In the world of violins and their accessories, Alan Qi Cao realized there were two options for beginners: Parents could invest in the highest quality violin, handcrafted in Europe, with a rich sound and price tag to match or they could buy an economy version, often mass produced in China, never designed to perform a solo. Both however, in the hands of children, were bound to break.
It’s that reality, Cao, a second-generation master violin maker, has parlayed into a business he plans to use to transform how violins are produced around the world.
Viotti Music, which can be found in the Amazon store, sells violin accessories that are designed to create beautiful sound, affordably. Cao and the other violin makers under his leadership are taking what they know about sound production from the master craftspeople of Europe and applying it to at-home replacements which can be used to enhance the sound quality of an economy violin or protect the integrity of an investment piece.
Their violin bridges, made of aged maple wood and genuine ebony, are thinner than economy replacements on the market, providing a greater speed of sound, resulting in a faster, clearer and sharper timbre. Viotti Music’s replacement strings use real gold and silver, like the best German-produced, but at half the price. Their bows use carbon fiber instead of the traditional Brazilian wood, making them stronger and more affordable. Produced in the tradition of the great French bow makers, Viotti Music uses an ebony frog, white Mongolian horse hair and mother-of-pearl trim designed to produce a perfect camber.
“I want the beginner to experience good sound quality, because it will train your ear from the beginning,” said Alan Cao, founder of Viotti Music. “When you play with quality, you can feel it. Your skills will improve, your motion, your feeling of the music, it will all improve a lot.”
Alan Cao first recognized this gap in the music segment while working in the shop of The Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City. He was 20 when he left China for Utah to refine his techniques at the trade school. Cao’s father, a violin maker himself, taught Cao to play the instrument at an early age before teaching him the craft. It’s his passion for playing and his deep understanding of the mechanics of sound that Cao says gives him the upper-hand in designing the pieces he now sells in his shop.
By using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to process orders, handle customer inquiries and manage returns, Cao joked he “actually had time to go to college.” At 36, he’s now a sophomore at the University of Utah, studying computer science. His goal is to create a line of software to help luthiers hone sound.
“I’ve always loved to build things. To me, building violins and building software are the same; I get the chance to mold a block of wood or a line of code from the ground up into something intricate and beautiful,” said Cao.
In the next two years, Cao looks to finish his degree and take Viotti Music global, using Amazon to do it. His business, his education, his family and his future, harmonies of each other, create a symphony of success unique to this entrepreneur.