Marching Cello? Marching band with a cello!

Here is satisfied EVS customer Andrew Pirolo playing his NS Design 5 string cello in the Nipomo (California) High School band, at a football game and in the Grover Beach Christmas parade. My hat is off to his band director. Talk about being flexible ("Sure, we can use a cello.")!

It gives me great hope for the world our children are inheriting from us to let a young musician's enthusiasm bubble over in ways we would not think of as ordinary. Woody Allen's joke about a cellist with a chair in a marching band has been solved by Ned Steinberger's cello with shoulder harness system!

Consider this an invitation to all players to send us photos and stories of where your creativity is taking you and your instrument!

Light Up Violin

A violinist who saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert in Raleigh came in and asked us about Mark Wood's light-up violin. We showed her the Ted Brewer, with on-board LED's, but she just wanted something inexpensive for a Christmas concert. I found some battery operated Christmas lights at a local Pharmacy (an Eckerds) and wrapped them around the scroll. I left enough cord to put the battery compartment in my pocket. Behold! - a Christmas Light Violin!

As you can see, it has a cool Yule effect! And was under $5, even including alkaline batteries (not included!). No, we don't sell these, but I'm sure you can find them locally. Have a glowing Holiday Season!!

The Violinist as Gear Head

As more violin players acquire a pickup or electric instrument or computer interface or effects pedal, they enter a domain long the exclusive territory of the guitar player, or jazzman. The days are fading when one good acoustic violin (viola, cello or bass) will take you as far as your musical vision can see. You may want a solid body electric so you can really dig what the electronic effects are doing to your sound. You'll want the right interface to record your music into your computer (and choose the software that reflects how you play and record). A 5 stringed instrument (violin, cello, or bass) can take you deeper in range, but will your amplifier be able to handle it? How about a couple of electric violins of different colors and shapes to more closely reflect your expression?

The good news is this new equipment does not need to be expensive to serve your needs. And that your skills navigating a cell phone or iPod can ease your transition. The bad news is that it is easy to choose incompatible items. So, enter the role of the Gear Head. The Gear Head loves to experiment with different instruments, black boxes of any sort, programs, etc., enjoying the hunt as much as the choice of equipment. It will be a while before your local violin shop takes on this role (and good luck finding a guitar store willing to indulge a bowed player). So, here is Electric Violin Shop, willing to help you become your own Gear Head. Our educational program is free. The course outline is scattered in the various categories of our website. The really fun stuff starts to happen as your dreams coalesce and you call us for help to guide you through the forest of Gear. Just give it up to the pull of becoming a Gear Head - your audience will love you for it!