A Non-Classical Violin that Makes You Want to Play It

When you hear the word violin, what comes to your mind?

Most people may think of classical musicians in performances, such as orchestras.
On the other hand, violins also play an active role in non-classical genres of music.
Let's have a look at what kind of music there is.

Country

Country is one of the most iconic American music genres.
Many people of a certain age are fond of this genre, which is often referred to as Bluegrass or Country & Western.

This music has an unpretentious tune that makes use of the violin’s melodic characteristics while it plays in an ensemble with guitar, banjo, mandolin and other instruments. There are many technically advanced musicians, mainly in the USA, who sometimes compete with other instruments in shredding. In country music, the violin is sometimes called a fiddle, but the instruments themselves are the same. If you search, you can find a lot of great country fiddle players and performances.

But today, I dare to introduce you to one of Doug Sahm's live performances from 1975 in Austin, Texas.

What do you think? Was it a far cry from the fiddle you might have imagined?
In the 1970s, the heyday of country music had passed and it was being pushed out by rock music, and Doug Sahm has a rock flavor to his music. But it was still a time when this was real music, including the audience, who were as passionate as in the video.
Whether you finished the video in five seconds or watched the whole thing, I hope you got an idea of Doug Sahm's band sound and the way he played violin in it.

If you somehow feel like you could play this, why not start with the cheapest violin set available?
PLAYTECH PVN244 is a violin set that costs 7,980 yen, which is a price that you won't believe with your eyes. You are not mistaken.

PLAYTECH / PVN244 Violin 4/4

Rock

Rock is a genre that is too broad.
Here I would like to introduce the song “Black Water” from the American band Doobie Brothers, who created sophisticated music with a country flavor, but is closer to contemporary rock.

The Doobies are due to visit Japan in April 2011 and will surely play this song too.
The violin sound is a great match for the song!

I was reading the description of this video when I saw that the violin sound is actually a viola. For decades I thought it was a violin... ((+_+))
In any case, it's a song with a country flavor, and you can really feel the American vibe.
Doesn't it make you want to pick up a violin or viola?

The PLAYTECH PVN344 set is available for 12,800 yen, but it is a violin set with single-piece specifications and ebony parts.

PLAYTECH / PVN344 Violin 4/4

This is probably the most cost-effective violin in the mail online store industry at the moment.
It is widely rumored that Sound House will also start to sell a very affordable viola, so expectations are only going to increase. I'll write about violas next time.

Jazz

Violins in jazz?
From 1970s America to 1930s Europe.
The great jazz violinist, without whom no one can say a word about jazz violins. Yes, it’s Stephane Grappelli.
This is the French Hot Club, which is centered on another legendary guitarist, Django Reinhardt and Grappelli. I had never seen Django and Grappelli in action back then until this video appeared on YouTube.

「Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli - Jattendrai Swing 1939 - LIVE!」

Django's guitar virtuosity and Grappelli's violin is the height of sophistication. It's like two gods enjoying music together.

I admire this kind of mood. Why don't you take the plunge and pick up a violin instead of letting your longing go? This kind of tone requires a good instrument, so I recommend this one. Why not buy it with soft-toned nylon strings?

PLAYTECH PVN544 is priced at ¥23,800 and comes in an oblong case. This violin is made of high-quality wood with tiger grain.

Playtech / PVN544 Outfit Violin Set 4/4

Recommended combination is the nylon string set PVS300, which produces a soft tone.

PLAYTECH / PVS300 (violin strings nylon 4/4 set)

Heavy Metal

Here is a video of JILL, a violinist active in various fields. He is a versatile violinist who also does classical work, while also playing in the band Unlucky Morpheus.
The performance in the Sound House product review is actually played on a PLAYTECH PSV100BR.

The performance is so wonderful that it is an example that an instrument is not just its retail value.
Why not start with the same instrument and see if you can reach the same level of performance greatness as Jill?

PLAYTECH / PSV100BR Electric Violin, 4/4 size, Brown

¥19,800. Mail order electric violins that arrive at your door in playable condition are what you can only get from Sound House. The pieces are intact, the strings are tuned and inspected, the bow is pre-treated with rosin. All it takes is as little as 60 seconds from opening the package to playing a note.

In this article, we have looked at how violins are used in different musical genres, along with four different videos. In addition to the ones I have introduced, the violin is also used in many other music genres, such as enka, folk, progressive rock and fusion. Enjoy the many styles of violin music.