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Photo credit: Pasha Riger
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The violin has long been celebrated for its emotional depth, from classical concertos to folk ballads. In the hands of contemporary electric violinists, its voice expands, taking on the energy, intensity, and immediacy of rock and metal while retaining its lyrical, soulful character. This fusion demands not only technical mastery but creativity, versatility, and the ability to translate classical discipline into electrified, genre-defying performance.
Mia Asano exemplifies this rare combination. Born in Denver, Colorado, she began studying violin at age five, building a foundation in classical technique before exploring alternative music, electric performance, and crossover genres. Her mastery of a 7-string electric violin allows her to create layered textures, explore extended registers, and perform solos that rival the virtuosity of lead guitarists—all while preserving emotional resonance.
Asano’s performances are a study in dynamic interplay. She transitions effortlessly from ethereal, legato passages to aggressive, distorted riffs, negotiating intensity and restraint, melody and sonic experimentation. Each note, whether whispered or amplified, carries purpose, shaping both the emotional arc of the music and the audience’s experience.
Her innovation extends beyond performance technique. Using hybrid classical bowing, rapid alternate picking, and effects such as distortion, looping, and reverb, Asano pushes the expressive capabilities of the violin while maintaining clarity and musicality. The challenge lies in ensuring that technical complexity enhances, rather than obscures, the soulfulness of the instrument—a balance she achieves with apparent ease.
Asano is part of a broader lineage of electric violinists who have similarly expanded the instrument’s sonic identity. Jean-Luc Ponty pioneered jazz fusion violin, integrating improvisation with rock-infused rhythms. Lindsey Stirling combines choreography, cinematic soundscapes, and electronic textures, captivating millions with hybrid performance. Tina Guo fuses metal, film scoring, and classical technique to deliver virtuosic performances that are simultaneously powerful and expressive. Each demonstrates that innovation on the electric violin requires technical mastery, musical imagination, and courage to push boundaries.
For Asano, the path to success is not measured in speed or technical feats alone. It is the ability to communicate—to translate classical training, electric experimentation, and rock energy into a performance that resonates with listeners. Her international touring, collaborations across genres, viral online presence, and awards such as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Best Violin Performance reflect a rare combination of skill, vision, and audience engagement.
ABOUT MIA ASANO
Mia Asano (born November 12, 1999) is an American violinist and electric violin performer known for blending classical technique with rock, metal, Celtic, electronic, and crossover styles. She grew up in Denver, Colorado, and began studying violin at age five, developing a strong foundation in classical music before exploring alternative genres and electric violin performance.
Asano attended the Denver School of the Arts and later Berklee College of Music, where she double‑majored in Violin Performance and Professional Music. While at Berklee, she began posting covers and original pieces online, quickly gaining widespread attention on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Her engaging performances and genre-defying style helped her grow a large online following, with millions of views and followers worldwide.
Her online success translated into professional performance opportunities. Asano has toured internationally, including performing on a European arena tour with Two Steps From Hell, which began at the iconic Wacken Open Air festival. She has also collaborated with artists across multiple genres, such as DragonForce, Lindsey Stirling, Tina Guo, and Grace Kelly, reflecting her versatility and innovative approach to the violin.
Asano is known for performing on a 7‑string electric violin, often a fretted Viper model, which allows her to expand the instrument’s sonic range and act as a one-person orchestra in her performances. In 2020, she won the Trans‑Siberian Orchestra’s Best Violin Performance award, further solidifying her reputation as a technically skilled and expressive musician.
Beyond her performances, Mia Asano uses her platform to advocate for mental health awareness, diversity, and inclusion. She continues to release original music, share creative content daily, and inspire a new generation of musicians by demonstrating how classical training can intersect with modern, genre-crossing artistry.
Mia Asano: Signature Techniques & Insights
1. Extended Range & 7-String Violin
2. Hybrid Picking & Dynamic Bowing
3. Effects & Sonic Exploration
4. Notable Solos & Performances
Two Steps From Hell Tour – Balances melodic clarity with high-energy rock passages.
“Norwegian Cowbell” – Playful melodic phrasing with technical agility.
“I Own a Building” – Hybrid picking, layered effects, and expressive dynamics.
INTERVIEW WITH MIA ASANO – GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: How did your classical training shape the way you approach electric violin performance?
Mia Asano: My classical training is absolutely essential to the way I play electric violin today. It gave me a really strong foundation, and I still rely on the techniques I learned growing up in everything I do—whether I’m playing jazz, rock, or metal. No matter the genre, my classical studies influence how I approach phrasing, technique, and musical structure. I studied classical violin for the first sixteen years of my life, and I still use techniques I learned as a kid when I’m transcribing, learning, or writing music today.
Guitar Thrills: What inspired you to explore rock and metal styles on the violin?
Mia Asano: I’ve been playing violin since I was five years old, and while I always loved the instrument, the music I gravitated toward most was rock and metal. Heavier styles were what I listened to and connected with emotionally. Once I realized that I could play the music I loved on my own instrument, everything clicked. That was the moment I knew I had found my true passion.
