ALLEROED, Denmark — Slovakian violinist and producer Filip Jancik is rapidly gaining an international reputation as one of the best young classical musicians to cross over into the world of pop and rock. The key to the success of Jancik’s sound is DPA Microphones’ d:vote 4099V instrument microphone for violin, which he uses for all of his live performances and also for any recording projects he undertakes. Now based in Vienna, where he has his own studio, he often plays with top musicians as part of his own Rock ’n Violin project, and also performs with acclaimed artists, such as Canadian rock star Avril Lavigne.
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“As a classically trained violinist, I have very high expectations when it comes to sound quality and that was a key factor in my choice of microphone,” says Jancik. “When I started playing modern music in 2011, I realized that having a great microphone was going to be very important, so I began looking around for the best sounding option. I tested a number of pick-ups for the violin, including the d:vote 4099V, which had only just been released. I immediately knew it was the right option for me because the sound is, quite simply, amazing. It is very natural and has such perfect balance in its frequency spectrum that you can’t even tell when a violin has been recorded with this microphone because you just don’t hear it. With the d:vote 4099V, the sound of my instrument doesn’t change — it sounds exactly as it would if I were playing it live, which is very unusual.”
Jancik’s violin was made by Czech violin master, Tomas Plhal, in 2005 and he describes it as “an amazing instrument with a rich, wide sound.”
“I never worry about attaching a DPA microphone to it because I know the clip won’t scratch or damage the instrument,” he says. “The clip holds the microphone exactly where I need it and it always stays in place. You don’t have to be technically skilled to fit it because it’s so simple and straightforward.”
He adds that in a live situation the d:vote 4099V instrument microphone is exceptionally resistant to feedback. “No matter what size stage I am on, I can always rely on the d:vote 4099V,” he says.
Since switching to modern and contemporary music, Filip Jancik has performed in numerous countries including Austria, Sweden, US, Russia, Finland, Singapore and Germany. He has also played at corporate events for companies such as Turkish Airlines, T-Mobile, Crowne Plaza and Kempinski.
Working with Avril Lavigne was the highlight of his career to date. The collaboration involved him arranging and recording all the violin parts for her single “Fly,” a song that became the anthem of the 2015 Special Olympics. Jancik performed at the opening ceremony, which was seen by a live audience of 90,000 people and a global TV audience of millions more.
“DPA microphones were used for the live and recorded parts of that project,” he says. “Obviously I used my d:vote 4099V instrument microphone, but I also have d:dicate 4011 Cardioid Microphones in my studio and I used them as well.” Jancik’s positive experiences with DPA makes him somewhat of an advocate for the brand, especially the d:vote instrument microphone.
“Everyone I have recommended it to has been very satisfied with it,” he adds. “In my opinion it is the best live instrument microphone for violin and other strings, and I’m very proud to say that I was the first person in Slovakia to own one. Now many more people I play with are using them, and it is increasingly becoming an inherent part of every professional sound engineer’s microphone kit.”
Over the summer, Filip Jancik will be performing in Bratislava and also in Geneva. When he is not playing live he will be composing film music and working on his first solo album, which he hopes to complete within the next year.
