What is disco without strings?

Bee Gees, CHIC, Silver Convention, and even ELO relied on their string sections to add heightened drama to their funky basslines. Would the music be danceable without the strings? Probably. But would it have stood out among of sea of great funk and soul, capturing the ears and hearts of pop-loving, dancefloor-frequenting folks? It’s debatable, but probably not.

Of course, early disco pioneers borrowed the idea from Motown masters like Paul Riser, a seminal composer for the genre in the ‘60s famous for using string and horn sections to add layers and depth to his compositions. Then in the early ‘70s when disco started taking off, musicians began working with jazz and classically trained musicians. The result was an intensity that became paramount to disco. Without strings, there is no disco.

Will Marshall is a multi-genre violist, violinist, and bass guitarist currently based in New York, NY where he works in both live and studio environments for local, regional, and international artists. With roots in classical, folk, pop, rock, and hip hop, Will’s highly adaptable and desired playing style is a blend of old and new.

Along with performing, Will also works as a producer, composer, creative director, and artist. Will’s music career began at age six when he started busking in downtown Houston, TX, almost immediately after picking up the violin. He later studied Instrumental Performance at the University of Louisville and Interdisciplinary Music Studies at Berklee College of Music’s online degree program before moving to New York City in 2017 to work as a full-time musician.