Guitar Thrills: How do you balance technical precision with emotional expression in your solos?
Mia Asano: It’s a tricky balance, because technical precision is incredibly important—but for me, emotional expression always comes first. The emotion you put into your music is what truly moves people. I still practice constantly and work hard to maintain strong technical abilities, but these days my biggest focus is emotional impact. If that means removing a fast, virtuosic run in favor of something more expressive or moving, I’ll always choose what feels more emotionally fulfilling.
Guitar Thrills: Can you describe your process for creating layered textures using your 7-string electric violin?
Mia Asano: My seven-string violin is unique because it spans the range of an entire string orchestra. The lowest string is a low B-flat, which goes lower than a cello’s lowest C string. That means I can play violin, viola, and cello parts all on one instrument. This allows me to create rich, orchestral layers in my music.
For example, in my Fallout 4 cover, I wanted a fully symphonic metal sound, so I recorded dozens of string layers—violins, violas, and cellos—all using my seven-string violin. It also allows me to transcribe guitar solos accurately, because I have the full range of an electric guitar. Instead of transposing a solo up an octave or two like I would on a four-string violin, I can play it exactly as it was originally written.
Guitar Thrills: How do you decide which effects—distortion, delay, reverb—best serve a piece?
Mia Asano: It really depends on the piece and what I’m trying to convey emotionally and artistically. For my rock and metal music, I love using distortion because it helps my violin sit in the mix like an electric guitar and fits the style naturally. That said, I recently played a show where my effects pedal broke, and I had to go directly into the sound system with just a bit of reverb. Surprisingly, it sounded incredible.
That experience made me realize how much I love the sound of a clean, traditional violin alongside heavy riffs. Going forward, I want to explore my clean tones more instead of automatically adding distortion to everything.
Guitar Thrills: What is your approach to improvisation within high-energy rock or cinematic arrangements?
Mia Asano: I’m grateful that I started improvising at a young age, because it allows me to adapt to many different musical styles. At the same time, I’ve had to learn how to shift my improvisational approach depending on the genre. In rock and metal, I’ll lean into heavier riffs, pentatonic scales, and aggressive licks inspired by guitar playing. For cinematic music, I tend to take a more melodic and restrained approach, focusing less on flash and more on serving the emotional arc of the piece.
Guitar Thrills: Who are your biggest influences among electric violinists, and why?
Mia Asano: There are so many incredible electric violinists who have inspired me. The reason I started playing electric violin in the first place was seeing Vanessa-Mae perform Vivaldi on electric violin when I was young—that moment was incredibly impactful for me.
My dear friend Tina Guo has also been a huge influence. She’s an extraordinary cellist with an incredible stage presence, and I admire both her musicianship and her artistry deeply. I’ve also been heavily inspired by Tracy Silverman, who has been a mentor to me, as well as Mark Wood, the inventor of the violin I play. I studied with Alex DePue, who toured with Steve Vai and was an incredible musician—he had a huge impact on me. Other artists who influenced me include Jean-Luc Ponty, Stuff Smith, and Stéphane Grappelli. I studied their music extensively in college, and their phrasing and musicality continue to shape my playing today.
Guitar Thrills: How do you maintain stamina and consistency during long, demanding performances?
Mia Asano: I’ll admit it—I usually chug a coffee before I go on stage, and that helps. But beyond that, I really try to prioritize my health. Touring can be especially demanding, especially when there are multiple show days in a row with no breaks. I try to take care of myself during the day, stay physically and mentally healthy, and avoid partying after shows—even when it’s tempting—because the performance always must come first.
Guitar Thrills: What advice would you give to young violinists wanting to fuse classical technique with modern genres?
Mia Asano: My biggest piece of advice is to start with music you truly love. If you’re not passionate about what you’re playing, it’s very hard to stay motivated long-term. Playing your favorite songs on your instrument is one of the best ways to keep that love for music alive.
I also recommend listening extensively to artists who inspire you and studying how they do what they do—how they phrase melodies, what effects they use, and how they perform on stage. Try to emulate that, not just musically but performatively. Writing your own music and improvising is also incredibly important, because it helps you become a more well-rounded and confident musician.
Conclusion
Mia Asano exemplifies the fusion of technical mastery and emotional expression. Her electric violin bridges genres, blending classical precision, rock intensity, and cinematic drama into performances that are both thrilling and soulful. By harnessing extended-range instruments, hybrid techniques, and dynamic phrasing, she demonstrates that the violin can command the stage as powerfully as any contemporary lead instrument.
Her artistry shows that true virtuosity is inseparable from intention: every note carries emotional weight, and every technical innovation serves the music. Asano inspires a new generation of musicians to explore boldly, fuse tradition with experimentation, and let creativity guide their craft. In her hands, the electric violin becomes not just an instrument, but a voice that resonates across genres, eras, and audiences worldwide.
