a number of Tele players who would offer an alternative opinion on the bendability of open strings. =)

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).

I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.

Makes sense. It's probably more of an issue for beginning students to train their ear than it is for professionals who are trying to make the best interpretation they can.

 

[farren]

Makes sense. It's probably more of an issue for beginning students to train their ear than it is for professionals who are trying to make the best interpretation they can.

Yeah, in the beginning it's certainly okay to sacrifice consistency of timbre by using the open strings as reference pitches so as to ensure you're actually playing in tune.

 

[Hyacinth]

I do neither. I don't avoid them and I don't go nuts with them. When the part calls for it, I'll use them. It's as simple as that.

 

[Curt]

I don't avoid them unless I need the timbre to be consistent. So in heavy riffing, no I don't. But in soloing or higher on the board, Yes.