Harmonics
Bowing is easier with an electric instrument because it’s not as big a deal to get the perfect bow pressure and speed. But perfect fifths bowed ponticello (near the bridge) start to sound like a heavy-metal guitar.

On long notes, rock guitar sustain and feedback harmonics can be drawn out of lower strings fingered in lower positions if the bow is pulled at just the right distance next to the bridge. Regular, touched harmonics really sing—use some extra bow, let ’er rip, and a harmonic will ring for a couple of seconds after the bow leaves the string.

Artificial, fingered harmonics don’t have to be wimpy, and a whistling harmonic solo will cut through anything. Even if fingers lightly glissando up or down the neck while bowing, players get a taste of what heavy metal axe slingers have known ever since they bought their first spandex tights: sometimes the noise between the notes is just as cool as the notes!

Percussion
Rock ’n’ roll violinists don’t appreciate clunking noises as much as cello and bass players, but what are they going to do when they’re not soloing? Rhythmic percussion noises are one good answer.

Certainly, if a cello or bass didn’t have strings on it, it would still make a dandy African log drum. Slap an upright bass and hear the two or three different drum pitches possible on the body alone. Use palms as well as fingers, and the number is doubled.

And having an electric instrument means no more splinters—just tapping softly works wonders, even for electric violinists!

Hot-Rod Those Licks
At first, it’s not easy to see all the ways these techniques fit into the kind of playing that comes naturally for an acoustic player.

Everybody wants to start off with the same old licks.

But get energized with some new ideas, throw in a few electric techniques, and start to hot-rod even old acoustic melodies.

Soon, that electric fiddle won’t just sound louder than an acoustic, it will sound like a whole new instrument. Or, with all the different guitar, whistle, and drum sounds out there, maybe even more than that.