Why does my electric violin sound so scratchy?

Question

I just got an electric violin from amazon, put the batteries in, rosined the bow, but it sounds like a beehive :( does anyone know what this is??

Answer 1

You may have to adjust the amp, or the instrument itself. If your instrument doesn’t have any dials or switched on it, you should try adjusting settings on your amp (or headphones, if you use those). Otherwise, it might sound scratchy if you have too much rosin on your bow. Electric violins often sound buzzy— I know mine does! It’s usually supposed to sound like an electric guitar. If you don’t want the buzz, try an acoustic violin:)