Hi there!

Wondering what I can do to improve my 'grip' on my viola. I know you're supposed to be able to hold it securely between your chin and shoulder, but I'm not able to do that yet. I know the rest needs adjusting as it is a little too wide for my instrument, but I was wondering if it sounds like it needs adjusting in height too. It's one of those Wolf Primo ones which is adjustable both ways.

I'm thinking of taking it back into the shop where I bought it (and hired the viola) to ask them to help get it to fit me properly (I daresay they'll be able to do that on another instrument well enough), as I don't want to lose valuable time on my lesson - I only have 30 mins. Also, my teacher didn't seem to do anything with it.

Does this sound like it will help me stop fearing I'm going to drop my viola, or it actually falling off my shoulder? Or is a time and strength issue? Or both?

Any thoughts gratefully received.

I find shoulder rests (as opposed to pads) really difficult - I just can't get a good enough grip with them, they keep slipping. Is it actually possible to use the "no hands grip" with a shoulder rest? I don't see that the height is going to mske that much difference.

Liz

I think it's one of those things that's hugely personal - as someone with a ridiculously long and skinny neck, a shoulder pad gives me a bad neck in very short time - I have an unusually high chin rest and a wolf secondo shoulder rest wound as high as it will go!

I have a long neck (but not skinny ) and I find that with a shoulder rest I can get a 'hands free' grip of violin. But I found out after a month of using it that if I placed it a little more towards the middle of violin (I had to make the shoulder rest grip wider for this to happen) then I would have a very comfortable and secure hands free hold of violin, whether before, with shoulder rest closer to end of violin (nearer the chin rest side of it) I had to slightly hold it with hand or put more pressure with my jaw on chin rest (I also have shoulder rest on highest setting).
So I'd say play with it to find most comfortable position, make it higher/shorter, position it nearer the middle of viola, further away and so on..
it takes a little time but you will find the comfortable setting for you.
Also you may/may not need a higher chin rest, for now, try to put maybe a cloth folded onto chin rest to make it higher or a sponge and see if that makes it better. Just suggestions really.
Jo

My shoulder rest has been the bain of my viola playing ever since I started. I got chronic cricks-in-the-neck so often shortly after I first started that I didn't and still don't practise anywhere near as much as I should.

If I have a headache already I don't even go near the thing. I have a Wolf Secondo and have tried on all settings from highest to lowest. No setting seems to be perfect, but by the looks of it most people find the same thing. That's comforting at least.

It doesn't help that the dratted thing is so big!

Boo, in my experience (admittedly not exactly exhaustive!) it's tougher on violists in this respect because violas tend to be heavier AND longer - so you get extra weight which is exacerbated by the lever effect of the length of the instrument. So it's more important and more difficult to get the shoulder-rest/chin-rest etc combination right. If you can figure it out, it will help enormously! But unfortunately what helps one person may be totally wrong for you so it takes experimentation.

So, in view of all the above, would asking the people in the shop be a good idea??

Even though I'm a violinist not a violist, I concur wholeheartedly with the people who are emphasising the importance of the right shoulder rest adjusted correctly.

I've had two bouts of shoulder trouble and one of neck trouble since I started the violin, and have found that these have reduced tremendously since I took the time to change both my shoulder rest and my chin rest.

I discovered that the Bonmusica shoulder rest works for me after trying Willobie's viola with a Bonmusica rest - I was so impressed that I could hold the viola up with no trouble that I invested in a violin rest.

But, of course, that's just what works for me. Someone else with different shaped shoulders and a different neck length may have another answer. The key thing is to keep working on it until you find the right comfortable set-up. Anything else is asking for discomfort.

It depends on the shop. If it is a specialist violin/viola shop with knowledgable staff then they should be able to help, but really you should talk to your teacher. It is important to get the hold correct. If you don't you could seriously hurt yourself. Your teacher should be able help/advise you.

You shouldn't be aiming to grip the viola either by clamping on to it with your chin or by hunching your shoulder, as grip implies that there is some tension which bad.

To get a really good position to hold your viola you need to consider both the chin rest and shoulder rest together. Talk to your teacher about the correct postion for your to hold your viola. Then go to a good specialist violin/viola shop where they stock several different types of chin rest and shoulder rest and try out several combinations. A good shop will fit different chinrests to your viola for you to try.

I have a large viola and use a high, central, Flesch-type chinrest. This allows me to support the weight of the viola on my shoulder, without any effort. I have a Bonmusica shoulder rest which spreads the weight of the viola out and also stops it from slipping (as it curves over the shoulder). I got my teacher to help me adjust my shoulder rest to the correct position on the viola and to the correct height (as my teacher could see exactly where I needed to support the viola).

So I would advise you to go to good viola shop and try out various combinations of chin rest/ shoulder rest to find what works for you.

Very true
the one I go to patiently fitted several chin rests for me before I made up my mind on one.

The one I went to only had 2 to choose from and tried to help at the time, but the guy who served me wasn't a specialist and the one who seemed to be more able to help seemed busy with something else. As for my teacher, she didn't seem that concerned about it and I must say that didn't instill me with confidence! I think I'll try the shop again, (I'm not up for buying another after spending over £20 on that one and the only violin shop in the area knows how to charge....), and see how I go on, then I'll try the teacher, but I don't like lossing too much valuable lesson time as we only have 30 mins!

As others have said, depends on the shop, but if you can find one with a good selection that would help.

I was going to say take your teacher with you, but if your teacher doesn't see it as a concern...


Amen to that. Esp with a viola which is that much longer and heavier.

I managed to play around with it a bit last night and it feels better already. I know I need to get used to the whole thing and I'm physically rather weak anyway, so I don't think I'll worry too greatly. I'll check expectations with my teacher on Thurs.

I'm certainly not going to start shopping around for other shoulder rests as, as I mentioned somewhere, I paid over £20 for this one and I frankly can't afford another just now! So, seeing who has a large selection etc simply isn't an option. The only options are fiddle with it myself, get my teacher to take it more seriously or ask the folk in the place I bought it from for more help. It's not uncomfy as such, I just couldn't hold my viola without use of hand for support. Now I can, although it doesn't feel greatly secure just yet. Perhaps it will when I strengthen up a bit.

I find that if I do support it without my hand I get awful neck pain afterward!

I used to get that when I had a decent shoulder rest but an enormously heavy viola - it's not pleasant

I would get a literal pain in the neck from trying ot hold my viola hands free for longer than a few seconds at the mo. Still, since I adjusted the rest, it's flet better.

Sarah, how big was/is your viola?

My current viola is... *thinks*... 15 inches... my old one was big and not a good one so quite heavy. Not sure how big, I suspect 16 inches or more (and with a long skinny neck even an extra inch makes a big difference!)

Mine's 15.5". I was measured up for one in the summer and tried a 16", but I couldn't move my arm, so I got the 15.5" instead. I was told it's the commonest size for ladies. My teacher said she got the smallest going, so I guess hers is about 14.5".

If I remember correctly, you've had the misfortune to suffer poor health for a whilst oo, haven't you, so you'll have found it a particular strain holding a heavier instrument thanks to that! How are you these days? Much better, I hope!

I think you can get 14" instruments but obviously the smaller you go, the less viola-y!

At the moment my health is taking a nose-dive but hey ho. I'm fortunate that my viola is quite light even for a 15" instrument so it isn't too bad, plus I guess since I have been playing the violin on and off for many years I'm used to the unnatural posture!