Tuesday, March 18, 2014

A Guide To Violin Chinrest Styles

By Jaclyn Hurley


Playing a violin can be a strain for people, especially around the chin. In order to prevent this strain a chinrest is used. In order to find the one that is best suited to you it helps to know the various types of violin chinrest styles so that you can play your instrument as comfortably as possible.

There is a debate amongst musicians whether or not a chinrest is necessary. Some people believe that a musician should not use them. There is the argument that the rest creates a distance between the player and the instrument that they are playing. Therefore they choose not to use a rest.

Other people create their own homemade rests. In some cases they may use sponges tied with rubber bands or bits of wood. The advantage of this is that you can adjust the material to suit you exactly. The disadvantage is that if you are not confident of your DIY skills you could end up making something that is not suitable.

A lot of the time people may say that they already have a rest because it came with their instrument when they purchased it. The problem with this type is that inevitably it is not designed specifically for the person who purchased it. Therefore it is inevitably not as comfortable as one specifically designed for someone playing their instrument.

For some people it is simply a case of going with one they receive when they purchase or rent their violin. The problem with this is that it will not be specifically shaped for their chin. This can mean discomfort in the long term as the musician has problems adjusting on the rest while they are playing.

There are numerous items that can be purchased. The most well known style of rest is the Guarneri. This is where an attachment is centred over a tailpiece. A cup is positioned to the left of the tailpiece for the chin.

Another variety is the Flesch. This has a cup placed over the centre of the tailpiece. It is best to experiment with a number of different types. With over 50 styles available you should try a number of them in order to decide which one is most comfortable for you.

You can find a variety of different chinrests by looking online. As well as finding rests you can also find professionals that can cut and resize them in order to fit your chin and jawline. This will make it easier and more comfortable for you while playing. It is also worth looking online for demonstration videos and tips to show you how to position your rest to make sure that you are as comfortable as possible while playing your instrument.




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