by Joe | Apr 27, 2012 | Articles
Electrify Your Violin
by Joe Deninzon
A few years ago, I was asked to teach intermediate violin and beginning improvisation in the continuing education department at the New School University in New York City.
Many of the adults who came to my classes had played violin in a high school orchestra, gave it up in college as they entered their various fields, and wanted to return to the instrument and make it a part of their lives once again. Oftentimes, folks told me that, as much as they love classical music, their interests range from jazz to folk, rock, R&B, and hip-hop, and they wanted to play the music they love.
Until recently, the education system for young string players has given little attention to fostering creativity and teaching improvisation. Though the timeless beauty of the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Stravinsky must be taught to every generation, I believe part of the reason so many young people quit playing, is because they don’t see the connection between their violin, viola, or cello and the music that is on their iPods. As a musical clinician in high schools, I see the faces of kids light up when they realize they can play any style of music on their instrument, be it hip-hop or heavy metal. This inspires them to keep playing and can even bring them back full circle to classical music, which is the foundation.
I see this same spark in adults that I have taught. If playing the violin, viola, or cello is part of your life, you may already play in a chamber group or community orchestra, but there are many avenues to explore that can inspire you, and you don’t have to live in a big city to take advantage of them.
Here are a few things you can do as a string player to expand your musical horizons:
1) Take some lessons on improvisation. I grew up in Cleveland at a time when there were no jazz violin teachers in town, but I didn’t let that stop me. Even if you live in a small town, you can find a guitarist, sax player, or pianist to teach you some basic things that you can apply to any instrument. If you just learn the pentatonic scale, blues scale, and the form of the blues, you can already wail over a wide variety of music. The blues is the foundation to 90% of popular Western music, and a major building block if your goal is to play jazz, bluegrass, or rock.
2) Play as much as you can. Conquer your fear by going to jam sessions around town. Try out some of the things you learn in your improv lesson, and accept the fact that you may not sound good right away. Just keep doing it! Get together with friends who play different instruments, throw a big party, jam and learn together.
3) Go electric. Playing violin through a microphone to be heard over a loud band just doesn’t cut it. Invest in a pickup or transducer. Companies like LR Baggs and Fishman manufacture inexpensive bridges that act as magnetic pickups connected to a quarter-inch cable jack, which is easily installed on an instrument, enabling it to connect to an amplifier or a PA system. There are also transducers, such as The Realist, which simply clip onto your bridge.
Get the Gear for Electric Violin
Electric violins and amps are such a personal choice, that I would advise trying everything you can. Here are a few suggestions:
Transducers: If you have an acoustic violin, viola, or cello and want to invest in pickups or transducers to amplify your sound, I recommend the Realist (www.realistacoustic.com), which easily attaches to your bridge without the need to replace the bridge. Richard Barbera (www.barberatransducers.com) also makes excellent transducers used by many electric violin makers.
Pre Amp: On my acoustic, I use a transducer made by LR Baggs (www.lrbaggs.com), which was installed in place of my regular bridge. I combine this with an LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI. This acts as a buffer between my violin and the PA system or amplifier and warms up the sound with an EQ control.
Electric violin: For solid state electric violins, some of the well known companies are Yamaha, Wood (pictured), Jordan Electric Violins, NS, Skyinbow, and Zeta.
AMPS: For amps, the Roland AC60 and 120 do a great job of recreating a warm acoustic tone. The Roland Jazz Chorus is a classic used by many string players. If you are more of a rock player, I recommend amps made by Bugera, Tech 21, Mesa Boogie, Kustom, and Fender.
Multi Effect processor: To add sound effects experiment with TC Electronic Nova, Boss GT-10 or GT-100 series, DigiTech RP series, Zoom G3, or Line 6 Pocket Pod (pictured below).
4) Buy electric. If you want to buy an instrument dedicated strictly to playing in an amplified setting, you need to get a solid body electric. These violins, cellos, and violas come in a wide variety of designs since the shape does not affect the sound of the instrument. They look incredible on stage! Manufacturers make four, five, six, and seven string electric violins. Having extra strings is great because you can write a string quartet and hear all four parts, or play low power chords in a rock band. Visit www.electricviolinshop.com to see some of the designs.
5) Invest in an amp. In the electric world, a good amplifier is a crucial part of your sound. Once you have electrified your instrument, go to any music store and spend an afternoon trying out every amp you can. I usually prefer guitar or bass amps for my violin, but don’t rule anything out and trust your ears.
