Seismologist invents electrical violins. Two violins which reproduce the music by electrical means have been invented by Professor Hugo Benioff, associate professor of seismology at the California Institute of Technology. Instead of wood resonance chambers, a small crystal container is inserted beneath the strings. Vibrations caused by the bow make the crystal generate an electric […]

“live music” Ben Heaney, 2019 Thinking out loud, throwing it out there… The following was offered at the “Coping with the Ageing Population” meeting, conducted a few weeks ago at the House of Lords examining the full value of music to UK society (http://musicinsociety.uk/) A Music Health Service funded in a different way e.g. take […]

Leo Fender’s first production model Electric Violin clearly never caught on. This particular “Fender First“ vanished with little trace in 1958 Original Fender Sales Catalogue 1958-1959 (pg.12), shows the production model with "ebony" fingerboard Bob Wills didn’t take to it, nor did just about any of the other violinists said to have tried it at [...]

In the 1970s the new breed of violin as a fully electrified instrument was really beginning to spread but there was nothing like any good advice to be found for those interested. Some of the few violinists who were turning to an electric violin at this time even thought they were the first to do so, […]

The Paganini-Galás Akoluthic – researched & written by Ben Heaney (2011, revised 2017) First published by Delta Violin Ltd. 13 April 2017 ©2017, Delta Violin Ltd. All Rights Reserved   This article came about as a result of public invitation by Gorgon Magazine: to make a contribution towards a monograph celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Diamanda […]

  Fender Electric Violins Gathering Positive Attention… In the fast-growing field of the electrified bowed string there is now a voice that has been missing for much of the past six decades. Such positive reactions to it raise serious questions prompting a totally new perspective on today’s market. Deltaviolin is proud and excited to be spear-heading the unveiling […]

Exploring the artistic merits of electric violin Contributions Appendix Read the main article here: Turning Up The Volume ©November 2015 – March 2018, Ben Heaney Responses were given to the same four questions by the following electric violinists (hyperlinks to artist websites): Tracy Silverman (TS); Spencer C Yeh (SCY); Lindsey Stirling via PA, Jennifer Fletcher (LS); […]

Turning Up The Volume! ©September 2015 – January 2017, Ben Heaney.    “The electric violin is an impressively powerful instrument … a whole new orchestral equipment which the traditionalists will curse but which will undoubtedly allow future composers to give us unforeseen masterpieces, using unsuspected elements of emotions.” – Emile Vuillermoz, L’Illustration (12 April, 1930)[1] […]

Thank you for your interest in Deltaviolin’s Black Spot Book, recently described by Master of the Queen’s Music, Dame Judith Weir as “a unique and very enjoyable musical game/composition/brain trainer.” And going further to state “Every home should have one!” With copies of the luxurious hand-finished & numbered first edition now available from Blackwells and […]

The interest in amplified strings only gets keener… Electric Violin Shop is an independent retailer of amplified stringed instruments. They are clearly at the forefront of an industry described as unique, exciting and growing. The following information is gleaned partly from the shop’s website but also from observation dating back over ten years and direct [...]

Delighted! Continued reference to Digital Violin in the Tipbook Company’s Complete Guide Violin and Viola edition and “eTipbook Violin”  by Hugo Pinksterboer .    Neat, compact and to the point work. ‘Violin & Viola’ is part of “a series of accessible, handy books, eTipbooks, and apps about music and musical instruments, written in cooperation with numerous musicians and other experts” […]

January 2016   Stradivarius is arguably the most famous name associated with violins. The name has long been synonymous with the best and most valuable violins in existence.  There are just over 500 Stradivarius violins known to have survived since their maker died over 200 years ago. They are all seemingly accounted for. Fender is […]