Lisa Berman, M.M. holds a Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the Yale School of Music and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music history and theory from Yale University. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lisa began violin lessons at age four at MacPhail Center for Music, where she studied with Mark Bjork and Mary West. She went on to study with Erick Friedman at Yale School of Music. Lisa has been teaching private violin lessons for over a decade to students of all ages and levels in New Haven, CT, Pittsburgh, and now the Twin Cities area. Lisa is a past first prize winner in the Schubert Club Solo Competition and has been a guest soloist with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and at Tanglewood. Lisa is the producer and an author of the Simply Violin Series of instructional books for violin, available from Amazon.com, on this site, and in music stores across the country. She is the author of:
Sing. Play. Learn. 80 Favorite Songs for Violin
Book of Scales and Arpeggios in Three Octaves for Violin (based on Carl Flesch)
Book of Christian Songs, Hymns, and Spirituals for Violin
40 Favorite Christmas Songs for Violin
What kind of chin rest do you like? Mine has worn out from all my practicing, so I need a new one.
September 5, 2008 10:00
| Chin Rests
| Permalink
Wow! You must really practice a lot!
There are many different kinds of chinrests. Most fit into two categories: chinrests that extend over the tailpiece and mount under the button, and chinrests that mount on the side.
And these come in many different shapes, sizes and materials, and have names such as Guarneri, Strad, Hill, Flesch, Dresden, Wittner, and Tekka.
With possibly one exception I will describe below, I do not "prefer" any one of these over the others because no two people are built exactly alike, and a chin rest that is comfortable for one student may not be a good fit for another. If your worn out chin rest was comfortable, I suggest replacing it with an identical model. Otherwise, you might want to head to a violin shop and try a few of them. Look for a violin shop that carries several different models and will allow you to try them. Your teacher should also be able to help evaluate fit.
Now, as promised, I will discuss the one chin rest that, for some players, I do recommend over the others. It is called the Gel Rest. The gel rest actually comes in several shapes, but its distinguishing feature is that it has a cushion made of a non-irritating hypoallergenic gel that fits over the wood in the rest. The company that makes the gel rest also supplies the gel toppers separately, and can make a double layered version for taller necks. The potential advantages of the gel rest are several. First, the cushioning of the gel reduces irritation to the skin from the chin rest. Second, it won't slip in hot conditions where sweating is an issue. Third, it helps the neck support the violin through friction between the neck and the gel. Finally, the cushion is more forgiving against the neck and often feels more comfortable to the player.
Below are some pictures of the gel and the various chin rest shapes:
There are many different kinds of chinrests. Most fit into two categories: chinrests that extend over the tailpiece and mount under the button, and chinrests that mount on the side.
And these come in many different shapes, sizes and materials, and have names such as Guarneri, Strad, Hill, Flesch, Dresden, Wittner, and Tekka.
With possibly one exception I will describe below, I do not "prefer" any one of these over the others because no two people are built exactly alike, and a chin rest that is comfortable for one student may not be a good fit for another. If your worn out chin rest was comfortable, I suggest replacing it with an identical model. Otherwise, you might want to head to a violin shop and try a few of them. Look for a violin shop that carries several different models and will allow you to try them. Your teacher should also be able to help evaluate fit.
Now, as promised, I will discuss the one chin rest that, for some players, I do recommend over the others. It is called the Gel Rest. The gel rest actually comes in several shapes, but its distinguishing feature is that it has a cushion made of a non-irritating hypoallergenic gel that fits over the wood in the rest. The company that makes the gel rest also supplies the gel toppers separately, and can make a double layered version for taller necks. The potential advantages of the gel rest are several. First, the cushioning of the gel reduces irritation to the skin from the chin rest. Second, it won't slip in hot conditions where sweating is an issue. Third, it helps the neck support the violin through friction between the neck and the gel. Finally, the cushion is more forgiving against the neck and often feels more comfortable to the player.
Below are some pictures of the gel and the various chin rest shapes:
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