It is sometimes difficult for a violinist to find their place in a “contemporary music” band. Rest assured, it’s only a matter of boldness and practice, so let’s dive in!
We will cover the various aspects that determine your place in a band. This includes technical matters, your stage positioning, your musical interventions, and even your posture.
Be Independent and Sociable
Know Your Equipment
You are a musician, a violinist, a singer, etc. And unless your band has its own stage technicians, you must be able to set up, connect, and adjust your equipment on your own!
Without this knowledge, you won’t manage. You can’t rely on the guitarist, the sound engineer, or the bassist to set up your gear!
We’ve written dozens of articles on this topic; here are a few links:
Knowing your equipment is the ABC of your concerts. You need to know how to adjust and configure each tool so that your performance goes smoothly on the big day.
You must also be able to react quickly in case of issues! If your violin goes out of tune between two songs, quickly grab your tuner to retune it, while muting your sound so the audience doesn’t hear you tuning. If crackling suddenly appears in your mix, analyze the problem to identify the cause, then do everything to fix it.
To communicate effectively with other musicians and especially with the sound engineer, it’s also important to know the technical stage vocabulary. You don’t need to know exactly what a DI does, but when someone asks if you need a DI, you should know what they’re talking about! Another example: you should know whether your sound will come out in mono or stereo based on your setup.
Not only will your independence help you grow, but you’ll also feel more at ease if you can handle these issues on your own.
Communicate, Share, Have Fun
If you don’t get along with the other band members, playing will quickly become a chore, and soon you’ll lose the desire to participate. Harmony is essential for your well-being and for the image you project on stage. If you can’t communicate with each other, the lack of cohesion will quickly be felt by the audience.
This aspect also relates to the joy you take in playing. If tomorrow you no longer enjoy playing the band’s repertoire, feel like you’re doing the same thing for years, or can’t reinvent yourself, it might be because you’ve outgrown this band, and it’s time to move on to a new one!
Playing music shouldn’t become torture; you should have fun and enjoy yourself on stage.
Finding Your Place in the Mix
Work on Your Violin’s Sound
Before finding your place in the band’s mix, you need to achieve a quality sound that suits you. This first step involves adjusting your violin, your amplifier, your effects pedals, and other devices.
We’ve already discussed these topics in several articles. Here are some links to help you refine your settings on your own.
Work with the Sound Engineer on Your Violin’s Place in the Overall Mix
When a sound engineer prepares the overall mix for a concert, they strive to find the best settings so that each instrument finds its place in the general mix (the sound sent to the audience). The instruments shouldn’t overpower the vocals, violin solos should be audible, the bass rhythm should be present, etc.
They must ensure the overall mix is clean, audible, free of feedback, and consistent with the band’s style. A mix depends on each band, the people, and the instruments involved. The settings are completely different between a metal concert and a country one!
In the case of the violin, the engineer will ensure it doesn’t interfere with the vocals. The violin’s frequencies partially overlap with those of the voice. The sound engineer may restrict them to prevent the violin from overpowering the singer’s voice. Then, they’ll check that the violin doesn’t clash with another instrument’s frequencies and vice versa.
Finding Your Musical Place: The Role of Soloist and Accompanist
The violin is an instrument that can play two roles: that of a soloist, as in Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex, and that of an accompanying instrument, as in J’t’emmène au vent by Louise Attaque (except at 1 minute, where it becomes a soloist).
Let the only (and probably unique) French violinist who has never received a request like “Please play me J’t’emmène au vent” raise their hand? 🙂
Let’s go back to the basics of these two roles, which don’t involve the same way of playing.
A soloist is a performer who plays a musical part alone within an ensemble or in isolation.
The soloist is therefore distinct from the musician who collectively plays a musical part. In this case, the musician accompanies the soloist, hence their role as an accompanying instrument.
However, a violinist sometimes takes on both roles within the same song. They might perform a solo for a few seconds in the middle of the track and spend the rest of the time as an accompanying instrument.
How to Position Yourself Musically as a Soloist Violinist?
