Articles
Michael "Doc" Dreyfuss Takes the Viola to the Limit!
An Interview with Michael "Doc" Dreyfuss, by Paula Apynys (webmaster for Peter Zaret and Sons Violins.com)
On tour with McKendree Spring in the 60's and 70's, Dreyfuss rocked audiences in Europe and the USA with his special brand of electric violin and viola. McKendree Spring recorded seven albums for MCA and PYE. Line Records (Germany) released five on CD in 1994. A compilation CD that showcases Dreyfuss's rock improvisation, God Bless the Conspiracy - a work that the New York Village Voice called "the most original use of the electric violin we've heard" — was issued by Edsel records (UK, 1996). Dreyfuss joined with Howie Smith and Bill Cavanaugh in Snowball, a 72-track improvisation for electric violin, viola, keyboards, and saxophones on Cyborg Records (USA, 1992). In 1990, as music director of Wyse Advertising, he created an award-winning version of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik in which sampled animal sounds are used to produce the instrumental parts (for the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo). In collaboration with Cavani (String Quartet in Residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music) he composed and recorded Ignition (DFA Records, 1994, 1997), an encounter for string quartet and electric viola.
Michael Dreyfuss earned degrees in physics (BA), medicine (MD), taught anatomy to medical students, researched limb regeneration in newts, co-founded McKendree Spring, and published fiction about music in Penthouse and Northern Ohio Live magazines.
*From the spirited I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do driven by Latin percussion and a zany viola to the wah-wah strings and gunshots of Get Bach to the mournful beauty of Tears in Heaven, Mike Doc Dreyfuss' new CD, Nice & Queasy is now available at http://www.mckendreespring.com/?content=news
Click here to listen to I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do.
Paula: How did you get started on the viola?
Mike: I began violin lessons at the Cleveland Music School Settlement when I was five and I pretty much disliked practicing but loved reading new material. I also enjoyed the fallout of playing an instrument at an early age — being able to join the orchestra in school, meeting a variety of people, playing chamber music, having fun. It was not until high school that a viola was thrust at me by the orchestra conductor (John Farinacci, Cleveland Heights High School) who believed that if you played the violin, you ought to be able to play the viola as well. For years I played both. But around 1975 my violin was destroyed in a truck mishap. So I picked up the viola full time and rarely looked back.
Paula: How do (did) you adjust to moving between the 2 instruments?
Mike: I find the switch to be relatively painless because violin and viola are both chin instruments with similar performing techniques. Today I play a small viola with a big tone. The small size (16 1/4") has always been an advantage in moving from the smaller violin to the larger, heavier viola — requiring longer reach, heavier bow, and extended finger stretches for some of those long-shot notes. Because of its size the viola emits an imperfect resonance that can impart a mournful quality to its sound. I love it.
Paula: The viola is not known as a solo instrument, though that is changing - isn't that unfair to the instrument?
Mike: The viola is a wonderful solo instrument. It spans a register between cello and violin wherein a lot of notes reside. That can be a disadvantage. For the viola to stand out as a solo instrument it needs to have some uncluttered musical space in which to work. It cannot soar as easily as a violin above the fray. Tonally it is in the eye of the fray. But make room for its soulful sound to be heard and a viola solo can break your heart.
Ignition, a piece I wrote and recorded with the Cavani String Quartet in the mid nineties showcases the versatility of the viola electrified. I performed it once at a Cleveland Institute of Music Chamber Fest with the Cavani in 1994, and again in Greensboro, NC with the Eastern Music Festival String Quartet in 1997. The Ignition EP is available from DFA Music, 3045 Warrington Road, Cleveland, OH 44120 for ten bucks.
Excellent examples of soulful, acoustic viola from the McKendree Spring catalog can be found in Duluth, a song by Fran McKendree, and Fading Lady by Jerry Jeff Walker.
Paula: What made you want to play in a rock group?
Mike: The sounds and the messages in the 60's-70's were compelling. There was the lure of musical autonomy, independence, and so much inspiration from contemporary artists. The times they were a' changing. I was fascinated by the fact that a musician could not only amplify an instrument such as a viola or violin, but reshape its sound in countless ways. It was astonishing. Add to that, revolutionary music and revolutionary thoughts — like the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam Peace Movement to name a couple — and you had a revolutionary time in which paradigms were shifting faster than 32nd notes. Creative options seemed unlimited.
There has always been a social aspect to being a musician and meeting wonderful people in many contexts — from uptight recitals in the learning years to huge, rowdy crowds (in the early 1970's McKendree Spring played for close to 1,000,000 people at the Washington Monument for a Vietnam war protest), lighting and sound technicians (from whom I learned tons), fans, opening acts, headliners (we shared the stage a with literally hundreds of amazing groups in the 70's, from Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Emmy Lou Harris to Frank Zappa), crazy night club owners with firearms, and classy entrepreneurs like Bill Graham — who was the first promoter I met willing to take rock-n-roll seriously enough to provide first class stage help and technical assistance at the Fillmore East.
