tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-234105292011-12-14T18:56:40.348-08:00Tips for building stringed instuments such as violins, violas, and cellos. We look at tonewood sources, tools for luthiers, jigs and templates. We also recommend top violin making books and how to practice your scroll carving skills.Gerard LeBlondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02505860640139015202noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23410529.post-1141482741511833132006-03-04T05:53:00.000-08:002006-03-04T07:22:17.866-08:00If you've ever had the desire to craft a beautiful stringed instrument with your own hands and have it give years of pleasure to others years after you've past to greener pastures then these may be the most important words you will ever read because you can learn how to make your dream real and my job is to show you how.<br /><br />But, first I want you to think about the first time you noticed any violin as a gorgeous work of art...<br /><br />For me it happened on April 2nd, 1986.<br /><br />I was walking near the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore and happened to pass by a music store. It looked like the kind of store front that you might see in a movie about Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"...<br /><br />Where the buildings in the shopping district were rows of attached 3 or 4 storied structures, with brick facades and glass store fronts at the side walk level.<br /><br />This particular building had a dangling "Music Store" sign hanging over the sidewalk that would sway gently in the breeze and an occassional squeak from rusty metal rubbing against each other could be heard if you paid close enough attention.<br /><br />On that day my eyes were drawn to a row of violins and violas that were hanging by their scrolled necks, just inches from the store front's display window. They were all lined up 'belly to back' just waiting for a customer to pick one up and make a purchase. I remember walking into that store and...<br /><br />Just looking up, in awe, at those stringed instruments hanging overhead... the image is burned as a pleasant one in my mind. Then,<br /><br />About 8 months later I visited a restored mansion called: Evergreen House, built in 1858 which eventually became the home of the diplomat John Work Garrett. <br /><br />During my visit the opulent Greek Revival home was decorated for the Christmas season and what really attracted my eyes were a pair of violins that sat on either end of a tremendous fireplace's mantel "book-ending" a center-piece of pine boughs festooned with garlands and delicate shimmering Christmas glass ornaments.<br /><br />Those violins were stripped. They were without their strings, bridges and tailpieces. Instead, they each were dressed with a velvet red ribbon tied into perfectly proportioned bow around their respective necks... the combination of colors with the way light reflected off of the violin bodies' superbly polished surfaces became etched in my mind. So,<br /><br />The first time I noticed violins were when they were objects for sale, the second were when they were used as objects of decoration and the third time was when...<br /><br />They were used as objects for producing music...<br /><br />It was at a Baltimore Symphony Orhcestra performance, the first that I had attended in a long time, when the principal violinist (Herb Greenberg) was the featured performer. <br /><br />The orchestra had been on stage for several minutes rearranging seats, moving music stands a few inches here and a few there...<br /><br />The oboes were "oboe-ing", the cellos were "cello-ing", the bassoons were doing their thing and then from the left wing a tightly pony-tailed tuxedoed gentleman, with what appeared as a permanent grin painted on his face, almost ran out and up to the principla violinist's chair (that had to this time been empty).<br /><br />He bowed graciously to the audience. The audience applauded loudly. He bowed to the right, to the left and then to the center. He then paused before turning to face the orchestra. He placed his violin under his chin and bowed, with his right hand an "A" note... the one just below "middle C" on the piano. The various orchestra members replied with their own "A's".<br /><br />He smiled broadly, flipped his tails in the air and sat down on his chair. He turned to the second violinist to his left... exchanged a few pleasantries (couldn't tell what they said... may have been complements or insults... I'll never know but they certainly looked happy to be on stage).<br /><br />While I don't recall the names of the pieces played that night I do remember that Greenberg played his violin with great technical skill and elevated musical interpretation. He was outstanding. But what of his instrument?<br /><br />While I don't have solid evidence to support my claim it would not surprise me if he had been playing an instrument built in Cremona, Italy in 1685 by Antonio Stradivari known by connoisseurs as the Florentiner/Becker violin.<br /><br />The records show that Herbert Greenberg gained ownership of the Florentiner/Becker in 1985. And if he did play that instrument on that particular day then I was in the presence of an instrument that existed before Thomas Jefferson (born in 1743 anno Domini)walked the earth.<br /><br />Now, Stradivari made over 1000 violins in his life time and hundreds survive today.<br /><br />How would you like to build one or a handful of instruments that survive you? Interested? Well...<br /><br />If you know absolutely nothing about building a violin it's time you started your education.<br /><br />May I suggest you purchase or borrow from your library the following book: "Violin Making: A Guide for the Amateur". The author is Bruce Ossman. The publisher is Fox Books.<br /><br />Read it... <br /><br />Digest it...<br /><br />And, if you are still interested in building that violin follow the steps in Ossman's book and get going.<br /><br />Good Luck,<br /><br />From Sell Info Products Online dot com (SellInfoProductsOnline.com) this is LeBlond, Gerard LeBlond and I'll see you there!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23410529-114148274151183313?l=violin-making.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Gerard LeBlondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02505860640139015202noreply@blogger.com0