Skill transfer from acoustic and electric violin.

July 5, 2016 at 08:19 AM · practicing an electric violin will only make you a better electric violin player. A few years ago I was without an acoustic for about 1.5 years, but I had a Yamaha SV. When I finally did get another acoustic, it took me quite a while to get my acoustic chops back. EV's are easier to play, especially the bowing. IMO, the skills built from practicing an acoustic are NOT the same as practicing an electric.

...which is your priority...acoustic is harder to control...unless you are planning to join a band, my advice would be to get comfortably good on an acoustic first. Sure, electrics are loads of fun, but they can seduce you into a false sense of competency.

July 5, 2016 at 09:35 AM · @ Dave

I think that is very excellent advice. Although I have a very limited amount of playing EV, that is also my experience. And obviously Dave knows about this from his vast experience of both types of violin.

July 5, 2016 at 09:43 AM · Do not buy an electric violin. As has already been pointed out, they are much easier to play. This is not what you want at the beginner stage.

I bought my electric violin to practise at night using headphones but it just sits in its case now. It is too easy to sound good on an electric violin : you think you are making progress but you are not.

July 5, 2016 at 02:27 PM · It seems you are asking whether you should buy an amplified acoustic rather than a solid body electric? For those that don’t know, that is an acoustic violin with a pickup. Well, one thing to consider is whether it is fully acoustic as some electric acoustics are built to have less resonance so that they do not suffer from feedback at high volumes. I can’t think of makers offhand but maybe someone else can.

You do of course have the option of having a pickup installed on an acoustic. This is a good option for somebody wanting to get into the electric violin world.

The second part of your question - are the skills the same? Intonation, certainly. The main difference is that acoustic players are very concerned about projection and of course this is not an issue on an electric. An electric will, paradoxically, allow you to play quieter. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I can think of singers I like (Astrud Gilberto comes to mind) who sing very softly and intimately into a microphone compared to an opera singer that has to fill a concert hall acoustically. I feel that some nuances are lost for the sake of projection. You still can develop tone on an electric and you certainly need it.

It was raised that an electric can make you sound better than you are. Maybe if you use reverb or some such effect then it may cover up some imperfections but I guess the same could be said for playing in a concert hall with good acoustics. A good acoustic violin can make you sound better in many cases but again it’s not discouraged. In my experience, an electric, or even an amplified acoustic can be pretty unforgiving without any effects. It works the other way - you can’t play an amplified like an acoustic for the most part. Today’s musician has to be adaptable. No reason why you can’t practice both, just as many guitarists have no issue going between electric and acoustic.

Playing amplified is certainly a skill in itself and one that is very useful for the modern musician. Playing amplified enables you to play with loud instruments like trumpets and drums, giving you access to other styles of music. Sometimes it’s just a fact of life to be heard at a function gig with crowd noise and the like. There is a tendency for violinists to think in terms of what you will need as a soloist in Carnegie Hall. Not reality for most of us… If you are an amateur and playing electric gives you more pleasure and encourages you to play more then by all means do what inspires you. If you are a professional or aspiring professional then the majority of you will probably encounter the need for amplification at some point. Knowing how to play electric/electric acoustic/miked is essential and a skill you should have if you seriously want to have consistent performing work.

July 6, 2016 at 05:49 AM · Christopher: Although it wasn't quite clear, I presumed the OP was talking about a solid body or Yamaha sv style. Putting a pick up on an acoustic is a whole 'nuther story.

I have a Barcus Berry acoustic electric. unplugged it sounds quite thin, but that translates into a focused, natural violin sound when amplified. However, it still feels more like an EV than an acoustic.

obviously, the best scenario would be to have both a good acoustic and electric and practice both. For me, I would want to be able to play a 'real' violin as well as possible.

...or put it this way, if you can play an acoustic, you shouldn't have much trouble playing an electric.

I think most electric players use reverb and delay to varying degrees.

July 6, 2016 at 01:19 PM · @Dave and Kelly

Yes, that was exactly my concern. I didn't want to fall into a false sense of competence on an acoustic violin if electric violins were different or easier.

I'll treat acoustic and electric violin playing as related but, not identical skill sets. Thanks.

July 6, 2016 at 04:13 PM · Another alternative is to get a good acoustic violin and put a good pick-up on it. I have a Realist, which is a thin strip that lays under the bridge and picks up vibrations from both the bridge and the body. It made no noticeable change in the acoustic sound, and I can now plug in on a side mounted fitting when I play with a band. I love it.

July 6, 2016 at 05:24 PM · I regularly alternate between electric and acoustic violin.

Play electric on my lab rooftop with the amp inside a telescope dome, making the whole dome as my acoustic amplifier in a way.

I play my acoustic at home, in my room, and in the basement parking lot.

Key things to note:

1. It is easier to play with Electric than Acoustic

-in terms of how accurate your fingerings are

-in terms of how much clumsy bowing that it absorbs because not ALL vibrations transfer to the pickup on the bridge.

2. Due to the above, playing Electric violin build bad habits.

3. It varies on electric violins but vibrato sounds.. electric, and I don't like it.

If your eventual goal is to play well on acoustic, keep playing acoustic.

If you just want something to play with anywhere/everywhere you go to, something less vulnerable to damage, go for electric, but remember, the difference is like a horse and zebra.

July 8, 2016 at 06:49 AM · Impressive, Nice guide, Liked the suggestions here.

July 8, 2016 at 08:05 AM · Christian, I extensively searched for possibly good and affordable pickups, and this is what I have found:

http://www.electricviolinshop.com/pickups-and-microphones/kremona-violin-pickup-with-1-4-carpenter-jack.html

Also, please note that I specifically looked for something I have now, a cheap shadow, but with a jack-holder at the body-side. I dislike other constructions, because either they look ugly, or alter the acoustic properties somehow (like fitting the transducer *under* the bridge.

My current shadow is very good, the only problem that arose was that it holds the jack with strapers. That was 20 bucks, this is almost a 100, so it must be much better regarding to sound too, since it looks like a credible advertisement, and not what AMD did (now they have 42 cores in a CPU, which is an obviously false marketing). Got to believe what they say.

Another thing, is that You would really need a decent acoustic. My luthier makes excellent violins, not a strad, but looks characteristically precise and good looking in terms of geometry, and have amazing sound, even only after a few years. Another luthier I know in Budapest could also build one, and they would charge something between 3000-5000 euros (no case, no bow, just the strings and the sound).

I am not sure about how much time it takes.

Hey Cynthia :)

best,k