Prices (Including 10% GST)

Ensemble Types

Musical Roles of each instrument in a String Quartet with their pop counterparts.

Most music is composed using three or four note chords so one instrument per harmonic note is ideal.

Violin 1 - main melody (vocals)
Violin 2 - secondary melody and harmony (lead guitar)
Viola - occasional melody and harmony (rhythm guitar)
Cello - melodic bassline (bass guitar)


String Quartet - Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello

A quartet is the preferred choice musically. Most music is written with a quartet in mind so renditions sound rich and balanced. A quartet can play louder than a trio. Also a quartet is arranged in a half circle fashion so is appealing visually.

String Trio - Violin 1, Violin 2, Cello

We are pictured as a trio on our website. A trio is a quartet without the viola. A viola is like a big violin and mainly adds harmonic richness and depth to the sound, the important melodic parts are carried on the violins. Hence for many pieces a viola can be absent without too much appreciable difference in sound quality (don't tell that to viola players though!). A trio uses less space than a quartet but cannot play as loud.

String Duo - Violin 1, Cello

A duo is a melody over a bassline. Because most music is composed using three or four note chords, duo misses the third harmonic tone which contributes colour. Duos are a subtler approach suited to smaller functions.

Solo Violin or Solo Cello

Solo violin or solo cello is melody only. Solo strings have romantic appeal. Quotes for these are on request.


Note - the difference between a Quartet and Trio is demonstrated on our videos page.

Booking Process

Jane, Emily and Leo will handle all correspondence in regards to your event, however we may substitute colleagues of equal experience and merit if we become unable to play on the day.


Payment

After initial correspondence, a deposit confirms your booking with us. This is included in the prices above and is not an additional cost. Upon deposit receipt we will email you a booking confirmation form. In lieu of a deposit and then a later performance payment, you may also pay the whole fee upfront. We do not accept cheques due to lack of traceability on our bank statements. We accept payment in the following ways;

Private clients - the deposit must be paid via EFT. The remaining performance fee must be paid in full via EFT two weeks prior to the performance.

Corporate clients - the deposit must be paid via EFT. The remaining performance fee must be paid in full via EFT two weeks prior to the performance. An invoice with an ABN will be supplied. We do not charge GST.

Overtime

Please err on the side of caution and book us for longer initially if you are unsure about booking times or think that your event may run late. For overtime there is no guarantee that the musicians will be able to stay longer than the agreed booking time. Although practically, usually this is possible for at least some if not all of the musicians.
There is no penalty rate for overtime, we charge our normal prices in fifteen minute increments as outlined on our bookings page. Also, we will not disturb you on the day but email you post-event to request transfer of funds.

Time in-lieu
May occur between a wedding ceremony and reception. A fee for this will be quoted at the time of booking.

Cancellation

More than a month prior - Full refund of deposit and performance fee.

Less than a month but more than two weeks - No refund of deposit but full refund of performance fee.

Less than two weeks - Only a 50% refund of the combined deposit and performance fee.


Locations
We take bookings within the Greater Sydney Area; including the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, and Southern Highlands. Travel fees may apply if far from Sydney Metro. We will advise you upon enquiry.

Performance Information

Arrival Time
We will arrive twenty minutes prior to each booking in time to arrange seating and to prepare for performance.

Dress Code
Either smart black attire (men & women) or dinner suit (men) and evening dresses (women). Alternative dress is available on request.

Breaks
A ten minute break per hour on the hour is standard for bookings in excess of 1 hour. (this is flexible so may be coordinated with speeches etc)


Your Input on the Day

• One armless chair per musician (three for trio, four for quartet)
• Adequate lighting at venues so that we can read the music
• We appreciate being fed for bookings in excess of 3 hours over the lunch or dinner period, however this remains at your discretion.
• Amplification - usually not required for most events. However if the pax is very large or venue noisy, you may need to provide a PA and technician.
• An appropriate wet weather plan in place - both direct sunlight and moisture destroy the varnish on our precious instruments.
• For sun, usually we can position ourselves in the shade somewhere close by or improvise some other suitable seating arrangement. If the venue has no shade at all then you must advise us at the time of booking. We will use our experience to advise you in this regard. We may or may not be able to play in direct sunlight depending on the time of day and location. If, without prior consultation as specified hereto, we are exposed to direct sunlight in such a way that in our opinion it is detrimental to our instruments, then we may at our discretion not play. There is no refund available for our non-playing if this eventuates.
• For rain, having a wet weather plan at a covered location is highly advisable. Usually a location decision is made either the night before or on the morning of the event and we are then immediately informed via mobile telephone. However, if you choose to go ahead outdoors with no suitable cover and it begins to even lightly "spit" then we cannot play. Being under a tree or having guests hold umbrellas over us is not sufficient as flecks of water always float in sideways! There is no refund available for our non-playing if this eventuates. Another option is to hire a light pop up marquee, that way we and the couple can be covered if it spits, whilst the guests hold umbrellas.Your wet weather plan must be at the same booking time as the fine weather plan, otherwise a longer booking time or even two separate bookings may be required to cover each eventuality. We cannot hold two different booking times and then void one on the day.

Disclaimer

Accent Strings strive for a perfect outcome for your event. On the rare likelihood that you are unsatisfied with our musical services then a partial or whole refund may be negotiated fairly post event. In any case our maximum financial liability for any legal claim is limited entirely to the cost of the booking, you release us from any further liability.
Sending us a deposit means that you have both read and accepted the above disclaimer and wish to proceed with a booking.