>>394732394732 We focus on Strad because he was the most famous and most revered of the old Cremonese makers. He's also sort of become the industry standard for the same reasons. That's not to say that the other styles are neglected, you just have to go out of your way to get them, sort of like choosing Apple over Microsoft.

I haven't gotten to the point of stringing up any instruments, and I sure hope none of them crack when I do. It's fairly rare though. What's more likely to happen is that you pop a glue seam, and that's easy to fix. It's one of the reasons we still use hide glue instead of modern glue. It's weaker than the wood, so if you drop it or something, it'll break the glue seam before cracking the wood, it can be removed with water or alchohol, so you can take the top off to do repairs, and you can varnish over it, all characteristics you don't get with modern glues.

And yeah, physics.

Actually, the violin is a physicist's nightmare and wet dream combined into one deceptively complex package. We've only actually figured out how a bowed string vibrates in the last 50 years or so, and figuring out what determines the violin's unique sound is completely impossible (not that that's stopped scores of people from trying), because 1. You can't isolate the variables, 2. The data that you do manage to gather is functionally useless for playing, making, and just about everything else you would want it for because of 3. The sound the instrument makes and the sound the audience hears aren't the same thing. There's a whole slew of biological and psychological effects that affects what we hear. If you're interested in learning more, you'll want to find The Violin Explained, by James Beament. It wades neck deep into the physics, but does it in layman's terms, meaning no math understanding required.

>>394687394687

Haha, well if great minds can think alike, they can certainly be forgetful too

That's interesting about the different styles--I've never heard of Strad or Amati styles (or any style for that matter ) Why is it your school is focusing mostly on Strad? Is it because that's the standard all around, or is it your school's particular style that they produce or something?

And jeez that's a lot of stress on the instrument   I had no idea it was so much.  When making one have you ever overtightened something and caused the thing to break or snap in half?  Only a few millimeters is really thin.

I also never knew that that was why violins were in orchestras and guitars weren't--I just figured it was because they weren't considered "classical" enough or something.  But's that actually really cool how the violin's construction allows it to do so much extra.  It's physics, really--woo!

>>389550389550

I can't exactly get mad at you for forgetting to respond when I just did the exact same thing.

Anyway, the three kinds of instruments are just violin, viola, and cello, though violas are optional, really. They're the Applejack of string instruments.

There are different styles of instruments we have to learn about though. The main focus is obviously on Stradivarius style violins, and all our required modles are strad, but we learn enough about the other makers to hopefully be able to recognize and make our own versions. A lot of students make an Amati for one of their optional instruments.

As for the arching, you're dead on. It's the arch of the front and back of the instruments. Whereas guitars are flat, the violin family bulges. This completely changes quality of the sound, as well as giving structural re-inforcement for the hard playing a violin suffers. String tension alone puts twenty pounds of pressure straight down on the bridge. It has to be able to hold up even though the wood of the front is only one to three millimeters thick, and I'm sure that the structural compromise of cutting out the f-holes doesn't help matters in the least.

That arcing is also the reason violins are orchestral instruments and guitars aren't. The added strength and air volume relative to the size of the instrument basically acts as a built-in amp. An acoustic guitar simply doesn't have the volume to play in large concert halls without electronic assistance.

>>382896382896

Holy crap--I read your comment while doing a bunch of other stuff and then completely forget to respond.  Eesh.  Ah well, three days late.

Anyway, yeah, that makes sense.  I'm guessing the 'arching' is like the curve of the wood or something?  

You said you're focusing on three kinds of instruments; are there variations among those three, as in you have different kinds of violins that you also have to know how to build, so that in the end you're learning how to make like, ten instruments?

>>378083378083 That makes sense. A bad teacher can make any subject boring. It still sounds like something I'd enjoy if I can get past the basic math.

I don't really know if variations that small really make a difference in the sound. On the one hand, they're so small it doesn't make sense that they would, on the other hand, the arching is the physical feature that has the most effect on the sound, so who knows. Mostly, it's just decent principles of construction. That's where the bar is set, and your ability is measured by it.

>>377648377648

Physics just might for you.  The math in an introduction course (in college) isn't that bad, though it does require some calculus.  From experience I can say that how enjoyable a physics class is really depends on the kind of professor you have (are they dry or engaging, etc), the resources the school has (for cool experiments and labs and such, since seeing the physics happen really makes it so much better), and of course, how much you're actually interested in the topic. There's a lot of cool physics stuff you can watch on tv on the Science or Discovery channels, but most of that you don't encounter until you get much farther in.  But there's a ton of awesome applications, especially if you're at the forefront of groundbreaking research.  Yeah if you ever get a chance, give a physics course a shot.

Instrument making sounds really interesting, especially for the fact that I've always enjoyed working with my hands and making things (hi, Legos).  From what I've seen on tv, it's a true art, and a tedious one at that.  But still, good solid honest work, and that's some of the best kind.  If you miss a tiny bump or nick while carving, can it really have that much of an impact on the sound?  Like, just how absolutely perfect do you need to get it?  And do you also need to know how to play the instruments, at least somewhat?

>>376915376915 Yeah, my instrument is violins, as well as violas and cellos. The darkroom thing is literal though. During the scraping phase, you need to work with only a single, small light source in order to cast every scratch, bump, and flat spot into sharp contrast so that you can see it and eradicate them with extreme prejudice.

In all honesty, I've actually always wanted to try my hand at a physics course, because I keep hearing that it's actually really fun, and the math seems like the kind I wouldn't mind. I hate most math classes, but I loved geometry because I got to work with real shapes and everything made sense no matter how complicated it got, and it seems like physics would fall under roughly the same umbrella.

>>376822376822

Haha, only tenths of a millimeter? Try millionths.  Though granted that's with a computer, but still!  And I've got something totally better than math tests: physics tests! (still comes with lots of math)

And honestly that sounds kinda cool...until I'm actually doing it, I'm sure   Is there a reason it's in a darkened room, or is it to go along with how you feel inside while working?? Also, I'm guessing you're only focusing on one kind of instrument, yes?  Either way, it sounds really intricate and complex.  Certainly know how that feels.

>>376527376527 Well, if you really want to spend eight hours in a darkroom with a single tiny light, carving out complex, three-dimensional curves by sight and feel, with tolerances measured in tenths of a milimeter and next to no clue what you're doing, be my guest. I ain't gonna lay a single finger on those math tests though.

>>376414376414

No more math tests? Life ain't fair...it just ain't fair.

Oh well, I asked for it; I'm getting a physics degree.  So like, what's your homework? Practicing making instruments?  Wanna trade??