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Custom Ebony Chinrest
Custom Ebony Chinrest
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Click picture for more detail
While the violin is a triumph of a craftsmanship, art, and design, it was not originally concieved with an emphasis on human ergonomics. One common complaint from young or new violin and viola students is that the instrument is uncomfortable to hold, or difficult to position correctly. Professionals and players of all skill levels also occasionally run into issues with back, shoulder, arm, and other types of pain associated with playing the instrument. Over time, devices like the chinrest and shoulder rest have been developed in order to help make the violin more comfortable to hold, easier to "correctly" position on the player's body, and ease pain. There are numerous different commercially available chinrest and shoulder rest styles available to the player, and it can be both an enjoyable and sometimes frustrating search to find what fits the individual well.
However as we know, the human body is not a constant shape and form, and certainly one size does NOT fit all. This can be especially true for violinists and violists who have longer necks, softer jaws, and narrower or lower shoulders. These players often find themselves needing to contort their bodies to unnatural and often painful positions in order to hold their instruments, which is not only detremental to their sound production, but to their long term health, and their basic enjoyment of the instrument.
I made this chinrest for a client who had a longer neck, and lower shoulders, where even a tall commercial chinrest was not tall enough to comfortably and naturally support the instrument. We found a mass produced chinrest shape that was comfortable for the player's facial structure, and after a few measurements, determined the extra height it would require to comfotably fit to their body, while eliminating the need for them to tilt their neck at an unnatural angle. The chinrest and risers are made from ebony to match the player's violin, and fitted with Hill-style independant leg clamps for comfort, as these will keep the hardware away from direct contact with the player's neck. The player was very pleased with the finished chinrest, which fit them very well and did not inhibit their playing.
While the violin is a triumph of a craftsmanship, art, and design, it was not originally concieved with an emphasis on human ergonomics. One common complaint from young or new violin and viola students is that the instrument is uncomfortable to hold, or difficult to position correctly. Professionals and players of all skill levels also occasionally run into issues with back, shoulder, arm, and other types of pain associated with playing the instrument. Over time, devices like the chinrest and shoulder rest have been developed in order to help make the violin more comfortable to hold, easier to "correctly" position on the player's body, and ease pain. There are numerous different commercially available chinrest and shoulder rest styles available to the player, and it can be both an enjoyable and sometimes frustrating search to find what fits the individual well.
However as we know, the human body is not a constant shape and form, and certainly one size does NOT fit all. This can be especially true for violinists and violists who have longer necks, softer jaws, and narrower or lower shoulders. These players often find themselves needing to contort their bodies to unnatural and often painful positions in order to hold their instruments, which is not only detremental to their sound production, but to their long term health, and their basic enjoyment of the instrument.
I made this chinrest for a client who had a longer neck, and lower shoulders, where even a tall commercial chinrest was not tall enough to comfortably and naturally support the instrument. We found a mass produced chinrest shape that was comfortable for the player's facial structure, and after a few measurements, determined the extra height it would require to comfotably fit to their body, while eliminating the need for them to tilt their neck at an unnatural angle. The chinrest and risers are made from ebony to match the player's violin, and fitted with Hill-style independant leg clamps for comfort, as these will keep the hardware away from direct contact with the player's neck. The player was very pleased with the finished chinrest, which fit them very well and did not inhibit their playing.