Transformed on the Mountain: Ministry Leader's Handbook - Paperbackby Marcella Reid Figueroa (Author) Tension is a term musicians often use to describe the condition of the strings on instruments like the violin, the cello, the harp or the guitar. Musicians know that the tone or pitch produced by the instrument is greatly affected by the tension of the strings carrying the sound. The outcome of good tension is good sounding music while bad tension produces sour, flat, or sharp sounds that are unpleasant to listen to.