Should we book a string quartet or an electric violinist?
They are both strings, but they do different jobs. Dream City Strings' founder also runs Extreme Strings, a solo electric violin act in Denver, so we can lay out the choice honestly.
Choose a string quartet for an acoustic, classic sound: Dream City Strings plays seated, with violins, viola and cello, and fits churches, formal rooms and a Bridgerton feel. Choose an electric violinist like Extreme Strings for pop songs over full-band backing tracks, played standing through its own sound system and easy to pair with a DJ.
Side by side
| Dream City Strings | Extreme Strings | |
|---|---|---|
| Who plays | A quartet, trio or duo of acoustic string players | One electric violinist |
| Sound | Acoustic, with no amplification by default | Violin over full-band backing tracks, through its own sound system |
| Setup | Seated, one chair per player | Standing |
| Feels like | Classic and elegant, from Bach to Taylor Swift | A live pop show, built for energy |
| Arrival | About 30 minutes before the music starts | About an hour before |
| Where | Milwaukee and Wisconsin, Denver and Colorado | Based in Denver |
How to choose
- Getting married in a church or a formal ballroom? A quartet's natural, unamplified sound suits those rooms, and hymns and classical pieces sound the way people expect them to.
- Want pop hits with a beat? An electric violinist plays over the full song, drums and bass included. That's a different sound from four acoustic instruments, not a better or worse one.
- Working closely with a DJ? Extreme Strings plays through its own sound system and pairs naturally with a DJ. A quartet can set up right beside the DJ too, and can borrow the DJ's microphone for a big room.
- Many groups walking the aisle? A backing track can fade at any moment. A quartet changes songs by turning pages, so it works best with fewer song changes. See processional songs.
- Outdoors? Both need shade, and acoustic instruments are strict about weather: no more than a drizzle, and about 55 to 92 degrees. See outdoor weddings.
Neither one is a lesser version of the other; they suit different rooms and different moods. If you picture Pachelbel on the aisle and Coldplay on cello at cocktail hour, that's the quartet. If you picture pop hits with a full beat behind the violin, that's Extreme Strings.
If the electric violin sounds like your day, visit Extreme Strings, Denver wedding violinist. If the quartet does, check your date below.
Why couples choose acoustic strings
★★★★★“Excellent repertoire and fabulous Bridgerton sound, very professional and made the event very special.”
★★★★★“My husband was fighting back tears telling me now he understands why I wanted strings so badly.”
Quartet or electric violin questions
Are Dream City Strings and Extreme Strings the same group?
No. They are separate acts led by the same founder. Dream City Strings is an acoustic quartet, trio or duo; Extreme Strings is a solo electric violinist.
Can a string quartet play pop songs?
Yes. The library includes Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and more, arranged for strings.
Does a quartet bring speakers?
Not by default. We play acoustic, and for a big room or outdoor space we can use your DJ's microphone or add a sound engineer.
Which one plays in Denver?
Both. Extreme Strings is based in Denver, and Dream City Strings plays Denver and Colorado with Colorado-based musicians.