| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 2745.1 | | PIANST::JANZEN | Love looks not with the eyes | Tue Oct 08 1991 14:52 | 6 |
| >Is there someone who made experiences with this or an other MIDI violin?
yes Laurie Anderson. Go rent her video concert film
which I can't remember the name of. It's like a demo of the zeta
violin. It's been around for ages, developed by Max Matthews.
"Home of the Brave" maybe?
Tom
|
| 2745.2 | after you've had some hands on... | EZ2GET::STEWART | Balanced on the biggest wave | Tue Oct 08 1991 16:11 | 12 |
|
Please post a review!
|
| 2745.3 | | STAR::BENSON | | Wed Oct 09 1991 14:14 | 36 |
| I've tried using pitch-to-midi converters with electric violins, with
little success. I've tried both an acoustic violin w/added pickup, and
a solid-body electric (not the Zeta), and two kinds of IVL pitchrider -
an older box with no controls that attaches to an Atari ST, and a
newer standalone unit. None of the combinations worked.
The main problem is bow noise. The attack of the bow just makes too
much unpitched noise, and confuses the converter. If you turn off
pitch bend, so that the device tries to map everything to the nearest
note, it works slightly better, but still, in my opinion, was not
usable. Especially since this eliminates most of the expressive power
of the violin (such as vibrato!).
Once the bow was in motion, playing slurred notes worked reasonably
well, though with the inescapable delay that the conversion introduces.
The Zeta violin is supposed to have a pickup that effectively cancels
bow noise. I believe there are 2 elements per string. I sent away for
their brochure a couple of years ago - but as you noticed, the price
is a bit discouraging. I've seen a couple of people use them as
non-midi'd electrics and they sound great. Zeta has another box to
go with the violin which allows EQ on individual strings, as well as
pitch transposition (to cello or bass ranges). That's also around $1K.
The box also has leds that light up indicating bow direction!
I believe you can buy the Zeta pickup alone, but I have no idea what
the price is.
I saw a picture of a new Steinberger violin (the folks with the
headless basses and guitars), and it looked about like you'd expect-
like a black grasshopper. No headstock or body, just a neck and a
thin frame that supports the bridge, tailpiece, and chinrest/shoulder
pads.
I need one.
Tom
|
| 2745.4 | | SALSA::MOELLER | think of it as sense,not surrender | Wed Oct 09 1991 14:42 | 6 |
| I've seen photos of Jon-Luc Ponty playing one. I'd be surprised if
they've performed any magic in the pitch-to-MIDI conversion arena. But
they are state-of-the-art electric violins.. look pretty space age,
too.
karl
|
| 2745.5 | | PIANST::JANZEN | Love looks not with the eyes | Wed Oct 09 1991 17:40 | 4 |
| I have used a lavalier mic as a pickup on a violin in a performance
in Boston. I wanted to go through an effects box. What's your
favorite pickup?
Tom
|
| 2745.6 | | SALSA::MOELLER | think of it as sense,not surrender | Wed Oct 09 1991 18:17 | 7 |
| Note 2745.5 by PIANST::JANZEN
>What's your favorite pickup?
"You're as luminous and mysterious as the moon to me"
karl
|
| 2745.7 | The devil made me do it!! | NWACES::PHILLIPS | | Wed Oct 09 1991 19:31 | 14 |
| <<< Note 2745.5 by PIANST::JANZEN "Love looks not with the eyes" >>>
>> I have used a lavalier mic as a pickup on a violin in a performance
>> in Boston. I wanted to go through an effects box.
>> What's your favorite pickup?
Can you please pinch me hard so I get out of this dream? On second
thoughts I think I'll just enjoy it a while longer here with you.
(I couldn't resist either, the line... well it worked once in high
school)
errol
|
| 2745.8 | Which wrong context do you prefer? | TLE::ALIVE::ASHFORTH | Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace | Thu Oct 10 1991 10:41 | 3 |
| >> What's your favorite pickup?
Ford F150 4x4, fuel-injected small-block V8...
|
| 2745.9 | | MIZZOU::SHERMAN | ECADSR::Sherman DTN 223-3326 | Thu Oct 10 1991 11:36 | 7 |
| >> What's your favorite pickup?
"Do you want to go to sleep or what?"
"What?"
Steve
|
| 2745.10 | | CTHULU::YERAZUNIS | Very funny. Yes. | Thu Oct 10 1991 12:21 | 5 |
| >> What's your favorite pickup?
"Want to come over to my place and check out my effects box?"
-Bill
|
| 2745.11 | Do you live around here often? | EZ2GET::STEWART | Balanced on the biggest wave | Thu Oct 10 1991 12:32 | 1 |
|
|
| 2745.12 | I must digress.... | GLOWS::COCCOLI | watch that spin cycle.. | Thu Oct 10 1991 21:52 | 15 |
|
RE .1
I believe what Laurie Anderson was using was a violin with a
magnetic head from a tape recorder replacing the bridge. Instead
of horse hair on the bow, a length of tape containing recordings of
voices, etc. was used.
A far more original instrument than a Zeta pickup, imho.
RichC
|
| 2745.13 | | LEMAN::BIRCHER | CAJUN by M. Brecker, listen and die... | Fri Oct 11 1991 05:25 | 10 |
|
RE .12
> A far more original instrument than a Zeta pickup....
...but a very limited instrument and uncomfortable to play
Just try to play a scale of slapping doors in c minor and
you'll switch over to MIDI.
Jakob J.
|
| 2745.14 | | PIANST::JANZEN | Love looks not with the eyes | Fri Oct 11 1991 10:49 | 4 |
| No, Anderson was playing a Zeta violin built for her by Matthews.
She doesn't use the tape-bow violin much (I built a simple one
and used it in a performance once, I know what one is)
tom
|