More than hundred years had past after the invention of the chinrest by German violinist, composer and teacher Louis (Ludwig) Spohr before Croatian violinist Vlado Kolitsch created his first shoulder rest in 1936. And even after that, violin shoulder rest was not in common use for decades. Many great violinist preferred to play without a shoulder rest. Yascha Heifetz and Yehudi Menuhin are among them. Some players, for example David Oistrakh, used a cushion attached to the bottom. Pinchas Zukerman hides a little cushion under his tuxedo.
Kolitsch removable shoulder rest was made of wood and was attached to the instrument by means of two small hook-like feet and a rubber band. This only model became very popular in 1950s. It was not always easy to find the original Kolitsch shoulder rest, so majority of violinists, especially those from Soviet Union, used handmade copies.
Nowadays, the market offers a huge variety of Viola and Violin shoulder rest models, made from different materials and having different shape, but the idea is still the same. The main goal of any shoulder rest is to make it more comfortable to hold the violin by filling up the space between the violin and the player's shoulder and thus free your left hand from having to hold the violin.
Contemporary shoulder rests can be roughly divided into two main categories: "descendants" of the old Kolitsch and cushions or pads.
Poeland® Shoulder Pad is a good example of a cushion-like violin shoulder rest. It is attached to the endpin and a corner of the instrument.
The pad can be very comfortable, but unfortunately there is one drawback. Since the pad is applied to the part of the soundboard that should actively vibrate when playing the violin, it significantly dampens the sound. This is why Kolitsch invented a new type of violin shoulder rest, which is essentially still in use today. The main idea of this kind of rest is that its feet are attached to the very edge of the deck, where the vibration amplitude is minimal, thus reducing the negative effect.
All numerous models of violin shoulder rest are nothing more than modifications of the same Kolitsch's model. However, they differ from each other in their ergonomics. And since no two violinists are exactly alike from a physiological point of view, there is no one-fits-all shoulder rest model. Every violinist or violist has to find their own model that would fit their unique body.
Very few recommendations can be given to someone looking for a violin rest. And the main advice is the following. There is no need to spend too much time and nerves looking for a rest, just as you should not buy one that costs more than your violin. Just keep in mind that the shoulder rest doesn't play. Even the one that made of gold will not play.
Primo 8101 Violin Shoulder Rest is a very comfortable and durable. It sits firmly on the violin and does not fall off. It is height and length adjustable. Collapsible legs help to save space in the case. This shoulder rest is available in all sizes from 1/16 to 4/4.
Some violinists, especially those with longer necks, prefer higher models. And here we allow ourselves to give one more piece of advice to those who are looking for a higher shoulder rest. Don't try to set a world record for the height of a rest, because firstly, there is a danger that you will not be able to stop and will always want to buy something even higher. And secondly, the shoulder rest is not supposed to hold the violin. It only helps to hold it, partially freeing the violinist’s left hand from this task. Also, we would not recommend a shoulder rest that is too "curvy" and fits too tightly on the shoulder, thus restricting natural movements.
Wolf Forte Secondo is probably the highest violin shoulder rest produced by this renowned Dutch company. Many violinists love this model. It is height and length adjustable as many other models. With one of the legs being long, it provides more flexibility.
For little violinists who play on 1/4 or smaller violins, we would recommend using a pad, cushion or sponge, something soft and light. Don't worry about muting effect because small violins don't sound like full size instrument anyways. For the young violinists the comfort is more important than the volume of the violin sound.
AcoustaGrip Protege Shoulder Rest fits violins in size 1/8 to 1/2. It is self-adhesive and can be easily attached to the deck of the violin. Made of soft foam in the shape of a violin, this shoulder rest is perfect for children. It also comes in a variety of fun colors that your child will love!
