OUR FRIENDS ELECTRIC

Casey Driessen in his music studio

MAIN PHOTO COURTESY OF CASEY DRIESSEN

Ten leading non-classical string players – from jazz and bluegrass to rock and Gypsy jazz musicians – tell The Strad about their favourite on-stage tech, including pedals, loopers, amps, pickups and much more. US multi-genre-blending fiddler Casey Driessen leads the charge with an in-depth explanation of his personal set-up

Everything starts with my violin. It’s a five-string made by John Silakowski in 2000 that I’ve been playing for nearly 25 years. I use a DPA 4099 clip microphone (dpamicrophones.com) and a Schertler DYN-V-P48 pickup (schertler.com). The pickup first goes through the Schertler Yellow Single preamp, before uniting with the mic signal in the Grace Design FELiX2 blender (gracedesign. com). This is a two-channel mixer that allows me to blend the pickup and microphone together, adjust EQ, and choose the levels for each, which I vary depending on different situations. For example, when I’m looping, the mic can pick up background sounds that muddy the effect, so if I’m outside when it’s windy or in a noisy club, I’ll go lighter on the microphone and heavier on the pickup. The mic gives me the flexibility to use my voice to add to the loop, whether that’s breath or vocal sounds or singing a harmony part.

The Grace FELiX2 also allows me to adjust the phase of the mic and pickup. Even though they are right next to each other on the

The Schertler DYN-V-P48 pickup

violin, the signals don’t reach the blender at exactly the same time, so you can get what I describe as a somewhat hollow sound. The phase adjustment lets you dial in the waveforms to bring them into phase and the sound then comes into focus.

Next, the signal goes into the Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe compressor (origineffects.com), which evens things out a little bit – it brings dynamics under control, especially when I’m creating bass effects or percussive sounds from the body of my violin using the pickup, which is more stable for these textures; from there it enters a Fulltone GT-500 (fulltoneusa.com) for a range of mild drive to heavy distortion; and then the signal goes to the Eventide H9 multi-effects pedal (eventideaudio.com) with an MXR Tap tempo switch (jimdunlop.com).

Finally, I have a Lehle Mono Volume pedal (lehle.com) that allows me to adjust the level of the parts I’m creating, and also to

tune between songs.

And that’s what I call my tone board. I use two different pedal boards – this smaller one

and a larger one that is essentially my effects board. The smaller board is where the sound of my instrument, as it exists, really happens. If I’m playing an Americana gig or something that doesn't require a big array of effects, then I just take the small board with me and I can still plug in and have an effect or two. I use a stereo set up because when I’m looping it allows me to have a wider spread of sound and distinction between parts. With mono, everything can become crowded in the centre.

On my bigger main effects board, I have a lot of different pedals. There’s the analogue Moog MF-108M Cluster Flux (moogmusic. com); there are a lot of interesting modulation-type sounds I can make with it, even adjusting parameters with my foot via an expression pedal. All my pitch-related effects come from the Eventide PitchFactor; it also has an expression pedal for real-time changes. With it I can create effects such as bass sounds, parallel octaves or harmonies: for example I can set it to play in perfect 4ths, or in diatonic four-part harmonies in a particular key, or even something more dissonant like a half step up and 4th down. I really like this pedal; it’s a predecessor to the Eventide H9 pedal on my smaller board. The H9 is an updated version that combines all Eventide’s Factor pedal effects in one unit, but it requires an iPad or some other Bluetooth interface to operate so it’s not as quick to control and harder to manipulate in a live setting.

