Can You Use Guitar Amp With Electric Violin?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can you use guitar amp with electric violin? Electric guitars use magnetic pickups, which have a different impedance than the piezo pickups used on violins, so

plugging a violin into an electric-guitar amp will make the violin sound hollow and shrill

.

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What kind of amp does an electric violin use?

We recommend the

AER Alpha 40 and Compact 60

as professional level amplifiers ideal for the violin, and the Fishman Loudbox as a good alternative on a tighter budget. Alternatively you might consider an electric guitar amp.

What kind of amp do you need for a violin?


50 to 100 watts

will satisfy the general amplification needs of most string players. Some specialty amps, such as those by Acoustic Image, can have up to 600 watts, which allows more headroom and, along with their precision speakers gives an extremely clean tone.

Can you use a guitar amp for other instruments?

How do I connect my violin to an amplifier?

What do you plug an electric violin into?

As per the connection, it is actually quite simple. You will need two jack cables: the first one to connect the electric violin (or pedals) into

the input jack of the DI-box

, and another one to connect the output jack of the DI into the mix table.

Why are electric violins so expensive?

Electric violins are not made as a unique piece by a luthier:

they are generally made in factories

. In that regard, the sound and its uniqueness are not due only to rare woods and varnishes: electronics play a great part in the tone of an electric violin.

Can you plug in a violin?

Can you use a bass amp for violin?


If you want to play without effects, we recommend that you choose a guitar amp (preferably acoustic) or a bass amp

, or, if you have the budget, you can choose from one of the few amplifiers that have been specially designed for bowed string instruments. As far as we know, only Acus offers this kind of amps.

Does a violin need a DI box?

If you intend to send a passive signal directly to a sound board, then

at the very minimum you should get a basic DI box (direct input), which will provide the necessary impedance matching, but nothing more

. Better still would be a preamp such as the ART Tube MP, which would also provide gain control.

Can I play music through my guitar amp?


Guitar amps can be used as speakers, however the audio quality will likely be lower than normal speakers and excessive volume should be avoided as it can blow the speakers

. Avoid playing music with a lot of bass for the best sound and to protect your amplifier.

Can you play a piano through a guitar amp?


You can use a guitar amp for a digital piano

. Guitar amps are a more affordable alternative to powered speakers for digital pianos. It is best to use a simple amplifier with no effects, as they will hinder the tone of the piano. Use an instrument cable from the mono output to connect to the amp.

Can you sing through a guitar amp?

We were using in a band-setting (guitarist, drummer, and and vox), and you could barely hear it, singer was always straining himself to be heard. So I certainly wouldn’t recommend it, and unless you have a very big amp, it’s not going to work very well, but

it can be done

.

What do I need to play an electric violin?

Does an electric violin need to be tuned?

A classical or electric violin will react to external conditions.

Depending on the ambient humidity and temperature, the violin body and strings will adjust

. This is why every musical instrument go out of tune.

Can an electric violin be wireless?


Line 6 makes some very high quality, affordable wireless systems that we love and that work well with electric violins

. The G10 and G10S both use the incredibly small bud-style G10T transmitter, which plugs directly into the output jack of your electric, acoustic-electric, or acoustic with a mounted pickup.

Are electric violins good?

Pros Ideal for performances within more contemporary genres of music such as jazz or rock, where the classical tone is not as crucial,

the electric violins offer a range of creative features and world of experiments for the violinist who is looking to expand their range

.

Can you plug headphones into an electric violin?

Musical instruments have an extremely high impedance, while headphones have a very low impedance.

The electrical signal produced by an electric violin is therefore incompatible with headphones

. Without an electronic circuit, headphones will not be able to control the impedance of an electric violin.

How quiet are electric violins?

Yes, electric violins are

quieter than traditional acoustic violins with a mute

. If we compare the intensity of sound, there is a clear difference, from louder to quieter, between: Acoustic violin played naturally, A simple mute, such as this Tourte style mute, usually kept on the violin in case needed.

Can you learn violin on an electric violin?

Can you start playing an electric violin as a beginner? The short answer is

yes, you can

. However, you have to keep in mind that the response from an electric instrument is different than the response of an acoustic one.

Is electric violin easier?


Electric violins shouldn’t be considered an easier alternative to acoustic violins

. Even if the sound is easier to produce, you won’t learn the proper way of generating a sound on a violin which might be detrimental later. If you want to play in a modern band: you can start with an electric violin.

Do electric violins sound different?

The acoustic violin is made of a hollow structure that amplifies the vibrations of the strings. Conversely, the electric violin is often made of a solid structure and must be connected to an amplifier to be heard. Therefore,

the main difference is related to the amplifying way of the sound being played

.

Are electric violins cheaper than acoustic?

One is not better than the other. They’re just different. But remember, you get what you pay for. So don’t compare a $5000 acoustic violin to a $200 electric violin, and come to the conclusion that

electric violins sound cheap

!

Do electric violins need special strings?


You can use all types of strings on your electric violin, including classical violin strings

. All classical violin strings are compatible with an electric violin as long as you respect the type of end of the string used by your electric violin (ball end VS loop end).

What is violin pickup?

Essentially, a pickup is

a small device that attaches to your violin in the bridge area and converts physical vibrations into a digital signal

. You can plug the pickup into an amp, and the sound of your violin is instantly elevated.

What are electric violins made of?

Solid-body electric violins typically have a non-traditional, minimalistic design to keep weight down. Lately, materials such as

kevlar, glass and carbon fibres

, are used in the build process. They are often seen as “experimental” instruments, being less established than electric guitar or bass.

What is a preamp for violin?

What is guitar Di?

A DI box is

primarily used to allow you to run a long cable from an instrument such as an electric guitar or bass guitar without adding noise or losing signal quality

. High impedance signals tend to be much more prone to noise and keeping cable lengths under 8 meters (25 ft) is recommended.

Can you damage a guitar amp by playing a bass through it?

What is the difference between an acoustic amp and a regular amp?

Electric guitar amps amplify an electric guitar signal providing more gain (for distortion), volume, effects for diverse sounds whilst slightly coloring the tone. In contrast,

acoustic amps are designed to amplify a ‘clean’ and ‘transparent’ signal with notably more ‘headroom’ optimal for the clean sound of acoustic

.

Can I use normal speakers as guitar amp?

A typical guitar amp contains an amp and also speakers within it. A speaker is just a device used to play out sound signals.

A regular speaker cannot be used directly with a guitar

because the sound signal from a guitar is too weak for a regular speaker.

What happens if you plug a keyboard into a guitar amp?

Can you plug an electric keyboard into a guitar amp?


Yes, you can plug in a keyboard into an electric guitar amplifier

. However, you need to bear in mind that it will result in a really muffled tone. First and foremost, electric guitar amps have no tweeters, only one set of speakers that are focused on the bottom and mid-range of the tone.

Can you use a guitar amp as a keyboard amp?


Yes, you can play your keyboard through a guitar amplifier

. Keep in mind that the speaker compliment (usually one or two 12”) as well as the circuit design in a guitar amp are tailored to handle the sound and frequency range that guitars produce. Your keyboard has a broader frequency range.

Can an electric guitar amp be used for an acoustic?

Can You Use Electric Amp with Acoustic Guitar? Short answer is

yes you can

.

Can a microphone plug into a guitar amp?

Microphones typically have balanced XLR outputs, while guitar amps almost always have unbalanced 1/4′′ Tip-Sleeve inputs. Therefore,

to connect a microphone to a guitar amplifier, we must have an adapter cable to connect the microphone to the guitar amp

.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.