HOW TO BECOME A VIOLIN MAKER | My Cremona experience

[@johnanthony5393]

I love your videos/communications, thank you!

[@LucasFabro]

Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoy them :)

[@Vita-eq3oj]

I read somewhere that making a violin is like making a box, only that this "wood box" is a magical one... Actually, I think that violin making it's like a polymath discipline. It connects art, science, history, music and the best part I guess is that you use your own hands in the process, inmersing yourself in the craft completely which allows you to free your mind, so in a sense is also a mindful discipline. It's good that you mention the challenges, perhaps later you could share your thoughts on how to overcome some of them. Anyway, I hope someday I can make magic like that myself...meanwhile I will keep enjoying all your videos, you are a really good teacher, an inspiring one, thank you so much for doing this Lucas!

[@LucasFabro]

Thank you very much for your comment!! I agree with what you said, although I know some people that can make them just as if they were "wood boxes" and I also know people who make wood boxes (combining all those things you mentioned) as if they were violins. The challenges are a lot indeed! I always get people commenting "I wish I could do the same job" to which I reply then go do it haha. But then it's always the challenges and negative parts of it that keep them away. That being said, I don't think I'm in a position to give advice or even my opinion about how to overcome them. I know we're all different and what works for one person might be the opposite for others. For example, in my case, I knew I "couldn't fail". There were moments in which it was either keep trying or not eating, so that's a pretty strong motivator haha. But I know other people who were in a similar situation and found that devastating. Thank you again for your best wishes and your kind words! And I hope you can one day do this too if that's your wish :)

[@Frey808]

Thank you!

[@elissahunt]

It seems like being a violin maker is a lot like being an artist. You have to have the discipline to get up every day and work. You spend hours and hours creating with no guarantee anyone will buy your pieces. You have to do your own networking and marketing. But in spite of all that, the joy of creation keeps you going, no matter what.

[@LucasFabro]

Yes! It sounds very much the same. I always say that I think the word artisan is perfect for this job because it has the right amount of mix with the arts :)

[@LucasFabro]

LINKS: 🎥🎻Online violin making course: ​ www.lucasfabro.com/en/online-course/ 🎻🎶​Tonebase: tonebase.co?ref=fabroviolins (CODE: FABROVIOLINS) 👕🎻Violin making apparel www.redbubble.com/people/fabroviolins/shop?asc=u 🏫​👨‍🏫​ Violin making school in Cremona IPIALL Istituto Stradivari: www.istitutostradivari.edu.it/ and www.scuoladiliuteria.it/ The course: www.istitutostradivari.edu.it/pagine/liuteria Enrolment Requirements (3rd year): www.istitutostradivari.edu.it/pvw/app/default/pvw_img.php?sede_codice=CRII0004&doc=2629761&inl=1 Didactic Material: sites.google.com/istitutostradivari.it/didattica-liuteria/progetti?authuser=0 ⚒ Some of the tools, strings and equipment I use: - Excel version: www.dropbox.com/s/c6n6zq7om6hqo9g/Tools.xlsx?dl=0 - Pdf: www.dropbox.com/s/5ua7zy0e3h2olm2/Tools.pdf?dl=0 🎻​💎​Violin Museum: www.museodelviolino.org/it/ ​🏡​Useful website to look for flats: www.immobiliare.it/

[@navneetyadav3941]

Thank you!!

[@nestorvassiliou4955]

Ciao Lucas, I would really like a more detailed video on the exams/prerequisites to enter the Cremona violin making school, since I am having hard time understanding what the actual requirements are. Despite having visited Cremona and the violin making school itself... Of course if you have the time to make such a video and if the rest of the viewers would find it interesting/helpful.

[@LucasFabro]

Great! I'll keep it in mind! It'll proably be a long video to make, but let's see what the people say as well :) How are you doing? All good on your end?

[@nestorvassiliou4955]

@@LucasFabro I am doing great thanks for asking, I have almost completed my first violin. I am also currently in the Greek Army. Hopefully by April 2023 I should be done with that. How about you?

[@LucasFabro]

@@nestorvassiliou4955 Oh, that's great! Will you be doing the application this next February to come next year then? All good on my end :)

[@nestorvassiliou4955]

@@LucasFabro Good to hear :) Well that's the plan but I still need to figure out how to actually do the application (where and exactly when) and what are the subjects that I need to study for, where can I find the study material and also when/where the actual exams are....

[@LucasFabro]

@@nestorvassiliou4955 The application will be online. But until late January or early February you won't be able to do anything. What you can do in advance is to get a "Codice fiscale", because you'll need that! And you can get it at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country. Then you can start translating your documents and that but there's no rush. Most likely you won't be needing them until lessons start in September. After the application you'll get (in theory) all the information about the exam, but if not, it'll appear on the school's website. The exam will most lilkely be in June though.

[@patrickc.7235]

Thank you for yet another great video! I’m a self taught amateur who’s only finished making 2 violins and starting a viola for my wife now. I imagine most makers would sort of look down at someone who didn’t go to a violin making school. What is your experience of this? I won’t be offended if you’re like the others ;p At the moment I am Very Very amateur but it’s just how I learn so I accept my forst few won’t be up to any good standards. Though the difference between first and second is huge! I hope to make a similar improvement onto the third instrument!

[@LucasFabro]

Hmm...that's an interesting question and I think that no matter what we all look down or up at people even if we don't want to. It's probably a natural instinct. That being said, I don't think makers look down at others for having attended a school or not. I for example, didn't finish the violin making school (left at the last year as I found it a bit of a waste of time) and some of the makers I respect the most did the exact same thing or didn't even go at all. I'm masure that makers (and musicians) would look at your work instead. Nobody would say "this would be a great instrument if only he had gone to a violin making school" or in the case of a musician, "this instrument sounds great but I'm not getting it because that person doesn't have a diploma". I'd say that in most cases (except for the people who're on our circle or environment), we don't even know or care if other makers went to school and which one they did. The changes between the first and second are massive yes! But be careful with the third, I remember finding it a bit tricky, becasue it's when you stop checking some of the information you maybe had written down before and when you start thinking that you're a bit better than you actually are haha (or at least that was my case) Thank you very much for your comment! It helps the channel a lot :)

[@js5072]

What are some things that make a violin sound better?

[@LucasFabro]

Oh, that's a great question!! Perhaps I can make a video about it, because I feel like the answer(s) would be too long to write! First we would have to define what better is and who judges that better (which would most likely be a subjective opinion). And then based on that the things that could make it better for me are, in a way, all. The craftsmanship of course, the quality of the wood and materials as well...but then all the details behind those things. I always say that everything makes a difference and nothing makes a difference. If you have a great instrument with a poorly made set up, it'll probably still sound quite well, even if not at its best; but if you have a poorly made instrument with a great set up, it'll still sound like a poorly made instrument. It's the sum of all the small details, and the avoidance of big mistakes that makes the difference to me. As I said, maybe a bit too complex to write down haha

[@richardstumph7833]

I'm Very interested in this violin school 😊

[@LucasFabro]

That's great! I hope you found the video useful then ;)

[@wmcrash]

is that a Yixing Teapot in the background?

[@LucasFabro]

Yes it is! A 90ml one. I’m trying to remember what tea I was having though 😅