Paula: What kind of viola do you have and what do you like about it?
Mike: I play a German viola made by Wilhelm in 1933. It is relatively small with a big, rich, full tone. I installed a Bowtronic pickup at the end of the fingerboard wired to a jack attached to the tailpiece. It is similar to a Humbucking pickup for the guitar. The electronic hardware is minimal. I play a great deal of chamber music with a wired but unplugged viola and its tone remains radiant.
Interest in electronically enhanced instruments has produced some amazing solid body electric violins with up to 7 strings — with the violin 'E' on top, viola in the middle, and two top cello pitches on the bottom. The learning curve is steep but worth it.
I do not own one of these instruments but have played a 6 string viola and others. It is an awesome experience to have so many octaves at your finger tips. In general the dedicated electronic instruments I have played tend to produce a flatter affect than more familiar instruments. It is more difficult to be dynamically expressive. An acoustic instrument with a pickup (like the one I use) mixes the natural warmth of the viola with amplified and processed sounds to produce a marvelous blend.
Paula: What's your preference in bows?
Mike: I have two viola bows, one heavy one light. I prefer the light one but enjoy switching to the other to give my bow arm a workout. When I was with McKendree Spring (check out our exhibit in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum) I carried a bunch of cheap bows in a sling over my shoulder and let 2 or 3 fly into non-inhabited parts of the stage after a hot riff. I also wired a couple of bows with a string of tiny lights that created arcs and glows during dizzy passages.
For me, bows are not that big a deal, as long as they're rosined, reasonably balanced, and concave.
Paula: What kind of strings do you use and like and why?
Mike: Steel strings are a must for the pickup to work properly. I use Red Label. They seem to function well, allowing my viola to produce a rich acoustic sound as well.
Paula: When did you begin to play electric? How did you originally amplify your instrument?
Mike: I was captivated by a plugged in violin the moment I heard it on a record by a 1960's avant garde band called the "United States of America". Its album came in a plain brown wrapper. After hearing the fiddle player manipulate his sound in a way I had never imagined possible I began accumulating echo units, fuzz boxes, wah-wah pedals, ring modulators and so on.
The first electric gig I played was an NAACP benefit at Glens Falls High School in Glens Falls, NY. We had just formed McKendree Spring and all four of us (including bass) played through a single Fender Reverb amplifier freshly purchased at the local gift and music shop. The strange sounds that came out of that poor Fender were unbelievably intriguing and helped turn me into a lifer, a total fan.
My first pickup was a $20 contact microphone from Radio Shack that stuck to the violin bridge with a dab of putty. After a few more variations on that theme, I met the Barcus Berry people, agreed to endorse their product and got 25% off a red violin and a blue viola. Their piezo pickups needed a tremendous amount of tweaking, requiring drastic reduction in treble and big boost in the bass. Otherwise, the sound tended to be too bright and feed back. At my feet was an array of pedals, boxes and wires. Once I tried a police siren but the band made me scrap it.
Paula: Tell me about your use of effects devices.
Mike: The most interesting array was in the 1970's when pedals were separate little units and you could mix and match them in serial. All those phased, echoed, wah-wahed, and distorted sounds were fed to an echo device that made the notes fly off like a flock of birds. The Echoplex allowed a phantasm of effects which I used freely in God Bless the Conspiracy (from McKendree Spring's 1971's album McKendree Spring 3). Some of the most interesting sounds were achieved by varying the distance between Echoplex record and playback tape heads during a feedback cycle. The effect through a huge PA system was overwhelming.
Today I use the Bowtronic pickup described above. It records well and sounds superbly live. The pickup signal is fed to a single Digitech RP-10 pedal board which contains a multitude of sound-altering options. So far my favorite sustainably listenable sound for the viola is a healthy dose of hall reverberation blended with a touch of distortion. Other than that, my two most wanted effects are echoes of various lengths and repetitions, and the wah-wah sound made by sweeping from extreme bass to extreme treble with a foot pedal. By bowing rather than plucking (e.g. guitar) the wah-wah effect can make a slow "waaaaah" from a viola languish over several bars. What makes it so fascinating is that the tonal quality changes continually as the pedal is applied.
Paula: What styles of music do you play?
Mike: I'll try anything. Styles I play mostly now are rock, blues, classical, fanciful improvisation, some jazz, and a bit of country.
Paula: Do you approach these styles differently?
Mike: I take basically the same approach to them all. Learn the piece and practice it. Practicing with a CD whenever possible is invaluable.
Paula: How much/what kind of practicing do you do?
