Violin Shoulder Rest Placement

The accessories for different musical instruments have now evolved dramatically. When it comes to violins, a violin shoulder rest is among the newest accessories invented. Though there have been varying opinions about how it affects the tonal quality of the instrument, a lot of violin enthusiasts now finds it as a must to have one. When deciding to use this accessory, consider these steps first on how to attach it properly and discover the pros and cons it has with it.

The Placement Process

First of all, decide on what type of material you will find most comfortable using. There are soft shoulder rests which are made of foam. However, this type of rest can easily dampen and will cause sound reduction so you might want to try a harder type. There are a lot of shapes and sizes of a violin shoulder rest. Check which one of this you like best before actually buying an item.

Basically, a shoulder rest comes in three pieces: a shoulder rest pad, one taller leg and one shorter leg. You will have to screw these legs to their designated holes – the taller leg to the thinner end and the shorter leg to the fatter end. Check to see if the spacing is adequate. If the rest slips easily, adjust both or one of the legs.

Third, place it on your shoulder and see if it fits snugly without you having to strain your shoulder.

The next step will involve checking the height of the violin shoulder rest against your chin. If you still have to press down your chin, unscrew the legs to raise it to the desired height. If you find yourself raising your neck to reach the rest, then it is too high so screw the legs farther to make the height shorter as desired.

Pros and Cons

The most talked-about disadvantage of using this accessory is that it affects the original tonal quality of the violin. It can dampen the tone and even reduce almost half of the violin’s natural volume. The attachment process can also create scratches which may devalue the violin.

On the brighter side, a lot will still end up using it since the comfort it has with it is just priceless. Most violin students now days find it impossible to go on playing without a violin shoulder rest since it also plays a role at tightly securing the violin while playing it.

The placement of a shoulder rest to your violin is one simple process and yet it requires utmost care to prevent unsightly scratches. Though a violin shoulder rest is not an integral part of the said instrument, it surely will help you a lot to play it more comfortably thus making musical experience more pleasing.

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