Violin Forum/Message Board

[John Schmidt]

I would love to read testimonials from those who have attended. But rather than just "Wow, a great workshop!", I would like to hear more specific comments. Did you learn how to make a better arch?

Did the violin you worked on at the workshop turn out better than the others you have made? Why?

Thanks.

[Michael Darnton]

I can't answer the second question, but for the first, everyone gets something different, exactly what they ask for. Everyone is at a different point, so I try to take each, and treat them individually. Most of my day is spent walking around the room dealing with individuals. If I'm talking to one person about something, anyone and everyone is welcome to come join in the discussion if they're interested, or totally ignore us, if they wish. We have discussed everything at one time or another, in that manner.

Initially, I gave more gang lectures, but most attendees have heard those several times, and with about 70% repeating offenders in the workshops, I would rather now deal with people individually with their problems of the moment. Once in a while I will do something like fit a neck or cut a bridge or do adjustments on something that someone has brought, and people will gather around to watch that as I talk and work my way through it, saying everything I'm thinking about as I do it.

I've noticed that the concepts of arching are harder for people to get--my system is highly organized, but complex and people don't always get it the first time around--so I try to gather a crowd whenever that's the topic. Most of my making is based on some definite underlying concepts derived from seeing literally hundreds of Strads and Guarneris, and several thousand Cremonese violins from the 1600s and 1700s, which I try to communicate; people at various stages on their own path may or may not be ready for that, but I try to grind those ideas in until they get them.

The faster people work, the more they get through, the more questions they ask and the more they'll learn. If you're going to spend three weeks in solitary cutting one corner, it's probably going to be a very expensive corner unless you keep wandering over to other people while I'm talking with them, which is fine, too.
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