Mike: Daily is the most important. 30 - 60 minutes is good for maintenance. When you have to prepare for recording or performance let your conscience be your guide. I try to listen hard to myself as if I were playing in front of people. What are they hearing? Is it in-tune, clean, dynamically active, and interesting? Some people like to record themselves (mostly audio but some video as well) to see and hear how they're doing. Practicing in front of a mirror is also helpful.
Posture is important for control and longevity. Practice hard. But don't overdo it. Don't hurt yourself. Music is a dangerous profession. It can hurt your musculoskeletal system, damage your ears, and make you a nervous wreck. The most productive and least stressful approach is to know your stuff.
Today, I hate to miss a day of practicing. It shows immediately. The old saying, attributed to, I believe, Jascha Heifitz: "miss a day of practice and you notice it; miss two days, your wife notices; miss three days and your audience notices it" is as true as a T-square. Practice is the secret of life, I believe, enabling us to function at high levels of virtuosity and sensitivity in all endeavors.
Paula: Can you share any special techniques you've developed?
Mike: Here's three. These are not my invention by any means, but moves I've found useful. Slow even movement of the wah-wah pedal during a sustained note from a viola will produce a rich, passionate sound.
Regard your echo device as another instrument — play harmonies with echoed notes and let them ring — it makes you sound otherworldly.
In God Bless the Conspiracy and No Regrets I was able to play viola and Theremin at the same time by bringing my body closer to the Theremin (to change pitch) while playing a harmony part on the viola.
Paula: Can you share any tips?
Mike:
- Playing too loud through your amplifier and sound system tends to turn an audience off. Establish a groove. It's the best way for you and the listener to get involved. A groove is infectious. Sneeze on everybody.
- Pace your material with constantly increasing energy. Take minimal time between songs and movements. Keep momentum going.
- Among the most important things regarding musical momentum and keeping the listener interested are segues between notes, riffs, and passages. I believe this applies to all music. Segues make all the difference between a choppy disconnect and the beauty of a flowing phrase.
- When playing most forms of pop music and some classical: if you make a mistake during a solo cadenza, make it again. That way it takes on legitimacy.
- Every piece needs a good end. Pop music often benefits from a big end as well.
- Listen to yourself, each other, and to all kinds of music. Learn stuff. Go places you haven't been before.
Paula: Who were and are your musical influences? Do you listen to other violists or get your inspiration elsewhere?
Mike: I listen to violists and anyone else who inspires me. I love John Zorn, John Adams, Albert King, Springsteen, Dylan, Tom Rush, Antiflag, Van Morrison, Green Day, Howie Smith, Peter Gabriel, Miles, dance music, hip hop, Puccini, Rossini, Berlioz and Camus (whoops) not to mention Midler, Count Basie, Led Zeppelin...
Paula: What kind of performing do you do presently?
Mike: I've performed and recorded with the Prayer Warriors (gospel), Becky Boyd and Real Life (jazz), and The Cletus Black Revue (rock). I'll play with pretty much anyone who asks me.
The only performing advice I have is to be prepared and have fun.
Paula: Do you teach at all? Any perspective to offer from the teaching side?
Mike: I have taught. And I want to take this opportunity to apologize to all those whom I have touched.
Paula: What, in your view, constitutes a good violist?
Mike: Rich tone and passionate playing.
Paula: What are you currently working on?
Mike: A recording of my compositions merging disparate elements such Midi beds (created with a keyboard and computer) with viola and other instruments. Double Vision is preparing a CD as well.
Paula: What fuels your original compositions?
Mike: I like to turn people's heads, to make something memorable happen, and to play something familiar in a way neither of us has ever heard.
When I compose I do so with a strong sense of politics and human rights and try to fashion work out of various textures that speak to something. Sometimes its just joy and riffing and grooving and sometimes its wailing about why we have been taken over by an alien culture that whittles away at civil rights, human rights, exports democracy by shock and awe, tortures, puts outlandish people in places where they will erode the office or institution . I'd rather rock-n-roll than have to worry about why "my government" is committing atrocities and dismantling our culture.
When I toured with McKendree Spring we had the opportunity to open for Jethro Tull at Carnegie Hall in 1972 and I was psyched to play a piece I had written for the Chicago 8 (being tried for their rolls as victims in a police riot outside the Democratic Convention, Chicago 1968). It was called God Bless the Conspiracy (one reviewer called it "the most original use of the violin he had ever heard"). It was supposed to touch some nerves and did. My performance that night received a standing ovation pierced with boos.
The trial of the Chicago 8 is worth checking out at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/1553/c68chron.html. The atmosphere at that time was not unlike the atmosphere today: repressive, aggressive and devious.
Paula: What makes you want to keep playing?
Mike: Music is the staff of life. It creates highs as well as any art form. It goes well with other arts. It's fun and makes me feel good.