My reverb pedal is the TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 (tcelectronic.com) (below). I’m careful with the amount of reverb I use but it’s a very useful effect. For me, it’s about being able to create tones that contrast with each other when I’m layering, and also to create different atmospheres based on the type of piece that I might be playing. Then I create all the echoes and delays with an Eventide TimeFactor plus a tap tempo. The brain of it all is my looper, the Boomerang III Phrase Sampler (boomeranglooper.com), with three independent tracks, lots of arrangement options, and even the ability to fade out. The sound then routes back through the GraceFELiX2 on my smaller board, where I can send it out to a mixing board, amps and headphones. I don’t change my pedals very often – when I get used to something, I like to stick with it for a while. I've spent a lot of time practising with the pedals so that they really feel like an extension of my instrument; I know what creative tools they can give me, and when I’m in a live situation I can use them quickly and get the types of sounds that I’m looking for.

However, I have recently acquired a Hologram Electronics Microcosm pedal (hologramelectronics.com) which I’m experimenting with.

It makes some very cool granular sounds and textures, and it has a looper too. My issue is finding space for it – I could get a bigger board, of course, but I have to the draw the line somewhere especially when I'm travelling and taking flights.

The Origin Effects Cali76 compressor (left) and Eventide H9 multi-effects pedal (right)

‘I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PRACTISING WITH THE PEDALS SO THAT THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE AN EXTENSION OF MY INSTRUMENT’

The first piece of kit I’d advise for someone just starting out would be a delay pedal.

Most delay pedals can create a loop as well, because a loop is essentially like a delay or an echo of the sound that you’ve just made. It's fun to use because it's immediate – you get back what you have just played – and it can be a musical tool as well; for example you can create a rhythmic bed just using a delay.

I’ve just launched my Blue Ridge Fiddle Camp in North Carolina (blueridgefiddlecamp.com) which takes place for the first time this August, where players can try out looping and effects in our technology lab and experiment with pedal boards. Participants can also explore different eclectic styles and study rhythm.

Last but not least is my NS Design CR5 five-string electric violin (thinkns.com) (right). I like the weight and balance of it very much, and the fact that it has an upper bout stop as a point of reference. It’s better than my acoustic for certain situations such as using the octave pedal to make bass sounds, or when playing in a band where the stage volume is heavier, or creating distortion and overdrive, and I love the pizzicato switch. I like to think of my acoustic fiddle as dressed up for the opera and my electric as dressed up for the club!

INTERVIEW BY EMMA BAKER

‘THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY HAS INSPIRED ME TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF MY MUSICAL EXPRESSION’

SCOTT TIXIER FRENCH JAZZ VIOLINIST

The relatively young tradition of jazz violin allows for great freedom and space to explore new possibilities. The use of technology, from electric violins to an array of effects pedals, has inspired me to push the boundaries of my musical expression. In addition to my acoustic violin, I have been using the Yamaha YEV and the Yamaha Silent Violin (yamaha.com). Some pedals might not perform as effectively with my acoustic violin. But there is a tool for each situation, whether I am working with a jazz band, rock, pop or an orchestra; each scenario has its own set of challenges with the right pedal, and setup. The Yamaha Electric violins have opened territory where the acoustic violin cannot reach, offering a wider range of effects and allowing me to utilise pedals initially designed for guitars, basses, or keyboards.

Because multiple microphones are inside the bridge, the response is sharper, and the pedals can be utilised to their full potential. I can also incorporate percussion into my loops by tapping on the violin without the restraint I might feel with my acoustic.

The Schertler Stat V Pickup (schertler.com) has been a revelation for my performances, capturing the natural acoustics of the violin without sacrificing quality. It is completely isolated from the environment and captures only the violin sound. This ensures there's no bleed from other instruments around, unlike what one might experience with a clip condenser mic. Another aspect of the Stat V is its lightweight, which gives minimal interference with the feel of your instrument. Its installation on my violin 15 years ago really changed everything for me and got me the ideal balance between the violin's warm, organic tones and the necessary amplification for live band settings.

The Schertler Stat V pickup

TIXIER PHOTO WILL VON BOLTON

The Boss RC-3 Loop Station (boss.info) has been helpful in creating music on stage. It allows me to layer violin parts in real time and make intricate, textured compositions. This looper is indispensable for my solo performances, offering a vast landscape of arranging and improvisation possibilities.

