View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
PaulBylina Junior Member
Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 3
|
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject: Which books to get for Starting Violin maker? |
|
|
Hi I'm new to both this forum and violin making. Which books do you guys recomend I get for violin making. I was thinking about getting Violin-Making: A Historical and Practical Guide by Edward Heron-Allen. Is this a good book? What other books should I get? Thanks. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Cliff Green Member
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 111 Location: Amissville, Virginia
|
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject: books |
|
|
"The Art of Violin Making" by Johnson and Courtnall is the most practical and comprehensive book on the market, but a bit expensive. Google for a good price. "Violin Making Step by Step" by Henry Strobel is a cheaper alternative and got me through my first violins. The Heron Allen book, while interesting" is not a good beginners guide.
Good Luck |
|
Back to top |
|
|
PaulBylina Junior Member
Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 3
|
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:32 pm Post subject: To Cliff |
|
|
Did you only read the first "Violin making step by step" by Henry Strobel to make your first violins because I think its a part of a series of 5 books? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Cliff Green Member
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 111 Location: Amissville, Virginia
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yes, you can build violins using only "Violin Making Step by Step". Strobel's other books help develope your backround knowledge of the craft or assist you in building other violin family instruments. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
PaulBylina Junior Member
Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 3
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: book |
|
|
Well I'm gonna buy "The Art Of Violin Making" by Chris Johnson because everyone who bought the book on amazon gave it 5 stars and Cliff says its the best too. I hope I can get it for a good price. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Cliff Green Member
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 111 Location: Amissville, Virginia
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:58 am Post subject: Books |
|
|
Paul,
That's a good choice. I don't think you'll be disappointed, but you'll still have a lot of questions. That's where forums like this are very useful. There are many posters here with much more experience than I have.
With J&C you'll need to find a violin model to develop your mould. Many would recommend a poster from STRAD (expensive violin magazine from Britain). Strad posters are also available through some luthier supply houses.
Strobel's Step by Step does contain full size drawings for a Stradivari model by Bisiach. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Dave Chandler Super Member
Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 691 Location: Mt Mitchell in North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: Which book |
|
|
All these books can be borrowed through inter-library loan, and reviewed before going out and buying them. Many libraries will let you get 3 or 4 at a time, and keep them a week or more, small fee like $3 each. _________________ Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill
"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo |
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Cadd Super Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Posts: 842 Location: Hoylake
|
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:01 pm Post subject: Which book. |
|
|
This is an old topic but I want to know whether most books do the same as Heron- Allen and give a sample diagram for a Strad and also one for a Guarneri .
Looking back to the time I could hear anything , my first effort was to replace a top with woodworm. That was only the belly plate . The first complete violin was the Guarneri with lopsided soundholes . From memory the sound characters did indeed have elements of each makers tone . Obviously not in the top level we all know but each one belonged to it`s sound family . How did other makers feel about their early violins ? Or are later books just giving a personal version of how to make a violin and not referring to any particular original maker ?
I think amateur makers are very lucky to have so many detailed diagrams to copy famous instruments . All this assumes they could play a violin to start with. It`s a great obstacle course . |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Michael Darnton Moderator
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1286 Location: Chicago
|
Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2023 12:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Modern books don't include templates for violins. There's a real overabundance of source material in the STRAD magazine posters--dozens of violins--where people can pick an instrument that appeals to them and have much more information than Heron-Allen was able to include.
All of the books unavoidably offer a personal version of how the author does things. There are a lot of different methods out there for making a violin! _________________ new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Cadd Super Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Posts: 842 Location: Hoylake
|
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 11:50 am Post subject: Books |
|
|
I don`t think an overabundance in that case is a bad thing . We might not want a violin to sound like Itzak Perlman`s favourite . Some might like to try for a different sound quality .
Many new maker books are bound to cover the aspect of carpentry involved .Heron -Allen was too fond of sounding very erudite and sprinkling Latin phrases around . That was his biggest drawback . Sifting out mad ideas sent to him from all and sundry were piled into his book as well . All that can be weeded out or taken seriously --which is not the best way to learn from scratch .
In place of hit or miss attempts at making , the Strad posters give good examples which will still lead to variety but a better selection than merely guessing .Also recordings listened to before making can make a better target sound to compare with after the varnish has dried .
Finding a friend to play at a distance is always a good way to compare the sounds. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Cadd Super Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Posts: 842 Location: Hoylake
|
Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 8:40 am Post subject: Books |
|
|
The question about which books --to learn about violin making --provoked another question in my mind. I bought the book by Sacconi some time ago when it was not nearly so expensive. I read it carefully and understood what he had to say. The question in my mind was ---What did I ---Actually ---- learn from that book? My conclusion after a long pause was --Nothing. Really nothing apart from seeing photos of some things left behind where Strad had worked . That was interesting in a way . These books are very expensive now . That may sound like a strange reaction . Personally I feel a bit sad that it had so little to offer . |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Michael Darnton Moderator
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1286 Location: Chicago
|
Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 9:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
Sacconi's book literally changed my life in violin making. It gave me a whole new way of looking at instruments by looking at the small things that different makers do differently and to consider the reasons they would. After Sacconi I started seeing things in instruments I never had before--the kinds of things you need to see if you're going to be taken seriously as a maker. _________________ new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Cadd Super Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Posts: 842 Location: Hoylake
|
Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 11:15 am Post subject: Books |
|
|
Good feedback. Time to reconsider my reaction.
All this happening while my hearing has been declining until , 2 days ago I went completely deaf. I could not hear my own voice. But the doctor says the hearing aid ear has Thick Wax. The other useless ear is clear . Minor progress is being made after ear drops . |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Michael Darnton Moderator
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1286 Location: Chicago
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Cadd Super Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Posts: 842 Location: Hoylake
|
Posted: Sat May 13, 2023 8:33 am Post subject: Books |
|
|
The basic problem with violins or playing violins if you live in a fairly music free zone which was Plymouth in the 50s is the whole subject is full of unknown unknowns. Learning the violin without proper lessons (for me )was a slow process although I was always in the school orchestra . Later I played in amateur orchestras also in London. The situation if you were a bit better than another player was --I`m ten times better than him, but I will always be ten million times worse than a decent player . Not even a famous one. Meeting other makers when you delve into the first violin making was something I never dreamed of .
So what were these things the "others " (very lucky to meet "others") were doing which was different ? Cutting , planing ,bending ,gluing etc .You have just given me another unknown unknown .
Other "players" is also an unknown .Most people in any orchestras I played in would disappear as soon as we finished rehearsals . There was little or no personal interaction whatever .In London with a season ticket for the Promenade Concerts there was no chit chat to other people in the audience . Quite an austere business all round when you add it all up .
But the interest continues even though ,this week . I have to get people to write things down on a notepad to communicate with me. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|