Re: Amplifying Violins

[Huppert23 <Huppert23...>]

In a message dated 12/5/00 9:24:35 AM, rushefsky_p (at) 
univerahealthcare(dot)org 
writes:

<< Can anyone offer advice or point me to a source of information on 
amplifying
violins?-- more interested in an acoustic sound rather than purchasing an
electric violin.
 >>

Hi Pete,
I don't have a real good answer but I can tell you a couple of things I have 
learned the hard way.
What works best really depends on the situation. If you are playing acoustic 
music and you just want a little more volume--sound reinforcement, as they 
say--I like a good old fashioned microphone on a boom stand. You can get a 
good quality sound, and the best part is that you can move towards the mic or 
away from it, depending on how loud you want to be.
There are the little mics that you can attach to your fiddle. Lots of people 
use them, but  for my money, they have a few drawbacks.
1) You can't move away from the mic when you want.
2)You are wired up to something, either that or it's wireless, which has lots 
of problems too.
3) That thing is right in front of your face, so it can pick up unwanted 
sounds like breathing or embarassing comments about the chick in the third 
row, or the jerk playing the tsimbl
4) they cost money.
On the other hand, they do let you move around the stage while you play, 
which is nice.

Another situation is where it's really loud, and feedback is a problem. 
That's when a pickup is good. I have an L.R. Baggs pickup, which is actually 
a bridge with the pickups built in. It sounds pretty good, but you have to 
use a preamp. I believe this is true with any pickup, they sound bad without 
a preamp.
Of course the pickup will never sound as natural as a good mic, but when it's 
that loud, you can't tell the difference anyway. Of course, noone would ever 
play Jewish music that loud.

Good luck, 
Josh Huppert

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