From Mud to Music by Barry Hall Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of From Mud to Music
Book Review: Beautiful Coffee Table Book
Summary: 3 Stars
If you're looking for an art piece, this is the book for you. I was hoping for a little more instruction. It is a beautiful book and I would probably buy it anyway even if I had known how little practical knowledge is actually offered. Most of the instruments could probably be figured out by a fairly competent ceramist, but a beginner would be completely lost.
I was disappointed not to be given cross-section diagrams of some of the wind instruments; I would have liked some more and more specific technical info on creating a clay xylophone and/or marimba; I'd like to know more about stretching drum heads and stringing/playing the bowed instruments and harps. That said, I can probably figure it out, but that's why I bought this book. To help me figure it out.
Conversely, in the section in which Hall does give step by step procedures, he includes simple steps that even the 6-year-olds in my pottery classes know how to do. Nothing about firing techniques or the rest of the stuff ceramists seem to feel obligated to include in a book written for beginners, though, for which I am grateful. Any beginning potter needs a general instruction text (or a good class), so I'm not sure why specialty authors feel it necessary to include basic steps and then, for want of space, leave out stuff you'd really like to know.
Sorry for whining so much. I really love the book and have been reading it word for word (some of it is pretty silly kind of psycho-babble, so you've been warned) to glean every bit of info. It's spangled with little stars of knowledge and I don't want to miss any of them.
As others have said, this isn't really a studio book. It's too nice, and hasn't got all that much practical information anyway, unless you've never made an ocarina or can't figure out on your own how to make a goblet drum. (Thanks for the instructions on fitting the head, though.) It will give you loads of inspiration, and if you understand the different ways of making a sound, which are really explained quite adequately, you'll be able to figure out at least a rudimentary model of most of the instruments shown.
Book Review: Beautiful!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first made my purchase because I had a couple of my photos included in the book. But when I opened it up, it took my breath away! Not only are the photos well done and well laid out, but there is historical information about clay instruments, as well as information about currently made clay instruments. There are also pages of 'how to' for those so inclined. There is information about various artists. I thought it was of such value that I have purchased a copy for the Bethany College Art Department's ceramic instructor. There is a wealth of knowledge in this one book! I highly recommend owning one! Kudo's to Barry Hall!Book Review: Best Book Ever
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this book as a present from my wife, we are both potters. I am more excited than ever about making musical instruments. We already make ocarinas, udus, and didgeridoos. This book opens up a whole new world of instruments to us! Recommended to anyone interested in music. It comes with a CD! You can experience sounds from pre-columbian to experimental, sounds from around the world and traversing time. Also a great reference book for ceramic art.Book Review: Easily a Favorite Resource for Creating Ceramic Musical Instruments
Summary: 5 Stars
If there wasn't a single word printed in Mud to Music, I would still recommend the images and the accompanying CD as an inspirational work for anyone interested in ceramic musical instruments. I had been making small ceramic whistles and ocarinas for about a year before my wife and son gave me Barry Hall's book for my birthday. Even after reading the book from cover to cover, I return regularly to discover subtleties in design, form, and technical approaches of the numerous instrument types.
Barry Hall introduces the reader to the work of numerous ceramic instrument artists with decades of experience in the field. Each of these introductions reveal different perspectives, personalities, and passions for incredibly creative works.
The 'How-To' section of the book covers enough details that someone with a reasonable amount of experience in the ceramic process can successfully run with the concepts. Resource links in the book will save you time in locating supplies that one doesn't generally associate with ceramics but may be necessary for percussion instruments projects (i.e. animal hides). Historical references scattered through the book provide a great starting point for research into the history of ceramic musical instruments, particularly in Meso-America.
I give this book the highest rating available and do not hesitate to recommend it to other clay artists.
Book Review: Excellent Resource
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm facinated by ceramic music and this book had instruments that I didn't know existed. It is well written and very informative. I also enjoyed listening to the music CD. If you're into ceramics, this book is a good buy!