BOTH. >> WHEN YOU ARE WORKING AT HIGH
CONSCIOUSNESS, ALL YOUR SENSES
ARE BECOMING REFINED EVEN IF YOU
DON'T REALIZE IT AND YOUR WORK
IS IMPROVING AND THAT'S AN
INTERESTING OBSERVATION.
INTERESTING OBSERVATION. I'M MICHAEL DUFF AND I'M A BOW
MAKER.
MAKER. I WAS ABOUT 7 AND THE FAMILY
DISCUSSED GIVING MY BROTHER AND
I PIANO LESSONS.
I JUST LIKED THE PIANO AND I
LIKED THE CLASSICAL MUSIC WE
WERE GIVEN TO STUDY.
IT JUST HAPPENS.
DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T SEE IT
LEAVING ANYWHERE.
LEAVING ANYWHERE. AT THE BEGINNING, BUT IT DID
VERY CLOSE TO 30 YEARS SINCE I
TOOK OVER THE BOW MAKING FROM
ROBERT BERG.
ROBERT BERG. HE HAD STUDIED BOW MAKING.
HE ACTUALLY HANDED TO ME AND
SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
IT?
IT? AND, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T PICK UP
THAT IT WAS EPIC.
HE SAID, CAN I SELL YOU THE
BUSINESS?
BUSINESS? I'M READY TO SELL.
I SAID I THINK I WOULD.
SO I GOT INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS
QUITE FITTING FOR ME.
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT ABILITY
WITH ONE'S HANDS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S INHERITED.
THAT'S INHERITED. I SORT OF GENETICALLY GOT A
DOUBLE DOSE.
DOUBLE DOSE. MY MOTHER WAS THE CAPITAL'S
LEADING SEAMSTRESS AND HAD
EXQUISITE TALENT WITH HER HANDS
AND THE SEWING MACHINE.
MY FATHER, HE BUILT HARDWOOD AND
CREATED ARTISTRY.
CREATED ARTISTRY. I GOT THE ABILITY TO USE MY
HANDS FROM BOTH MOTHER AND
FATHER.
FATHER. I HAVE GIVEN A LOT TO THIS
PROJECT, SOME OF THE REFINEMENTS
IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR WERE IN
EXECUTING IT, MAKING A
GOOD-LOOKING BOW, MAKING THEM
LOOK FIRST-CLASS.
LOOK FIRST-CLASS. BUT OF LATE, I'VE ALSO GIVEN NEW
INNOVATIONS.
INNOVATIONS. THE USE OF EXOTIC HARDWOODS FOR
MAKING THEM.
MAKING THEM. SO THESE ARE BIG THICK BOARD
BECAUSE THE WOODS FOR BOW MAKING
HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED FOR SO LONG
THAT THEY ARE THREATENED.
A PORTION IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE
OF THE SHAPE IT CLINGS, IT
CORNERS WELL AT HIGH SPEED.
IT IS A GOOD ANALOGY TO THINK OF
A BOW IN THAT TERMS.
IT WAS MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS.
IT MUST BEHAVE PREDICTABLY.
IT TAKES ME ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE
DAYS TO COMPLETE A BOW, SO THAT
IT'S READY.
IT'S READY. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M
CREATING AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT
THEN I HEAR WHAT I CREATE WILL
DO ON A VIOLIN.
I HAVE LISTENED TO SO MANY
STRING PLAYERS OVER 40 YEARS.
I CAN TELL WHETHER THEY HAVE
MASTERED IT.
MASTERED IT. AND I KNOW ALSO THAT WHEN THE
BOW IS HELPING THEM.
IT THRILLS ME REALLY.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO
KNOW ABOUT MY BOWS, WITH NATURAL
WOOD BEING EXPLOITED THE WAY
IT'S BEEN FOR A HUNDRED-SOME
YEARS, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO RELY
ON WOOD THE SAME FOR BOW MAKING.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE
SUBSTITUTES.
SUBSTITUTES. AND 50 YEARS FROM NOW, THEY WILL
STILL BE