V.com weekend vote: Have you tried playing an electric violin?
Over the weekend I attended the annual NAMM Show - the giant gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants at Anaheim Convention Center - and wow, I saw a lot of electric violins.
I am a classical violinist who plays on an acoustic instrument that is 200+ years old, and I completely love that. However, I do live in the 21st century and have wide-ranging musical tastes. I find the whole world of electric violins intriguing and full of possibility. But it's also a little overwhelming! When it comes to all the possibilities around effects, sound technology and amplification, I can start to feel out of my depth if I am talking to a true gearhead.
Here I am with violinist Rob Flax - trying out 3DVarius electric violins at last year's NAMM Show.
There are so many kinds of electrics - Yamaha's YEV and Silent violins, the Viper (one of the first, developed by the rock violinist Mark Wood), Volta (which I just saw at NAMM), 3DVarius (which you see in this picture of me, from last year's NAMM show), to name just a few.
Being around all these electrics, I wondered, how many of my friends at Violinist.com have delved into this world? Or even just put a toe in the water?
I have put a toe in the water, but still don't play an electric violin with any frequency.
From going to these shows, I have had the chance to try out a few of these instruments. And it's a nice way to do it, surrounded by people who know how to set up all the technology! I've also tried them at places like Metzler Violin Shop, which held a workshop about them a few years back. And, a number of years ago I purchased a YEV, so I actually do own a five-string, but it still remains new to me - I have not played it much.
Have you ever tried an electric violin? Was it at a shop, or show, or maybe someone else's instrument? What kind have you tried? Do you actually own an electric violin and play it regularly? What kind is it? What are your thoughts about it? Or maybe you have never played a designated electric violin, but you have amplified an acoustic violin for shows. Or, perhaps you have never played an electric violin. If so, are you curious? Would you enjoy trying one, if presented the chance? Or are you pretty happy to play an acoustic violin?
Please participate in the vote, checking off which option best represents your experience, and then share your thoughts in the comments.
And by the way, I'll share all our coverage of the NAMM Show in a post later this week!
You might also like:
- A closer look at electric violins
- A Sneak Peek at the New Yamaha Electric Violin
- Setting up my Yamaha Electric Violin, on a budget
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As so often happens in these "weekend votes," none of your categories fits my case. I've owned electric violins in the past, but I sold them in a downsizing purge. I had a 4-string Mark Wood Viper, which I found to be clunky and awkward, though there are adherents of those who think they're the best thing out there. They certainly have a "cool" factor in the visual department, if that's what you're after. And I had a 4-string Yamaha YEV, which I kind of liked, but I guess not enough to keep it. In my own experience, an acoustic violin with a good pickup, like a Baggs, essential EQ, and an amplifier designed for acoustic instruments creates a far more violinistic sound than any of the electrics I had. And I guess that's really what I was after. I suppose in the final analysis I'm not adventurous enough to find all the effects processors interesting, of which I had several and also sold. It seems to me that overwhelmingly, professional violinists playing in amplified settings use acoustic violins with a pickup, and also overwhelmingly, that pickup tends to be a Baggs.
I was seduced by the looks of the YEV4 but failed to find anything I could "do" with it so now it hangs on the wall alongside a much older electric viola that Yamaha created by adding length to the neck of their previous silent violin. Without resorting to twiddling the knobs the tonal range of any electric violin is very restricted as compared with an acoustic. They undoubtedly have a niche, but not one I can discover much interest for in myself.
I have played both violin and viola into a microphone, but I'm not sure that that counts. I think that perhaps once or twice I may have had something actually attached to my bridge. Nothing of the sort happens at the moment in any of the churches in which i play.
Many people who try electric violins are interested in amplifying or muting an acoustic violin. If that is all you are looking for, then an acoustic with a pickup or mute may be a better fit.
However, if you approach the electric violin as it's own instrument, rather than as an amplified violin, you will begin to see more of its potential. It can have a much larger range than an acoustic instrument, as it's body does not have to amplify the sound. It can produce a wide range of timbres.