6) Explore the world of effects pedals. The variety of pedals that exist will make your head spin. Multi-effects processors have hundreds of different sounds programmed into one device. It is a great way to introduce yourself to delay, wah, distortion—all the sounds that guitar players have used for years that many string players are now discovering for the first time.
7) Once you gain confidence, find a local band and see if they would like to add a violin, viola, or cello. So many bands in rock, pop, and hip hop are using strings that it’s becoming as common as seeing a guitar on the bandstand. DJs may invite electric violinists to accompany them at clubs.
Joe Deninzon (www.joedeninzon.com) is a violinist based in New York City who leads the band Stratospheerius, plays in the Sweet Plantain String Quartet, and has worked with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Aretha Franklin, Ritchie Blackmore, and Phoebe Snow.
Joe Deninzon rocks out on his electric violin. For more information on electrifying your strings read his book: Plugging In: A Guide to Gear and New Techniques for the 21st Century Violinist (Mel Bay, 2012).
by Joe | Jun 12, 2011 | Articles
Stratospheerius reaches for the clouds with atmospheric mix ofblues, funk, rock and more
By Steve Wildsmith
It’s difficult to say what sort of music, if any, Joe Deninzon would be playing had the Russian native’s family stayed in St. Petersburg, but one thing’s almost a certainty — it wouldn’t be the funk-blues-rock-classical concoction he does today as founder of the band Stratospheerius.
Deninzon’s family emigrated to the United States in 1979, he told The Daily Times during a recent phone interview, to escape discrimination toward Jews. He was 4 when they came to America.
“My dad wanted to leave there, wanted a better life for his kids,” Deninzon said. “We moved to Cleveland, and almost immediately my dad – who also plays violin – got a job with the Cleveland Orchestra.”
It was a given that Deninzon would wind up with a violin in his hand, given that both of his parents were classical musicians. When he was 6, his father gave him one and he began to learn to play … but American culture began to work its magic on the youngster, and listening to the radio, he fell in love with rock ‘n’ roll and, later, jazz.
“All of the sudden, violin wasn’t cool anymore,” Deninzon said. “I took up guitar and bass while still studying violin in my ‘other’ life. I took a big journey and came back to the violin.”
Two things occurred that helped change his mind. One was musician Michael Stanley, a name unfamiliar to most outside of Cleveland but something of a hometown hero to music fans there. He would consistently sell out arenas in his hometown, and his twin daughters attended school with Deninzon.
“He heard me play at one of our high school concerts, and at 16 he invited me to play with his band,” Deninzon said. “I knew the notes and the music, because I could do it on the guitar, so I just translated it to the violin. And I got a great response and some media attention from that concert.”
The second was a recording given to him by his father by the legendary Gypsy-jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. That led to his discovery of other eclectic and groundbreaking artists, and suddenly the violin didn’t seem like such a stodgy instrument.
“Hearing some of those guys really opened my mind that you could do a lot of cool stuff on the instrument,” he said. “That was in the early 1990s, while I was still in high school, and I thought I could pave my own way with it. There were a lot of great guitar players, and I was a decent guitar player, but I wanted to stand out and do something unique.
“There was a certain sound I heard in my head that nobody else was producing, and I wanted to make it happen. It just took a few years to figure out what I wanted to play.”
He started with the rock ‘n’ roll influences with which he first fell in love on American radio — bands like Led Zeppelin, with its roots in the blues, and Yes, one of the progenitors of progressive rock. Over time, he added in the greasy funk-blues of Frank Zappa, the jazz of Miles Davis and even classical flourishes by such composers as Stravinsky and Mahler — all filtered through his violin.
“I sort of take elements from genres that I like and put them into my music while avoiding elements I don’t,” he said. “There are certain elements of the jam band scene that I love, but a lot of times there’s just aimless noodling going on. I’m a big fan of progressive rock, and I like a lot of elements of that music, but there are some elements that I don’t like.”
Eventually, he began putting together a band that would become Stratospheerius, seeking out like-minded players who thrived on a multitude of influences and genres. Combining jam, fusion, rock, progressive, jazz, metal and more, the band sounds like a condensed version of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, with vocals added. The New York-based outfit has opened for Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, The Slip and John Scofield, among others, and was a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition.
The band’s most recent album, “Headspace,” takes all of those elements and adds even more – Middle Eastern soundscapes, singer-songwriter virtuosity and a balance between the music and the vocals that’s drawn praise from critics. Next week (on Thursday, June 16), Stratospheerius will make its East Tennessee debut in downtown Maryville, a “warm-up” for the band’s showcase the following night at Chattanooga’s annual Riverbend Festival, where the group has always enjoyed a warm reception, Deninzon said.
