June 2024 Update:
I now play 6 strings electric violin from ETJ Violin! Regular EADG strings and also lower C and F. It’s almost like a combo of violin, viola and a guitar. I use this instrument for my electric projects like Atomic Pigeons, Shardik and Illumination Quartet.
January 2024:
I have been using my acoustic violin with my favorite pickup Schertler Stat-V pickup with Lehle volume pedal (Heavy but unbreakable volume pedal that tones my violin sounds).
Some of my favorite pedals are…
Korg Miku Stomp - My favorite pedal that I use for Smashing Humans, Atomic Pigeons, and all sorts of improv and creative music. She is a pedal that turns instrument sounds into a vocaloid Miku Hatsune’s voice, singing in Japanese? lyrics. Her tracking is imperfect which is perfect!
WMD Geiger Counter + Expression pedal - This pedal gives crazy screaming sounds unapologetically = True joy! My friend/collaborator and amazing guitarist/composer Matt Hollenberg has two of them and lent one to me so that we both can match-scream! He plays in my Atomic Pigeons and I play in his quartet version of Shardik. His music and sound making is insane, check it out!
TWA Series @ godlyke.inc - My friend Will works at this musician-run pedal company in NJ! Check their pedals out!
-Little Dipper - Makes violin sounds like distorted frogs. Fun on its own and also with Miku.
-Dynamorph
-Great Divide - Dynamorph and Great Divide sound warm, dirty-distorted on acoustic violin with a good pickup. Sounds great in regular loud volume bands like jazz, rock and pop but it’s been tricky in metal loud bands. I am hoping to get a blender and a noise gate to control them further. Can’t wait to try them with e-violins!
Chasebliss - I want more and all of their pedals!
-Mood - Does a lot of amazing things in the areas of reverb, loops, delays and samples. It develops its own loops that’s never the same! There are a lot more on this pedal. Watched hours of instruction videos and still need to learn. So cute and pretty and everything it does is so cute and pretty.
-Rainbow Machine - Miku + this is my roots.
-Data Corruptor - Amazing viola improviser Matt Maneri gave this to me because he no longer uses it. HONORED. Crazy feel-good dirt pedal that sounds like a motor cycle!
Meris - Their pedals sounds great with violins.
-Polymoon - Makes me feel like Sailor Moon. Really cool out-worldly reverb pedal. Works beautifully with violin + good pickup.
-Enzo - I still need to figure this gorgeous golden multi voice synth machine. It does its own loops that develops, which has been fun to use in solo/small groups. I will update as I figure this pedal out.