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Aspiring

Filip Jancik: Violinist Extraordinaire

Acclaimed 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. 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 world-renowned artists such as Canadian songstress, Avril Lavigne.

One of the most crucial bits of audio kit for the talented musician is his DPA d:vote 4099 microphone, which he uses for pretty much every project he undertakes, be it on the stage or in the studio. It's all about the sonics, he tells us:

“As a classically trained violinist, I have very high expectations when it comes to sound quality, and therefore this was a key factor in my choice of microphone,” Jancik says. “When I started playing modern music in 2011, I realised 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 4099, which had only just been released at the time. I immediately knew it was the right option for me because the sound is, quite simply, amazing: it's 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. Also, 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,” Plhal 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. It's also exceptionally resistant to any feedback: no matter what size stage I am on, I can always rely on the d:vote 4099, in any situation."

Since switching to modern and contemporary music, Filip Jancik has performed in numerous countries including Austria, Sweden, USA, Russia, Finland, Singapore, and Germany. He has also played at corporate events for companies such as Turkish Airlines, T-Mobile, Crowne Plaza, and Kempinski.

In terms of career highs, it was his collaboration with Avril Lavigne, which saw him arrange and recording all the violin parts for her single, Fly, which 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,” Jancik explains. “Obviously I used my d:vote 4099, but I also have DPA d:dicate 4011 cardioid mics in my studio, so I used them as well. In my opinion, the d:vote 4099 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, Jancik will be performing in Bratislava and also in Geneva. He will also be composing film music, and working on his first solo album, which he hopes to complete within the next year.

www.dpamicrophones.com