“Performing is one of my favorite things to do in life,” he said. “I love to be in front of the audience, and I love being spontaneous. You’ll never hear a song we do performed the same way twice. From a performance standpoint, I’m really inspired by Bruce Springsteen. I love the way he pours his whole physical being into his performances.
“We’ll record a song one way, and it’ll take on a life of its own as we perform and tour with it. And it seems to go over really well with all kinds of audiences. It’s funny, because I’m not into labels – all of the sudden that puts you in a cage, and people think of you as only one thing. If any sort of audience appreciates our music, then I’m down with it and fine with it.”
by Joe | Nov 20, 2010 | Articles
Tiles and Stratospheerius: The Old Miami 11-20-10
by Eric Harabadian
The Old Miami in Detroit’s Cass Corridor is truly one of the Motor City’s downtown venues that have stood the test of time. It’s been there through the good and the bad and the years have done nothing to erode any of this rugged institution’s charm or character. I’ve heard it likened to the long-lamented New York City alt/punk club CBGB’s and there may be something to that. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons that ground-breaking NYC violinist Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius has been back a number of times and been embraced by the local hipsters and the cultural cognoscenti with open arms.
Electric violinist and lead vocalist Deninzon made no haste kicking their animated and adventuresome set full throttle with a tune off their Headspace album called “Long Rd.” It was an energetic rocker, with the mad fiddler front and center leading the charge as if his life depended on it. Another strange track off that same album, “Old Ghosts”, brought in a bit of funk laced with a tuneful chorus and jazzy lilt. “Today is Tomorrow” highlighted drummer Lucianna Padmore’s tabla-like flourishes and asymmetrical rhythms that gave the tune an exotic Middle Eastern feel. Another song called “Gods” showcased yet another aspect of the band’s sound where Deninzon plays his electric fiddle “bowless” in a pizzicato fashion like a guitar. “The House Always Wins” found Deninzon switching to mandolin for a gypsy blues taste, with stellar accompaniment by French guitarist Aurelien Budynek.
It seemed like Stratospheerius covered just about every kind of musical genre imaginable and the snappy ska-like “Tech Support” further displayed that notion. Bassist Jamie Bishop really propelled this one into overdrive, with some wacky and truly inspired soloing by Deninzon on the violin. As the set wound down they dedicated one of their more “prog rock” numbers “Mental Floss” to their much-anticipated gig mates Tiles. Guitarist Budynek stepped out with some ripping leads joined by cool and avante garde sound effects manipulation by Deninzon and an exceptional drum break by Padmore.
by Joe | Sep 11, 2010 | Articles
The band Stratospheerius features Joe Deninzon (vocals, violin, mandolin), Jamie Bishop (bass), Aurelien Budynek (guitars), and Lucianna Padmore (drums). The sound is hard to classify in a genre.It combines modern and classic music in a way that is hard to find. The new album Headspace showcases the style nicely.
by Joe | Jan 29, 2009 | Articles
The Wood Viper Violin: Stratospheerius’ Joe Deninzon On The Electric Violin
by Patrick Ogle
Joe Deninzon of Stratospheerius says you could fill ten books with him talking about the violin. We decided, therefore, to get specific. We talked to Deninzon about his Viper Violin and how he would up playing it. Deninzon comes from a family of classical musicians. His father played with the Cleveland Orchestra for 30 years. He began lessons on the violin at age 6. Then he fell in love with rock music and later on, jazz. But at the time, he learned bass and guitar and shunted his violin to the side. What kid wants to play violin in a rock band?
“A few things happened which were major catalysts in my life. The first was when I heard Stephane Grappeli, my first introduction to jazz violin. The second was when local Cleveland celebrity Michael Stanley invited me to play violin with his band, and the third was when I heard a recording of Jerry Goodman with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.” says Deninzon.
These three things opened him up to using all the musical concepts he had learned and brought him “back” to the violin — the instrument he feels he is and was most adept at. He went looking for an electric violin.
“I did some research and bought a six-string Jensen electric violin, which had the top four strings of a regular violin (E,A,D,G) and went two fifths below with a lower C and F. This instrument served me well for many years, and then I moved to New York and met Mark Wood,” he says. “His Viper used the same Barbara pickups my Jensen did, so the sound was identical, but what sold me on the instrument was the ‘chest support’ system, which allowed me to free up my mouth and chin, since I sing and play violin at the same time, and the frets enabled me to nail the high notes at clubs where the monitor situation was less than ideal. I also loved the fact that it had a seventhth string (a low B-flat), which went a whole step below cello range. Perfect for distorted power chords, or recording cello parts for string arrangements.”
