Violin Forum/Message Board

[ctviolin]

I'm here lately, posting at this site, because I had a recent departure from the place where I used to post very regularly, about violin making.

In my opinion, it had become somewhat negative there.

a place where personal attacks have become the norm. Many people there, from the past, are happily posting away there still. Hmm. And many are now gone.

I admit, I miss the old place somewhat, but I feel that I had a fair run there, when things were held in some perspective, and kept slightly on-track.

(I remember back when the main point there, was simply violin-making.)

Now, that's not really the case anymore - this is a posting location I HAVE found recently, where things are violin-related, and where violin related things are discussed, and where the popularity of the posters is based, simply, on their violin making knowledge (apparently), and not their "popularity" within the group, as a "philosopher or general life critic".

In essence, I believe, the internet is changing as we speak. Generally, it is changing in a direction that I, personally, don't really like. Oh well.

Perhaps I'm just a bit too negative right now, generally.

I've recently had a stroke, some 4 or 5 months ago now, and my viewpoint on what I want out of life, (and the internet) is radically different than it once was.

Please bear with me, as my language sometimes still gets lost, and I will tend to babble on about any damn thing.

Oh well. There are things that I have lost, it seems, forever.
But the truth is, that I still do enjoy discussions, on the internet, about specifically making and repairing violins, Period.

I do realize that any site owner, has an immensely difficult job in trying to please everyone involved, and keep an attending populace, posting.

One huge goal in my life, has become to gradually (I now realize) return back to violin making, and to discuss violin-related subject matter, with both friends and strangers alike. (hopefully not strangers for long). And I do mean, "internet" discussions, as, we are generally from different geographic locations.

I do notice that there are people posting here, who have been benchmark posters from the past (at least - from MY past). And so I am assuming that they post HERE, NOW, because of the possibilities that STILL exist here, where violin making alone, IS the main subject in our collective hearts, when it comes to the "internet posting" world.

I'm happy to have found a place where I can still comfortably babble on about violin-making, and hopefully, have it be kept on track.
(attention Lemuel!)

Thanks for listening. I apologize if this is not considered important - because, to me, it is.
It's very important to me, because violin making is still very important to me. And my only violin making friend, within reach, is now completely disabled, and in a wheel chair. I will say, his life, now, is unfortunately, not at all, in any way, about violins... It really brings things into a correct perspective for me.
Thank God there is the internet! Hopefully, I will always have a place to vent my endless and very often inconsequential babbling -

Craig T
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.

[Michael Darnton]

Yes. This is still a friendly place.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

[Chet Bishop]

Well, Craig, I, for one, am glad you are back in reasonable health and good spirits, and that you are here where I can visit with you again about violin making.

A young man who I am coaching through his first instrument (and it is taking forever...) asked me a few weeks ago, "What keeps you making violins?" I said several things, all true, but somehow missing the point. I told him I simply liked it, and that I especially enjoyed seeing, feeling, and smelling the beauty of the wood, then feeling it become even more beautiful as it takes the shape of the finished instrument, watching the colors and flame come to life under the varnish, then hearing it sing like a heavenly choir when it is complete... and that I hoped to get good enough at it to make a living at it...but I still felt something was missing, and finally trailed off into silent work again.

About ten minutes later he blurted out, "This is incredibly satisfying work!" And that was the element I had failed to verbalize.

"From the mouths of babes thou hast ordained perfect praise..."
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

[Lemuel]

Craig, thanks for being very open (not babbling in my opinion). Since managing this forum,
I've seen a few of "edgy" threads, and thankfully, they didn't last very long.

I see communication as an art or skill like violin making or playing. A skilled violin
player can get through the limitations of an instrument, and use it to communicate
what he/she wants to the audience. A skilled luthier is able to create work around
solutions to limitations with materials and tools (even with a dull spoon? I still haven't
figured this one out yet ), and still come out with a good instrument.

So, I think a good communicator, is able to work around the limitations of the
one he/she is communicating with, and not get negatively or personally affected. I've
learned a few things about communication which has helped me in all areas of life.

