My violin has steel strings on it. (I don`t know what brand, they were on the violin when I got it.) I`ve been finding lately that the tone they produce is too harsh for my liking.
Would gut strings help with this? If so, what is a good brand to get?

Gut is very specialist. If you mean gut covered with metal, then yes, but they have their own problems. A synthetic string would probably be better.

Different strings suit different violins. Does your violin have a brand name?

Liz

I think you meant gut core strings, but it`s your choice.

You should still try a synthetic string before gut. Take a shot at Obligato. Dominant won`t get you anywhere.

How can you tell what kind of strings you have? I have no idea wbat kinds of strings are on my instrument, and it doesn`t say so on the packaging either.

If it`s a factory violin bought as it was (rather than from a specialist shop) it will have factory strings on.

Liz

Dominants work very well indeed for some violins, mainly good quality ones. In my experience they do very little for Chinese violins or modern german ones.

Liz

Something that might help you identify strings: http://www.quinnviolins.com/qv_stringidsearch.shtml

I think I did mean gut core strings; I just couldn`t think of the name of them. I think I also meant to say gut core or synthetic.

uhh try

pirastro tonica... synthetics i think... they also have olive strings and gold plated strings but those are so expensive. the gold ones have a nice sound though.

d`addario zyex? those are synthetic

oh and i kinda like dominants, they are nice.