Play high notes in low positions with new ultra-high five-string violin, viola and cello

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Francisco Alía presents a new line of instruments with a fifth string to enable performers to play high notes in lower positions

Ultra-high violin, viola and violoncello

Alía instruments are a range of five-stringed violins, violas and cellos with an additional ultra-high string to play high notes more easily.

The additional string is tuned one octave or one fifth above the regular E or A string. The violin has an E6 or B5 string, i.e, one octave or one fifth above the regular E string. The viola and the cello have an A5 or A4 string respectively, one octave higher than the first string of the regular (four-stringed) instrument.

The string tuned one octave higher allows the player to keep familiar fingerings and to read music in the same way as with a conventional high string, but with the instrument sounding one octave higher. The violin B5 string keeps the series of fifths. The latter works great also for fiddles and folk music, as well as for electric violins.

Additionally, the bridge and the nut may have a special design that keeps the location of the four conventional strings as in a regular four-string instrument, to play without a noticeable difference (see picture).

Alía instruments are full-sized instruments that keep all the possibilities of the four-string counterparts and designed so they can be played normally by anyone.

Open strings

The violin has an E6 string (~1320 Hz), in addition to the regular E5, A4, D4 and G3 strings.
The violin-fiddle has a B5 string (~990 Hz), in addition to the regular E5, A4, D4 and G3 strings.
The viola has an A5 string (~880 Hz), in addition to the regular A4, D4, G3 and C3 strings.
The cello has an A4 string (~440 Hz), in addition to the regular A3, D3, G2 and C2 strings.

Technology

The core of the technology is to find the right material. In general, the higher and longer the string is, the more resistant and lighter the material must be.

Materials commonly used in strings for bowed instruments, such as nylon or steel, would break if used for ultra-high strings. These require materials such as Kevlar or Dyneema, with outstanding resistance to density ratio.

Note that the tension of the ultra-high is kept in normal values thanks to its density and diameter.

Purchasing, patent and licenses

The instruments are not yet on sale. Two prototypes, which are available for testing, have been made to demonstrate the concept.

The technology is protected under European patent. Licenses for manufacturing the instruments and their components, as well as rights to patent in other territories, are offered.

Francisco Alía will attend Cremona Musica 2024 and will be available to discuss business opportunities.

Please contact Francisco at: francisco@instrumentosalia.es

More information

These videos showcase the prototypes:

General presentation and violin with E6 string