- Personal failure, lack of knowledge, experience, or wisdom, being last or worst,
accomplishing little, don't diminish my internal worth. Likewise success, abundant
knowledge, experience, or wisdom, being first or best, accomplishing much, don't
increase my internal worth. (A new born baby is no more or less valuable than
anyone else).

- It's possible for someone to get offended even though there was no ill intent to begin
with. (The chronic cases are paranoia.)

- It's possible to offend someone with purposeful intent, but the person doesn't
get offended. This is rare, but I've seen it before. The person seems to know where
he/she stands, so he/she is not internally disturbed.

- I'm really the one in control of my own responses when personal attacks or insults
are directed towards me (or personal praise as well). They are either true or false.
If it's true, it would be good to acknowledge it. If not, you can rest in the truth.

- Set yourself and others free to accept or reject opinion or advice. After all, each one
stands to benefit or lose from his/her own choices.


Like a violinist or luthier carrying a list of skill sets in his/her craft, I think, this forum
can be a great place to share, if these things are kept in mind. So much for my babbling...


Thanks, Craig, for your openness. Take it easy....

[ctviolin]

[Michael Darnton]

[actonern]

There are some wonderful people on the other site, as you say, Craig, but I find in general that there is too much of a status competition by people who would do better to ask rather than tell.

When you see their work you're reminded of the expression... "you should be more humble... you have much to be humble about."

E

[Chet Bishop]

I think of that when I see MY work...
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

[johngia]

Craig,

I am somewhat familiar with the former experience you had. Sometimes one has to just "shake the dust of the place off your feet" and move on to the next city. It is a waste of time dealing with insecure people who have to constantly prove their "superiority" by bashing you.

I am so glad that you are so open about your feelings and knowledge. It is helping me to be more like you and doing the same.

I know I am repeating myself here, but you and Michael and several others on the internet forums helped me not only with violin making, but in healing over the loss of my Dad in 2001 --- actually he is not lost --- I KNOW where he is.

Hope to have many more interesting discussions with all you guys.

John

[ctviolin]

[ollieken]

Craig you made a bow rehair video that got me onto rehairing a bow
so you are leaving your mark in the fiddle world hope your health
keeps improving & keep rambeling on Thanks again Ken

[Mat Roop]

... this is the only forum where I read every post! ... because it is worth the time.
Thanks to all you posters ... and glad you joined us CT!
Cheers, Mat

[Michael Darnton]

I had an enlightening realization a few months ago. I was about to make a comment about "casting pearls before swine", and as I often do, before making a move I fully researched what the phrase actually means. By now, I don't get surprised to know I've understood something wrong, and this was one of those instances. It isn't a denunciation of metaphorical swine as I'd imagined. it's more a comment on the error of wasting resources on activities that won't bear fruit when those resources could be used better somewhere else.

At that point, I realized that I had been wasting a lot of energy, and decided that I would target my interactions more towards things that had concretely positive results, rather than getting trapped in whirlpools that could come to no good. Previously, I'd found whirlpools to be moderately entertaining, in a twisted sort of way, but now I just view them as a waste of time.

There are certainly a lot of places in life now where I notice that saying something vs not saying something causes no difference, and no change, so I don't put my energy into those situations now, as much as possible.

For example, we had someone come into the shop about a year ago, a young maker who showed promise. I knew that my partners might want me to work with him towards developing his work for our shop, so I had a short discussion with him. It really quickly became apparent that he thought his work was gold, and didn't need to get better. He politely refused to hear any comments at all about what he was doing, responding "I like it that way". After just one or two comments, I politely showed him out, and told my partners I wasn't interested in working with him. He's not that good, and will likely stay that way for longer than his aptitude would indicate, but I no longer feel like I need to change that. There are quite a few people I do work with who are like sponges (like someone who was in my shop yesterday), so why waste time with a rock?
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

[Janito]

Some useful principles:
https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit1.php

And don't waste time worrying about the circle of Concern (vs circles of Influence and Control)

[johngia]