Violin through DI into PA

[taco-man]

Any stage violinists here? My girlfriend plays fiddle in a couple bluesy, rootsy, country, rock type bands. She uses an LR Baggs ParaAcoustic DI into the PA. She hasn't really tried to dial in any settings on the DI. It has Low, Notch, Mid, Presence and High dials.

 

There are suggestions in the instructions for guitarists, but I'm wondering how twiddling these knobs might have an effect on the violin sound.

We've never had the opportunity to try things out onstage really. She plugs in and goes.... I find that her two lowest strings are a little nasal and muddy. Could a midrange adjustment help? I think the low frequency isn't even relevant.

 

Any tips or advice are welcome.

[sunburstbasser]

I think you are right about not needing lows on a violin.

 

On guitar, "nasally" usually means mid-rangey. Try fiddling with the notch, which may be a mid-range level knob (don't know offhand, check your manual) and cut some midrange.

[RockViolin]

Avatar = me on a stage.

 

(Strange as it is that there are occassionally violin threads in the Winds and Brass forum, it's even stranger that I somehow come across them.)

 

If she's playing an acoustic with a contact pickup you can move the pickup around a bit, or a lot, and see if that helps. And her violin may have a nasal quality that is being accentuated by the gear she plays through. Sound post adjustments in the violin at a violin shop with her preamp/gear along might get to the heart of the matter. Many ways to tweak an acoustic. She could also try different/brighter strings. Generally steel strings are going to be brighter, perhaps less nasal.

 

Sorry to say it, but you'll just have to try this and that and listen to the results. Without hearing her in the mix it's hard to know what the issue is. Schedule some time to turn the knobs and experiment. Violins aren't just all highs and upper mids, so careful not to cut too much or it will just be thin.