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Interview with Andrew Carruthers - 'Offbeat Violins'
"I’ve been interested in the idea that new violins could be possibly be inspired by something other than old violins."
This is something violin maker Andrew Carruthers told me a number of years ago when he had just created his Turtle Violin, and he is still exploring that idea.
When he was in town several weeks ago for the Metzler Violin Shop's Contemporary American Violin Makers Exhibition and Sale, we sat down for a talk about his Offbeat Violins - which actually include a cello, viola and multiple violins. Below is a video of our conversation, as well as demonstrations of his "Offbeat" cello and viola (thank you to cellist Anthony Schnell and violist Emma Antonides at Metzler Violin Shop!) Below that is a little summary. Enjoy!
Carruthers started his "Offbeat" violin project during the pandemic. "I've always thought violins are very organic-looking, and they share a lot of characteristics with natural objects," he said.
Carruthers started by making some violins based on Chladni patterns, which are vibration patterns that happen in wood, particularly in the front and back plates of a violin. "With glitter," he said, "you can see patterns forming on the surface of the wood when it resonates."
"I made a couple of instruments based on these Chladni modes, and one is a "ring mode" and one is an "x mode." He felt the x mode promoted the sound, and so the "Offbeat" patterns evolved from that, as a variation on the x mode violin.
Where does he hope these fiddles land? While the instruments have a similar sound to his "regular" instruments, Carruthers isn't really out to sell them. But he doesn't want them to simply gather dust in his shop in Santa Rosa, Calif.
At this point, he is hoping to match a quartet of his "Offbeat" instruments with a quartet of musicians who would enjoy and showcase the unique aesthetic of these instruments.
"It's a different thing!" he said. "But I think it can be a great asset, to have an instrument with a strong visual element."
To read more about Andrews "Offbeat" violins, viola and cello, click here.
You might like:
- Interview with Violin Maker Andrew Carruthers: Inspiration and the Turtle Fiddle
- Talking with 10 Makers and Testing Their Violins and Bows
- A Crowdsourced Violin? Check out the Traveling Violinabox
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