The Electro-Harmonix Canyon Delay Pedal (ehx.com) (above) adds an atmospheric layer to my sound. Its analogue delay capabilities produce a variety of echoes that magnify the violin’s timbre. The pedal's flexibility in adjusting delay time and feedback control has made it essential for creating a kind of mystical density in the sound and has brought new ideas for improvising.

Voodoo Lab’s Pedal Power 2 Plus is the engine behind Kliphuis’s set-up

TIM KLIPHUIS DUTCH GYPSY JAZZ VIOLINIST

I was given a Zeta Strados electric violin (zetaviolins.com), the fingerboard of which was inlaid with a cool drawing of a running violinist that my daughter Lucy made. To give it the sound I wanted live, I have added the following pedals, which I put on a rack: MXR six band EQ (jimdunlop.com) for tweaking the basic sound. It takes out some frequencies I don’t like, but this also depends on the venue. Next is the Whammy foot pedal (digitech.com). It adds harmonies in pre-composed melody parts and sometimes on improvised bits too. It sounds like two or three fiddles at the same time. Then the Lil’ RAT distortion unit (ratdistortion.com), which makes it sound really cool. Otherwise you may as well play a miked-up regular violin! Finally, the Hall of Fame 2 mini (tcelectronic.com) for reverb, which is needed for a non-acoustic instrument wherever you play – a no-brainer.

All of these pedals are powered by the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus (voodoolab.com). My choices were inspired by tips from experienced electric players (mostly non-violinists) and also my own ears, by trying stuff out in a shop the old-fashioned way.

The Zeta Strados Electric Violin

The Lil' RAT distortion unit provides striking effects

KLIPHUIS PHOTO SIMON VAN BOXTEL

Caption

VIOLETA VICCI SWISS VIOLINIST, VOCALIST AND COMPOSER

My number one accessory is my DPA condenser mic (dpamicrophones.com). I place it over the bridge on the violin or my octave viola and use it for both my voice and instrument. I find it reproduces the most natural sound of any microphone I’ve tried. I often play in slightly louder environments, so I also use a Fishman V-200 (fishman.com) pickup inside the bridge, which converts the vibrations to sound.

The second most important thing is my laptop. I use Ableton (ableton.com) to mix different parts, electronics and my live instrument, before sending it to the venue’s sound engineer. That way they receive balanced outputs and I have total control of monitoring the whole concert with headphones. Inside Ableton I use their loop function to loop my live violin and vocals throughout the gig. I activate Ableton’s different parameters and functions with a small midi foot pedal. This is a PreSonus ATOM controller (presonus.com), which is originally only intended for use with hands. I somehow have become accustomed to using it with my bare feet and several reviewers have remarked on my ‘dexterous toes’.

If you’re thinking of buying one, I’d say stick to a foot pedal! I also use a second laptop for visuals, which is connected by ethernet cable to my first laptop, giving me full control and syncing audio and videos in real time.

The soundcard I use is the MOTU UltraLite-mk5 (motu.com), a very compact and great piece of kit for the road with as many as eight outputs. This allows for greater flexibility when sending audio to the sound desk during the performance and lets the sound engineer do a great job of mixing the sound in the space.

Last but not least: my pedals. They do all sorts of things, from delay, to harmonising, to distortion or just adding simple reverb. The first pedal I ever bought was an octave pedal, the Electro-Harmonix Nano POG (ehx.com). It’s a brilliant piece of kit and adds a very natural-sounding octave to the violin, when I want to sound like a cello or a bass. My most recent purchase is the Strymon Timeline (strymon.net), an absolute gem of a delay pedal with many customisable settings, from syncing the BPM of the piece to the length, amount of repetitions and the way the sound is processed.

