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Electric Violin signal path suggestions

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Eric Christian:
I'm looking for some ideas to improve the sound of the electric violin in our band.  She's currently running direct into the PA through some cheap effect pedals(mainly reverb, delay, and wah) and a Whirlwind IMP DI box.  We get a useable signal but its somewhat harsh and sterile sounding. I'm currently using a lot of eq to help with this.

We've discussed using an acoustic violin instead but her electric is a 5 string and she like not having to worry about feedback problems with the electric as well.

My first thought is to use something like an Avalon U5 or some kind of tube preamp and get a better reverb/delay pedal for her.  We borrowed a Presonus Eureka channel strip for a few shows and that was an improvement though not phenominally better.  Any suggestions of gear to look at/try without getting to crazy expensive?

Thanks!
Eric

Travis_Valois:
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with KC Styles when he opened at a club here for a magician act. He came in with a bunch of his own rack of processing gear and I remember him telling me it had taken a ton of work with the processing to get a good sound from the electric, otherwise it sounded like crap. Sadly, that was quite a while ago, and I don't remember what it was he had come in with for processing.

Art Welter:

--- Quote from: Eric Christian on February 06, 2011, 10:59:44 AM ---I'm looking for some ideas to improve the sound of the electric violin in our band.  She's currently running direct into the PA through some cheap effect pedals(mainly reverb, delay, and wah) and a Whirlwind IMP DI box.  We get a useable signal but its somewhat harsh and sterile sounding. I'm currently using a lot of eq to help with this.

We've discussed using an acoustic violin instead but her electric is a 5 string and she like not having to worry about feedback problems with the electric as well.

My first thought is to use something like an Avalon U5 or some kind of tube preamp and get a better reverb/delay pedal for her.  We borrowed a Presonus Eureka channel strip for a few shows and that was an improvement though not phenominally better.  Any suggestions of gear to look at/try without getting to crazy expensive?

Thanks!
Eric

--- End quote ---

The corrective eq needs to be applied before the effects, otherwise the harmonic balance will be bad, and would require a different eq for each effect.

There are various preamps with built in parametric eq, and even stomp boxes with octave graphic eq that would help. Usually the transducer peaks and dips are fairly narrow, so fully parametric eq is the way to go.

Dave Dermont:
I work with a band where the fiddle player has an electric that he uses as a backup instrument, and it pretty much sounds like what you describe. I boost huge amounts of 200Hz and cut lots and lots of 3kHz, and it still sounds like fingernails on a blackboard.

His main instrument is a plain 'ole fiddle with a pickup, and it sounds fine, and there are no major issues with feedback.

A prog band I work with on occasion has a fiddle player who is a disciple of Jean Luc Ponty. He uses a lot of stomp boxes, and has me mic his amp just like a guitar player. This works very well in this particular situation.

I is no magic hardware that will fix this problem. You need a better source.

Luke Landis:
I too have a hard time with an Electric Violin that pops in on my main band once and a while. Harsh in the highs to say the least.

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