The Viper is a solid body instrument — not acoustic — and as such, it needs to be played through an amp. Deninzon is emphatic when discussing an amp versus playing through the PA.
“I don’t care what anybody tells you, and I’ve had arguments with many soundmen about this. Electric stringed instruments sound like crap when put directly through a house system,” he says. “I have a very strong opinion about this. You wouldn’t run an electric guitar direct in a live situation, would you? Since the Viper has such a large frequency range, I have found it to sound good with Fender Twins or Mesa Boogie Cabinets. The more powerful tube amps usually are best for these instruments.”
Deninzon also likes exploring how different effects sound with the Viper.
“When I played guitar, I became well-acquainted with distortion, wah, delay pedals, etc. I like how those things sound on a violin. Not quite like a guitar, not quite like a violin, something completely different,” he says. “I have two huge pedal-boards I use when playing with Stratospheerius or Metro Strings. I am also developing a book for Mel Bay addressing how string players can get into using effects and incorporating them into their sound.”
In the studio he uses it in many different ways.
“Often when someone is on a budget and can’t afford to hire a whole string section for their project, I play the cello and viola parts on a Viper and the violin parts on a regular acoustic violin,” says Deninzon. “With the right amp and EQ, you can get a pretty realistic cello sound.”
Among the Viper’s best features are the chest support system which incorporates a guitar strap behind the back and an adjustable chest support device. This means you do not have to hold the violin and strain your neck and shoulders. He also likes the way the Viper looks.
“The design looks like a flying V guitar, and is one-of-a kind for an electric violin design. Very sleek. ” he says. “The frets are a great cheat sheet, since in a rock situation, you can’t always hear yourself, and this really helps you nail notes. It’s especially great if you’re a singer and are trying to multi-task on stage.”
He does think there are some things about the Viper that could be rethought.
“My female colleagues have complained to me about getting “viper boob” when they play for extended periods of time. I think he needs to work on adjusting the chest support system to make it more comfortable for women.” he says.
He also says there are intonation problems — but adds most fretted instruments have those.
“The area where the F, C, and G string are has intonation problems, and sometimes the instrument goes flat as you go up the fretboard. On a violin, there is almost no margin of error, and I know Mark is constantly trying to improve these things,” says Deninzon. “When I bought the instrument, the D and A string would get ripped every once in a while around the third fret, and I had to sand the lower frets down a bit to smooth them out and prevent this from happening.”
In addition to Stratospheerius’ new CD, Deninzon is also writing and recording with his new electric string quartet, Metro Strings.
by Joe | Apr 29, 2008 | Articles
Ad Lib
by John Liberty
STRATOSPHEERIUS’ LOCAL DEBUT
Meet Joe Deninzon, the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the violin’
As a young man, Stratospheerius frontman Joe Deninzon played bass, guitar and violin.
There came a point when he had to pick an instrument, and he went with the violin because he was better at it. The Russian-born musician, who grew up in Cleveland and now lives in New York, was classically trained on the violin and listened to a lot of jazz, but echoing in his heart and mind was the music of Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and Aerosmith, among others.
Deninzon found a balance between the two styles with an electric violin. Five years ago, he bought a Viper, a seven-string, solid-bodied wood violin shaped like a flying-V guitar. He bought it from Wood Violins, a New York-based manufacturer of electric violins, violas and cellos.
“I played violin, thinking like a guitar player,” Deninzon said during a phone interview from New York. “I was able to scratch both itches.”
Deninzon and the rest of the progressive-rock band Stratospheerius will make their local debut at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Admission is $5.
The group — Deninzon, drummer Lucianna Padmore, bassist Jamie Bishop, percussionist Benny Koonyevsky and new guitarist Auerelien Budynek — released its latest CD, “Headspace,” last summer. The band blends rock, jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop and freewheeling instrumentals. And, of course, there’s the Viper.
People tend to look at his instrument as a novelty, Deninzon said.
“I’m trying to get past that and just make music,” he said. “People kind of freak out because it’s different.”
The animated Deninzon — “I go nuts at live shows” — said “people have called me the Jimi Hendrix of the violin,” although he said he’s constantly looking to refine his sound — “It’s a journey, not a destination.” He also wants to revive a dying part of the live-concert experience by “bringing back the glory of the guitar solos, or, in my case, violin solos.”