There are two possibilities: an instrumental piece or a sung piece. In an instrumental piece, you will play the main melody or melodies. For a sung piece, you will take the place of the vocals at certain moments in the song. This usually happens in the intro, an instrumental solo, and sometimes during the chorus or bridge. You need to be very prominent during solos. You can also slip in short passages between the singer’s lyrics to add depth to their performance.
In fact, it’s exactly the same role as a lead guitarist, except you’re playing the violin! You need to be striking and clear from your very first note to take the place of the vocals when it’s your moment. A soloist violinist must be able to play melodies that match the song’s chords. Very often, violinists rely on their improvisation skills. If you’re not comfortable improvising, it’s better to prepare your part and stick to it. Here’s a small example with this violin solo by Volt W. Jingjit in a cover of I Shot the Sheriff by Bob Marley.
His attitude is interesting to analyze. As we know him very well, we can confirm that the solo is completely improvised and is never the same each time he performs it. Volt is a violinist who improvises whenever he gets the chance. You’ll notice that at first, he follows the melody, then inserts improvised passages. Little by little, he gets swept away by the music and rhythm, seeming to play alone amidst the others. Also, observe the moment when he signals to his bandmates with a glance and a nod that he’s about to drop his lead and return to the normal flow of the song. This shows that the musicians around him have no idea when he’s going to hand the lead back to the singer.
This is where, as a soloist, you can use effects, whether they’re fairly classic or highly original, like distortion or wah-wah! The goal is to vary your playing and draw the audience’s attention to your performance.
Be careful—being a soloist violinist doesn’t mean you’ll be the soloist for an entire song. You must respect the singer’s position! Often, you become the soloist for just a few seconds in a track before handing the lead back to the singer. It’s also important to limit how much you take over from the vocals—you shouldn’t outshine the singer.
As a soloist, you need to stand out clearly, so don’t hide! Feel free to move around and take up space if possible.
Conversely, when the vocals are present or take back their place in the song, you shouldn’t interfere with them. Learn to respect your time in the spotlight. When it’s over, step back and wait for your next moment.
How to Position Yourself Musically as an Accompanying Instrument?
Most of the time, accompanying instruments play together and musically surround the soloist, who is often the singer.
As an accompanying instrument, the violinist takes on the same role as a guitar or piano, which is to create the harmony on which the vocals will rest.
To do this, the violinist can use several techniques. If you’re fulfilling this accompanying role as the only violinist on stage, you can:
- Play double or triple stops
- Perform pizzicato rhythms on multiple strings, like a guitar
- Use a harmonizer to simulate multiple instruments
You’ll need to be rhythmically and harmonically precise, connected to the rhythm section (bass and drums), while serving the vocals.
In terms of stage positioning, if you’re an accompanist, move closer to the rhythm section (drums and bass) to be in perfect sync with them.
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Standing Out on Stage
You might be introverted in life, but on stage, you’ll need to put that aside and show yourself. If you’re shy and reserved, don’t worry—you’re neither the first nor the last. You’ll need to work on your stage presence without forcing yourself to do things you don’t want to! It’s about finding the right balance.
It’s not uncommon to see a musician who’s very shy in life but completely unleashed on stage! On stage, you can be someone you’re not in everyday life. The key is to take the plunge and try different approaches at least once to see if they suit you.
To stand out on stage, experiment with different postures and gestures using your instrument and/or parts of your body.
Smile
Let’s start with smiling. It might seem silly, but smiling is the first thing to put into practice. Some musicians are so stressed or focused on their playing that they forget to smile. If you look grumpy while playing, no audience member will look at you!
We can’t teach you how to smile, but if you’re comfortable and enjoying yourself on stage, it will come naturally.
Smiling is also important for the photos and videos taken during a concert. If you don’t smile, you won’t be featured in the concert video, and the photos will be unusable.
Second Point: Eye Contact!
In classical music, you never seek eye contact with an audience member. It doesn’t fit the classical world at all. However, in contemporary music, you should make the most of exchanging looks with the audience, other musicians, and even the cameras. We all know this kind of move. Come on, remember that little wink to the camera after a memorable solo!