Fishman V-200 pickup (left) Electro-Harmonix Nano POG octave pedal (above) and MOTU UltraLite-mk5 soundcard (below)

VICCI AND SET-UP PHOTOS DOUG WHINCUP

Violeta Vicci’s pedalboards and set-up

ROB FLAX US ECLECTIC VIOLINIST

My favourite tech accessories? Oh goodness, I have so many favourites… I have so much fun exploring new sounds and new gear! But for brevity’s sake I’ll keep it to three. Firstly, it would be remiss of me if I did not mention my electric violin – it’s my signature model with Volta. The ‘Violinatron’ hybrid instruments have built-in speakers, so they can work as regular electric violins or be played completely unplugged. I worked with Marat, the company owner and head luthier, to design a built-in delay effect, as well as pick out a custom sparkle blue finish, so my ‘Flaxotron’ (bitly.ws/3id4k) looks and sounds amazing!

Delay is the effect that changed the game for me. The legendary MN3005 bucket-brigade chip (aionfx.com), coupled with a resonant low pass filter, make for the most magical-sounding repeats. It's also an instrument in its own right, with a pitch-shifting sequencer built in. Double-stops become arpeggios with notes lower than the violin can play on its own. And it saves presets, so another sound I use all the time is a ‘spooky, wobbly chorus’ that adds dimension and mystery to more static sounds. It elicits a visceral, emotional response every time I use it.

My most recent ‘gear essential’ for violin is, surprisingly, a bass amp: this past November I fell in love with the new BG-120 Bass Cub Pro from Phil Jones Bass (philjonesbass.net). PJB is well known in the bass world for amps and cabinets that feature small but very powerful speakers, and in my experience these smaller speakers lend themselves well to amplifying violin. When combined with PJB’s C2 extension cab, the BG120 is as loud as any amp I’ve ever used on a rock band stage. As a standalone combo it’s the perfect volume and lightweight package for acoustic gigs that need sound reinforcement. The five-band EQ is intended for bass – there are ‘low bass’ and ‘high bass’ knobs, both of which I roll way down – but the frequencies they’ve chosen and the speakers and cabinet all combine to make an incredibly easy-to-use amp that always sounds good.

Rob Flax’s bespoke ‘Flaxotron’ electric violin (above) and the BG-120 bass amplifier (left)

FLAX PHOTO OLIVIA MOON PHOTOGRAPHY

MARTHA MOOKE US ELECTRIC VIOLIST AND COMPOSER

I’ve been using effects and loops with my electric viola for four decades, starting with analogue, rack-mount gear. I’m currently using a compact pedal board that is home to my beloved Eventide H90 effects pedal (eventideaudio.com) plus expression pedal, my long-time looper Boss RDS300 (boss.info) and a Line 6 G10SII Digital Wireless System (line6.com) – so I can roam around the stage and also walk through classrooms and hospital wards to allow students and patients to get up close and pluck a note.

Most pedal boards, whether at the feet of violins, violas, guitars, synths, or more, contain a plethora of effects pedals. The effects, along with the sound system, be it a single amp or stereo PA, become part of the overall instrument sound, just as an acoustic instrument changes sound depending on types of strings or bows. That is why I’ve always gone for the highest-quality gear, and why now, in particular, the Eventide H90 is the only effects pedal I need!

The Eventide H90 effects pedal

JESSICA MEYER US VIOLIST AND COMPOSER

I wrote my first looper album Sounds of Being on the Boss RC-20XL (boss.info), which is a simple one-track loop station. Now, I use a Boss RC-300 Loop Station, which has the capacity for three stereo tracks. The fidelity is much better with this looper, and it has phantom power built in. I use a DPA 4099V mic (dpamicrophones.com). I play with an AER Compact 60/4 amp (aer-music.de) that is made for amplifying acoustic instruments, such as a classical guitar. I could certainly use other amps or a PA, but this one allows me to sound like me. I used this amp for my Viola Concerto and request it whenever I can’t travel with it.

