Electric / acoustic violins

Subject: Electric / acoustic violins
From: Pauline L
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 12:42 AM

I have a new student who has an acoustic / electric violin, so I need to learn about it quickly. I've already read some discussions on the subject elsewhere on this site and on the Internet, and what I have learned is mainly techie stuff. Now I'd like to learn about the esthetic considerations of the sounds you can produce on an electric violin. Obviously, it can be amped to play louder than an acoustic, but there must be other, more musical considerations. What kind of music would you use an electric violin for? What special effects would be useful for what kind of music? I don't need to know so much *what* can be done but *why*, musically, you would do these things.

Subject: RE: Electric / acoustic violins
From: GUEST,Mooh
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 08:38 AM

Years ago Jean-Luc Ponty defined electric violin to me, as did Nash The Slash, two widely different approaches to the form. I'm sure Google would turn up something about these two if you're interested.

I regularly play with a violinist/fiddler who once in a while pulls out her Yamaha electric for volume purposes, she sounds much the same as when playing her acoustic violin. Some of the overtones get lost in amplification I think, and maybe some of the "feel" nuances, but she doesn't otherwise change what she does or how she plays. On the amplification end we'll add some reverb, and it might be fun to run it through my digital multi-effects for chorus and distortion, but it would likely just get all processed sounding.

If I were to go electric (God help us all if I do, I'm a lousy fiddler), I'd likely choose a spacier repertoire, jazz/rock, or blues.

For what it's worth.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Electric / acoustic violins
From: Jess A
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 10:03 AM

would be worth taking a look at http://www.fiddleforum.com/fiddleforum/index.php as that's a really friendly place with lots of electric fiddle players.
My 2p worth - you might use an electric rather than acoustic fiddle for the same reasons you might choose to use an electric rather than acoustic guitar. My experience of playing an electric fiddle is that if you simply want a loud/amplified acoustic sound then then are ways to mic an acoustic fiddle that might work better then using an electric - beacuse an electric is a different beast to an acoustic and doesn't behave the same way. Mooh is right, overtones & nuances do get lost (partly because you don't get the same dynamic range - you can't get the extremes of loud & quietness). The times I've seen electric fiddles used to best effect have been when a lot of electronic wizardry has been used to enhance the sound. Try getting hold of a recording of Ed Alleyne-Johnson (sp?). Basically, the gadgetry allows new avenues to be explored and can more than make up for the things that are lost. I don't think its better or worse, just different.

That said, I'm mainly talking about purely elecectric fiddles. For an acoustic/electric it may be that it's closer to an acoustic, although I'd still argue that if all you want is loudness& amplification then a microphone would be a better option.

Jess

Subject: RE: Electric / acoustic violins
From: fiddler
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 10:21 AM

Anything you cna do on an acoustic you should be able to do on an electric but an electric also has the advantage of being able to link to effects, midi and allsorts of other things, the limitation really is only the user and their technical as well as musical ability.

Andy

Subject: RE: Electric / acoustic violins
From: Inukshuk
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 08:48 PM

I love my electric fiddle. Just plug in the earphones and play anywhere. Bother nobody. Mostly I chord guitar for a traditional fiddler. We are both getting on in years and have found that electric is a whole lot less demanding than acoustic or miked acoustic. Nowadays we reserve our acoustic instruments for kitchens and campfires, otherwise we play our Yamaha (Silents) through Marshall amps designed for acoustic instruments. Nice genuine sound and a whole lot less wear and tear on the musicians.