What's the difference in sound between an electric and acoustic violin?

Question

I am looking at teaching myself violin to sweeten my current computer-orchestrated compositions. I am currently debating whether or not to purchase an electric violin over an acoustic. I will have sampled strings with the live violin, but I want it to sound authentic as if I actually recorded it in a studio (I have reverbs for the room), and I'm not sure if the tone of an acoustic is completely different from electric. They're both similar price, so that's not really a problem. My music is strictly orchestral.

Can someone give me pros and cons of each? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The acoustic violin is much more friendly to our environment. You are posting in the environmental section, so I am giving you an environmental answer. Make green music!

Answer 2

They can sound quite a bit different.

Think about guitars -- an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar often have quite different sounds.

However, it's rather difficult to "describe" the sounds of each to you.

Personally, I would recommend that you buy an acoustic violin, but get a pickup and amp that can be put on / taken off the violin.  This way, you'll have both for whatever suits your needs with each particular song.  

If you'd like to hear examples, go to http://uk.youtube.com/ and search "violins" and "electric violin," then listen to the results.  It gives a pretty accurate view of what each will sound like.

Personally, I think that when it comes to non-professional recordings, acoustic violins sound better.  Electric violins do of course sound good, however the distortion often messes with the sound pickup of recording devices a bit too much.

Good luck =]

Answer 3

I play the violin.

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Answer 4

They sound different.  People that know what both sound like will be able to tell the difference.  But if you don't crank up the gain or volume the sound will probably be close enough.  Go on youtube and listen to some samples.