Should Everyone Use A Shoulder Rest?
Currently I only sell one type of clip-on shoulder rest.
The large online retailers have many more options.
The large online retailers have many more options.
There is an assumption these days among teachers that a shoulder rest is now standard. Shoulder rests were not invented or used until the 1960's. They seem like a good idea to fill in the gap between the shoulder and jaw, but it is worth exploring the assumption that everyone should use one.
The ergonomics of this can be very confounding because bodies are so different. Length of the neck, width and shape of the shoulders, shape of the jaw, are a few of the factors. This is a little bit like finding the style and fit of your favorites shoes, and there may be some trial and error.
Most teachers these days advocate for the use of a shoulder rest. I have come to question that for a number of reasons.
I often have people trying to find the right shoulder rest when their chin rest is actually more of the problem. The first thing to determine is where your jaw wants to drop on the instrument. Generally speaking this is either right over the tailpiece, to left of the tailpiece, or in between. In my experience most people need one that is in between, and typically that means that it clamps to left of the tailpiece but also goes up over it. The Wittner is an example of that. Or Zitsman model in wood. If you need one that is centered over the tailpiece, Wittner also makes one of those, or you would use a Flesch model in wood.
Violins usually come standard with a Guarneri model chin rest, the one that clamps over the tailpiece, but then goes off the left. I would say that these work for maybe ten percent of the people that I help with this.
To determine where your chin rest needs to be hold the violin up in the position of your choice so it is comfortable and then drop your jaw. That is where the chin rest should be with your jaw centered in the cup of the rest. If you are seeking it with your head and thereby creating strain, you have the wrong chin rest.
For people with long necks, there is the option of custom chin rests. There is also a brand called SAS that comes in four different heights. There are some new products on the market that have more adjustability as well.
As regards the shoulder rest itself, if you don’t want to use a clip-on rest, but still need some padding, you can rubber band one of the many sponge style rests onto the back of the instrument (or just use any foam or sponge cut to size that you think will be comfortable.) There is also an interesting product called AcoustaGrip which is a sponge that temporarily sticks on the back, but does not do damage when you pull it off for storage.
To be clear, I am not advocating for not using shoulder rests. But if an unintended consequence of using one is more tension or rigidity in the mix, it could be an error in approach.
The ergonomics of this can be very confounding because bodies are so different. Length of the neck, width and shape of the shoulders, shape of the jaw, are a few of the factors. This is a little bit like finding the style and fit of your favorites shoes, and there may be some trial and error.
Most teachers these days advocate for the use of a shoulder rest. I have come to question that for a number of reasons.
- It creates a psychological approach that assumes that the violin should be locked into place with the jaw and shoulder. This is very different than the three point hold (hand, jaw, and collar bone) that more has the instrument “floating.” To really see this, take a look at videos of the great soloists who learned before shoulder rests were invented. There is no sense of rigidity or clamping down, and they are relaxed and secure. There is often a subtle tipping up of the instrument for shifting that is done by the jaw pushing slightly on the chin rest. (The chin rests with a bit more scoop in them are sometimes better for this.)
- The higher your arms are, the more tension there is in the mix. If you are going to add loft, it is much better to put it in the chin rest.
- Shoulder rests tend to require that the instrument be pulled back to the side in order to sit comfortably on the chest area. This requires that the bow arm be pulled around towards the left as well. This is also now a source of tension. The most natural and comfortable way to play is with the arms relaxed and more in front of you than most clip-on shoulder rests comfortably allow.
I often have people trying to find the right shoulder rest when their chin rest is actually more of the problem. The first thing to determine is where your jaw wants to drop on the instrument. Generally speaking this is either right over the tailpiece, to left of the tailpiece, or in between. In my experience most people need one that is in between, and typically that means that it clamps to left of the tailpiece but also goes up over it. The Wittner is an example of that. Or Zitsman model in wood. If you need one that is centered over the tailpiece, Wittner also makes one of those, or you would use a Flesch model in wood.
Violins usually come standard with a Guarneri model chin rest, the one that clamps over the tailpiece, but then goes off the left. I would say that these work for maybe ten percent of the people that I help with this.
To determine where your chin rest needs to be hold the violin up in the position of your choice so it is comfortable and then drop your jaw. That is where the chin rest should be with your jaw centered in the cup of the rest. If you are seeking it with your head and thereby creating strain, you have the wrong chin rest.
For people with long necks, there is the option of custom chin rests. There is also a brand called SAS that comes in four different heights. There are some new products on the market that have more adjustability as well.
As regards the shoulder rest itself, if you don’t want to use a clip-on rest, but still need some padding, you can rubber band one of the many sponge style rests onto the back of the instrument (or just use any foam or sponge cut to size that you think will be comfortable.) There is also an interesting product called AcoustaGrip which is a sponge that temporarily sticks on the back, but does not do damage when you pull it off for storage.
To be clear, I am not advocating for not using shoulder rests. But if an unintended consequence of using one is more tension or rigidity in the mix, it could be an error in approach.