Tutorials

[Steve Graves]

I would like to see a forum section dedicated to teaching music and the luthier's craft. Stringed instruments have been the center in one way or another for most things I've ever been taught. I have been taught by listening to more experienced people telling me about a particular technique all my life. Playing music has taught me about life in general. Ethics to bracing options are all contained in such knowledge. It's time we paid a little back by freely helping others as most of us do. Any ideas for working with younger and less experienced people would be helpful. Older teachers have tricks and demos to teach others the basics. I know that much has been written and debated about the music education but very little is available about teaching why stringed instruments work. Got any suggestions ?

[Jason Rodgers]

Hi, Steve. Welcome aboard. Throw this question over in the "Jam Session" as a new topic and you'll get some more traffic.

This topic is about a friendly contest that we have every now and again to build something with set parameters: cost, materials, etc.

Are you suggesting a "Tutorials" page? Yes, other forums have done that, and it's a good idea.

[Steve Graves]

I am really into sharing our knowledge with others as those that came before us have done. Tutorials would be a great addition and a place where good teachers could explain in simple terms how to do complicated things. I would very much like to be a part of that.

[Greg Robinson]

Well Steve, why don't you get the ball rolling? We can add it to the FAQ section once it's been peer reviewed.

[Steve Graves]

Greg, Thanks for all your help on this and other issues. Do you have a place on the net where they are using "Tutorials" so I can see what works and what does not? I've never made up a Tutorial for a Forum but I'm sure I can and I would be willing to help get them started on MIMF.
Good On Ya

[Greg Robinson]

Well, we don't have a dedicated "Tutorials" section at the moment, but there are a number of them in the archives (you can find the archives in the board index page when you are logged in).
We also have the FAQ section where we have collected guides on a few topics that regularly come up on the forum that were put together collectively by the membership.
I look forward to seeing what you put together. Let me know if there's anything further I can help you with.

[Dave Stewart]

Do you have a place on the net where they are using "Tutorials" so I can see what works and what does not?

I've found the "tutorials" subsection of the OLF (Offficial Luthiers Forum) quite helpful for many things over the years. You have to be careful with such a section .... it is more valuable teaching proven techniques from long-standing builders but sometimes attracts newby builders who have just had a "lightbulb moment" & finally figured out how to do something. I've always found myself thinking "am I being presumptuous posting this?? Maybe everyone already knows this!" So as Greg implies, it should be peer reviewed.
Things are a bit different on MIMF. The archives are filled with pearls on method & technique. I do agree however that a separate section for step-by-step procedures (since that is the essense of building) would be valuable, as an area to document both basic and cutting edge procedures.

[Mario Proulx]

How about a "tutorials" section, and "sticky" the proven ones, and let the silly/debatable/potentially-dangerous fall-off after a given time period, where the staff can nuke 'em.

I do think that a peer review process --is-- very important....

[Steve Senseney]

I sometimes think about a group effort creating a tutorial.

The question of a review of all of the different neck attachment types could easily be addressed by most of the MIMF members.

However, I can imagine that it could be improved and added to by the experiences of the group.

The way most tutorials are presented, are by a single person, posting a "fully formed" essay.

I would welcome comments and advise improving a presentation.

Is there a way to make these more of a collaborative effort?

[Dave Stewart]

Step by step procedures agreed upon by committee? Seriously? How much time have you got?
Just to clarify, IMO tutorials don't have to "gospel" ... the only "right" way to do something...to be valuable. (And follow up comments to a tutorial tend to reveal quickly if others have equally good or better approaches). They shouldn't be nonsensical or unworkable methods, but I guess that's where I think moderators should come in. So I don't think single person, fully formed essays are a bad thing .... kind of forces the person to "prove his theory" before posting it.

[Greg Robinson]

I wasn't thinking of "tutorial by committee", just that after an individual has put together their "essay" as such, it should be open to peer review and suggestions, before being placed in any "official" tutorial or FAQ section. The final decision would be made by the staff.
It would be best if such tutorials were presented as "one method" of accomplishing a goal, rather than a "definitive" or "only way" to do so.

Any other suggestions?

[Bryan Bear]

I think I suggested this when the new forum went up (at least I meant to). I think a good model would be to encourage people to post photo essays of their methods for any particular task. The more mundane tasks will not likely be repeated ad-nauseum. These photo essays will be somewhat peer reviewed inasmuch as they will be open for comment from the forum. Warnings and alternatives will be offered and general discussions will follow. Since there is no longer a library archiving process and threads will live on indefinitely, the more useful ones will find themselves being recommended when similar questions pop up. Taking it a step further, it would be ideal if there were a locked tutorial section where staff can choose particularly good threads to be added. Staff could choose a naming structure that would be consistent and allow for easier browsing by topic eg. Topic, method, author (dovetail neck joint, fitting by hand, Jane Doe). The thread would be posted (or linked) with all the ensuing discussion intact. Anyone wanting to compare methods for doing a dovetail neck joint can easily find the tutorials which are particularly useful. If they are left wanting more, they can brave the search function and get every thread with the word dovetail.

[Charlie Schultz]

Thanks for the reminder Bryan. See http://www.mimf.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php ... t=tutorial

[Steve Graves]

Well what if we used the same process that is used when a word is added to wikipedia ? Or, I'm on a Slang Dictionary site that adds words to a public dictionary and the best definition is chosen by the users and can be added to by anyone. In a tutorial anyone that was registered could present a technique and their peers could offer better ways to improve the process. I guess someone would have to keep track somehow and once in awhile the tutorial would be updated. by the administrator. I'm sure someone out there knows how to do this.

[Greg Robinson]

Hi Steve,
Unfortunately, the forum software that we currently use, PHPBB, does not incorporate Wiki features.
The software does allow polls, but I don't believe that would be a very effective way to manage peer review. I think the open forum format we currently use would be best.