Looking at the audience helps you connect with them. They’ll feel involved in your actions and like they’re part of your performance. If you feel uneasy making eye contact, look at their foreheads instead. You won’t be unsettled by their gaze, and they’ll think you’re looking them right in the eyes! This trick works every time!
On large stages with heavy lighting setups, you might not see the audience or only the first few rows of seats or people in the pit. That’s okay! You can still look a bit further out, imagining someone’s there. There’s someone out there anyway (unless the venue is empty!), and they don’t know you can’t see them, so look their way. Maybe with less intensity, but really think about engaging those people.
With other musicians, you probably already use eye contact to sync with the drummer’s rhythm or to coordinate with the singer about when your solo starts, etc.
With cameras, it ensures—absolutely ensures—you’ll be in the live video! Any director or video editor loves these moments. Because you’re not just playing your instrument, you’re contributing to the camera show, connecting with it through the lens, and bringing your performance to life through that exchange. Be careful not to overuse the camera stare. Doing it too often can become heavy and uninteresting. There’s no need to do it for every song—the director won’t use it more than two or three times per concert. And if possible, they’ll spread it across different musicians for fairness!
With a photographer, you can strike a particular pose, but don’t overdo it here either. The best photos are often those where the subject has forgotten the photographer was there!
Your Body Language
You can’t stand stiff as a board and not move. You’re playing pop, country, rock, or something else. This isn’t classical music. These genres were designed to make people dance! So you can’t stay still.
You don’t necessarily need to sway through the whole concert! But you need to show that you physically feel what you’re playing, whether through your face or any other part of your body! Here’s a small example with Matt Bell’s very personal gestures when he plays the electric violin!
This is called non-verbal communication. It refers to the facial expressions and/or body postures you adopt in a specific situation.
Interact with the other musicians in the band too. We talked earlier about exchanging looks, but you can also play, dance, or laugh with them! Any interaction, whether visual or physical, is positive! It makes you human and shows there’s chemistry between you. Movements can be “planned” or spontaneous. Either way, they bring your performance to life.
Still, stay consistent with the song being played and in sync with the other musicians. You’ll look silly if you’re not moving while they’re caught up in the rhythm, but you’ll look just as silly if you’re jumping around while they’re totally relaxed.
Take Up Space
If your instrument doesn’t tie you down, move around and take up space! During a violin solo, don’t stay in the back next to the drummer—move toward the audience so they can see your performance. You should always have enough cable length for this kind of movement. That cable needs to be uncoiled and ready to follow you! The easiest solution is using a wireless system designed for musical instruments!
During soundcheck, verify the cable length needed or the acceptable range of your wireless signal system. Also, check that as you move, you can still hear yourself. You might move out of your monitor’s range, so another monitor (like the singer’s or another musician’s) should help you hear. Obviously, you won’t have this issue if you’re using in-ear monitors.
As a guitarist or violinist, you’re lucky to be able to move with your instrument in hand—use that advantage to stand out! And remember, the day the drummer can move with their kit, they’ll take your spot because, deep down, they’ve always dreamed of doing it!
By moving, you can back up the singer, join another musician for a sequence, step to the front of the stage when you take the lead, etc. Once the song or solo is over, don’t forget to return to your spot!
On stage, every musician has their own space. Its size depends on each musician’s needs (monitor, effects pedals, space required to play the instrument, number of instruments used, etc.). Sometimes, stages are small, and it’ll be hard to move around. In that case, find the best compromise so every musician is comfortable. Similarly, you’ll need to adapt your movements and positioning to avoid disturbing the musician next to you.
Conversely, sometimes stages are too big for just a few people, and that large space feels empty. Try to redefine the scenic space of that big stage by shrinking it with your positioning. Don’t stand five meters apart from each other. If you’re closer together and the rest of the space is completely empty, the audience will understand that your stage is where you are. They’ll forget the unused areas of the stage and focus their attention on you.
