How to choose a violin armrest
The topic of violin shoulder pads has generated much controversy among teachers and violinists. Because they weren’t used until relatively recently and also because they can affect the sound, there are still some teachers who recommend against using them at all. Certainly there are some violinists who do well without an armrest. Often these people have short necks.
For example, David Oistrakh, one of my favorite artists, fits this mold. For the rest of us, an armrest can make violin playing that much more comfortable. It frees the left hand from having to hold the instrument and should allow the violinist to play without lifting the left shoulder. The choice of armrest depends on the unique physiology of each student.
There are two main categories of armrests. The first is the group of “soft” supports (such as curved pieces of foam, sponges – even a kitchen sponge with a rubber band will do – and the Play-on-Air, which is made up of a “bladder” filled with air that It can be adjusted by varying the amount of air contained in the bladder.
Some teachers prefer breaks that are not rigid. Their logic is that a stiff break locks the player in position and can add tension. However, the sound can be affected by the pressure of the soft pad against the back of the violin. Often times, the contact of the soft residue will muffle or blur the sound.
The second main category of shoulder supports is made up of the “rigid supports”. Rigid models are based on the same principle: feet that adhere to the sides of the violin and a curved, rigid, shaped bar that connects the feet. Each brand of rigid support is slightly differently shaped, providing good variety to accommodate the different shapes of the violinist’s upper body, neck height, clavicle prominence, and the pitch and width of the violinists. shoulders.
To help with the selection, I have put together a list of the most popular brands of rigid supports with descriptions of each and advice on which model is best suited to the unique physiology of a particular violinist. For starters, Everest is made in the United States and is relatively inexpensive. The padding is thick and the rest seems to fit well for medium to long necks. One model offers folding and folding feet.
The Bonmusica is made of flexible metal with a “hook” that can be molded to fit over the shoulder. It is a heavy aluminum compound rest that can affect the sound more than some, but may work well for violinists who have not found any of the other rest to be comfortable due to its high degree of flexibility and ability to curve around the back. shoulder.
Kun is the original inventor of the rigid stand with feet. There are several different models. They tend to adapt quite well to most people. One model has a bar that connects the feet and that can be tilted towards and away from the player. Although it is a potentially very valuable feature, this bar cannot be locked in the chosen ideal position and therefore must be adjusted several times in a game session at times.
The Mach One is very light and is made from good quality solid maple. Some people find it very comfortable but it is quite short and the padding can appear slippery and quite thin.
The wolf makes an excellent break for very high necks, but can feel very stiff. Although it appears to have no curve, it can be bent to suit the player. People with “A-Frame” (very sloping) shoulders sometimes find this to be their only viable option, as it is the highest rest.
The rest viva la musica comes in many colors and fits in two planes. This additional adjustability allows it to accommodate certain violinists who have had difficulty finding a comfortable rest. However, the bar is quite flat, with little curve, and can rub against the rear of the instrument. In addition, this rest is made of plastic with a tendency to break before other supports.
In short, my recommendation for selecting an armrest is to try several and find a comfortable fit. For rigid models with feet, the pad should rest securely against the shoulder and collarbone with little or no space between you and the rest. To adjust the rest of the violin, experiment with different locations for the feet. In general, the feet under the chin rest fill the space between the shoulder and the back of the violin. The closer the feet are to the chin rest, the more the violin will tend to rest away from the end of the shoulder and further towards the neck. The height should be adjusted to fill the space between the jaw and the top of the shoulder. On the opposite side of the instrument, a foot placement closer to the offset side will place the instrument more towards the center of the chest and away from the shoulder. More height tends to flatten the instrument and less height tends to create more slope.
An armrest that is too high will tilt the neck and chin up, which is often very uncomfortable, in addition to lifting the violin and thus the entire playing posture, which can put more pressure on the shoulder as you stretches toward a higher violin. But if the break is set too low, the player must bend the neck excessively to reach the chin, which is especially detrimental to the health of the neck.
The importance of the armrest can easily be underestimated and it is often helpful to ask your teacher to help you assess the fit.