I would encourage people to try them and see what new music they can create with it. However, if your goal is just to play Beethoven, then the electric violin may not be the best choice
I bought a Fishman V200 pickup to electrify my existing violin. This pickup works very well. I do recommend getting a pre-amp (I use something home-built), and the Fishman pre-amp and Loudbox amplifiers are very good quality.
I've played some jazz gigs with a group featuring an all-Brazilian book. Great fun. Also on the advice of Christian Howes I bought an effects device, the Boss ME-80. That's been a great deal of fun to play with.
I have not used the electric-only version of a violin, but I have used the Baggs bridge and the earlier Barcus-Berry bridge pick-up. I don't like the sound quality of any of them. What works best, in my opinion, is to use both the microphone and the pick-up. The microphone allows for greater control of volume and balance, you move in and out of the mike. Microphone alone causes feed-back problems when you are trying to be as loud as the other amplified instruments in a band. And the microphone lets you be one of the singers.
One of my former students uses the Yamaha YEV-5 (the five string version of the electric violin) for musical theater work. Excellent for small pits, and one can cover a variety of parts for both violin and viola when needed.
Laurie: You forgot one voting option:
O - It turns me on, so I'm switching to it.
I bought a Yamaha electric viola a few years ago, to save my wife hearing my quite loud old viola all the time. I am still trying various electronic effects, but they have pretty limited use for me.
I have experimented with different string combinations to get the most natural viola sound possible, played through my old Clavinova piano, which has six good speakers built in. Most good amps are too loud for our living space, so the piano or GarageBand on the computer keep the volume under control. I use a good pernambuco bow. I hate that buzzy electric sound.Playing unamplified ("Silent Viola") does help spare my wife when she's home.
However there is nothing like playing my old viola and feeling the whole combination of spruce and maple resonating in my hands and hearing the richness of the tones!
Also, it takes some extra practice to switch between the two violas because the notes are in very slightly different spots.
I bought mine as a travelling companion. I can practice in a hotel room without fear of disturbing the neighbours. It also doesn't care about humidity and temperature changes,and I don't have to worry about customs officers and cites infringements. Always happy to get home to the real thing, but my electric has been a good friend all over Europe and North America.
I've looked with interest at various electric violins, but never felt the need to get one myself. If I did get one, I'd be tempted to try combinations of music - eg, Bach, Coltrane and Jimi Hendrix - or join an electric folk ensemble and play Vivaldi fills and Beethoven riffs in Bluegrass-Rock tunes ...
I think a bit of studying the history of electric violins helps a great deal towards appreciating more what you might find under your fingers...
Standard in the traditional classical profession of "acoustic" violin to explore earlier works and techniques, I'm sure there's a whole discussion thread possible on the virtues & pitfalls of exploring the past. I'm simply of the firm belief that building an understanding of where, when and how the bowed electric string appeared, who has been involved in developing it, the successes & failures and who has played these "new" instruments is crucial to getting the most out of any electric violin.
If you are really interested, cast your search back well before the 1980s. There's a wealth of excellent players and all sorts of hybrid instruments to be found in the 1960s, even earlier if you look deep enough.
e.g. Leo Fender was already working on an electric violin before Nigel Kennedy was born.
I voted "I own one but don't play it often" since I have an excellent electric violin, a Mark Wood 6-string Viper.
Back in 2009 I was on vacation in North Carolina. I am Danish so it was far from home. In North Carolina in Durham you can find the "Electric Violin Shop". My vacation was in Boone. The road distance from Boone to Durham is 166.4 miles. so it was not at the same neighbourhood but still within a realistic distance.
The idea of getting a Viper had been in my mind for a couple of years, so now there was a chance to get one by visiting the Electric Violin Shop. They had a very nice 6-string Viper in stock. It is with frets and although I would prefer one without frets I bought it.
You can say that it is a pity that I don't play it often, but I have had some great experiences with the instrument.
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January 28, 2024 at 11:48 PM · My daughter lives with me and has a difficult time with my practicing. I discovered that playing my Yamaha Silent violin without any amplification works quite well and I can move between it and an acoustic instrument without much difficulty.