Electric Violins

Bass, new song, new cover. I’m awesome.

admin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:03:41 +0000

So, I bought a bass. 5 String Ibanez SR405 to be precise. Its awesome. And now I can lay down backing tracks to all the stuff I record. Speaking of which, I’m working on a new song for which I’m sure you’re all extremely excited. Here’s a teaser.

But back to the title. I found some Nine Inch Nails stems online and since I’m on a huge NIN kick right now I had to grab the 31 Ghosts IV drum stem and record a quick, dirty, ballsy, brutal, raw, bass and violin cover. You should check it out cause its awesome.

Also I’m currently learning Icarus by Kansas for the Virtual Kansas Online Band youtube thingy. It’s a tricky song but I really like it so far.

Fet Preamp

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:52:12 +0000

Just built a simple FET Preamp to the violin – really makes a difference, evens out the output volumes. Pretty happy with it so far.

http://skudmunky.com/gallery3/index.php/DIY-Violin/Fet-Preamp

The Frail NIN Cover

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:25:29 +0000

I just recorded a quick cover of The Frail by Nine Inch Nails – check it out in the music player on the right or download it here:

http://skudmunky.com/MarkW_NIN_TheFrail_ViolinCover.mp3

I’ve got an internship for the next 6 or so months, which is giving me a lot more free time than I have during school, so expect updates to come more frequently (hopefully).

Remember that violin thing…

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:22:58 +0000

I finished it. Kinda. Woodwork is all done, need to make a new bridge, and of course the pickups aren’t perfect. Need to laser cut some covers and plates for the electronics as well…

I’m going to get someone to take good looking pictures sometime soon. Time to order a bridge and work on electronics!

Loading Images

New solo for Metropolis Pt 1

admin — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:02:11 +0000

Just recorded a solo for a Metropolis Pt 1 – Dream Theater cover over at the Mike Portnoy forums!

http://skudmunky.com/skudmunky-electric-violin-solo1.avi
http://skudmunky.com/skudmunky-electric-violin-solo1.wav

Christmas Extravaganza Videos!

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:55:02 +0000

Got the videos from the Brockport Christmas Extravaganza up on youtube now! Watch, rate, share and enjoy!

Siberian Sleigh Ride

Christmas Eve / Sarajevo aka Carol of the Bells

Christmas Extravaganza!

admin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:53:59 +0000

Had one of the best shows EVER last night – 3 friends and I played 3 Trans-Siberian Orchestra covers at a Christmas Extravaganza show in Brockport NY. We played an extended version of Siberian Sleigh Ride, Wizards in Winter, and Christmas Eve / Sarajeva (aka Carol of the Bells). It went so well! (Which was great because we’d only been playing with our drummer for a sum total of 6 hours up to the show)

Videos shall come as soon as the people who videotaped it get the files to me, but rest assured they will be up on youtube asap.

Here’s a great picture that kinda covers the event!

And a link to the photo gallery.

Themes, pictures, etc…

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:35:44 +0000

So the wordpress theme I’ve been using broke when I updated wordpress, so I’m using this one temporarily / maybe permanently, gotta do some configuring first. Who knows!

Added some pictures of my current recording rig to the Equipment album… For some reason nextgen gallery wont integrate with my updates.

Virtual Kansas Collaboration 1

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:05:09 +0000

New video! Took part in an online virtual youtube cover project – playing Journey From Mariabronn by Kansas. Turned out GREAT!

Virtual Kansas Collab

Magnets! Painting! It works! Now with soundclip!

admin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:17:24 +0000

Just click on this to see!

Anyways the new violin is coming along great – the new neodymium magnets on the pickups get the output nice and strong, the circuitry is working nicely (gotta fix a buzz on the tone control) and everything fits together and plays well! All the blue tape on the violin is temporary – I still havent attached the fingerboard yet, and im trying to keep the paint around the jack from getting to scratched up right now.

Just have to finish shaping the fingerboard and fit the bridge now, so close to completion!

http://skudmunky.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=569

Here is the very first sound clip of my hand wound electromagnetic pickups – http://www.skudmunky.com/handwoundviolinpickups.mp3
be gentle!
The pickups are pretty microphonic (hand wound, unpotted), and the strings arent perfectly balanced volume wise yet, since the distances from the strings to the blade arent all correct, but for my first try I think it’s not bad at all. Sounds like a violin at least!