The DPA 4099 mic set on a violin

MOOKE PHOTO TINA FINEBERG/NY TIMES. MEYER PHOTO BILL STRUHS

AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON BRITISH CELLIST, COMPOSER AND VOCALIST

On stage I play an acoustic cello called Reuben and a Yamaha SVC 110 Silent Cello (Electric) (yamaha.com) called Ruby. For Reuben, I love to use a combination of a DPA 4099 microphone (dpamicrophones.com), for a round, full-bodied sound with beautiful clarity on the top end, plus a Schertler DYN C-48 (schertler.com) contact microphone to beef up the lower frequency bass end of my playing. I also use the Schertler for monitoring as the DPA is super sensitive in the wedges.

With Ruby, I love to feed her through an EBS Stanley Clarke Acoustic Preamp (ebssweden.com), then feed that signal through my EBS OctaBass Blue Label pedal and finally, feed the bass pedal signal through an Ampeg Bass Amp (ampeg.com) for a true ‘dub reggae’ bass sound. It is epic!

In the studio for recording both cellos and my vocals, I’m in love with the UAD Apollo Twin X Quad Heritage audio interface (uaudio.com). The UAD Console program that accompanies the hardware allows me to save recording pre-sets with an infinite number of plugins available so I can tailor my desired sound for each set-up. All I have to do is plug in and start recording. It’s a game changer! I’m also thinking about using it live alongside my beautiful BOSS RC-600 loop station (boss.info) which is a true gem of a looper. The six stereo tracks available mean I can layer myself to high heaven and manipulate each one individually. It’s a dream! For percussion in my right foot while I’m playing, the Roland SPD::ONE Kick Electronic Percussion Pad (roland.com) is great fun and has a fantastic range of settings to vary articulation.

‘I CAN LAYER MYSELF TO HIGH HEAVEN AND MANIPULATE EACH TRACK INDIVIDUALLY. IT’S A DRE AM!’

The EBS Stanley Clarke Acoustic Preamp

WITTER-JOHNSON PHOTO BENJAMIN EALOVEGA

The EBS OctaBass Blue Label octave effects pedal

The ToneDexter preamp (left) and LR Baggs Venue DI box (above) balance the signal from the mic and pickup

MIKE BLOCK US MULTI-STYLE CELLIST, SINGER AND COMPOSER

When playing a solo show, I use the Ear Trumpet Labs condenser microphone (eartrumpetlabs.com), in the Bass Edwina model, which has an incredibly natural sound. When playing in a band, I use a blended sound with around 80 per cent microphone (for sound quality) and 20 per cent pickup (for clarity in the low end) for the audience, and then only the pickup line in the monitors (to avoid feedback). My equipment is a DPA 4099 clip-on microphone (dpamicrophones.com) and the Realist Pickup (realistacoustic.com), going through a pre-amp with EQ; both the ToneDexter (audiosprockets.com) or LR Baggs Venue DI (lrbaggs.com) are great. I add a Rolls Mic Switch (rolls.com) on the microphone line that allows me to be in control of muting.

The Realist Pickup adds clarity to bass sounds

BLOCK PHOTO TODD ROSENBERG. BATES PHOTO JOSH SEIDEN

MICHAEL BATES US–CANADIAN JAZZ DOUBLE BASSIST

The SansAmp Tech 21-NYC Programmable Bass Driver (tech21nyc.com) is an indispensable part of my live and studio rig. It’s a high-level analogue DI and replicates the sound of a variety of amplifiers. As a double bassist who strives for a sound that is an extension of my instrument, the SansAmp is wonderfully transparent. The Blend function allows me to dial in as much or as little colour as needed and somehow this little magic box makes even the most questionable amplifiers or PAs sound good. It has three channels that allow me to store settings for whatever the gig calls for; it can go gritty to ultra clean, and dialling in the sound for whatever the room calls for is easy.

‘SOMEHOW THIS LIT TLE MAGIC BOX MAKES E VEN THE MOST QUESTIONABLE AMP OR PA SOUND GOOD’