Poll - shoulder rest or no shoulder rest? Options

[ffliwt]

When i used to play with a shoulder rest, i never really noticed anyone playing without one, therefore never tried to.
Last month i had a consultation lesson with my teacher for music college in september, and to my surprise he told me i don't need a s/r. I'd never considered playing without one. I did play with a folded up cloth but now i use nothing at all, and i can't imagine going back to one... even though at first it was like learning to play all over again.
All of my friends at orchestra etc. don't understand how i can play without one and claim they physically can't do it themselves.

I think there's many people out there relying on s/r's when they dont actually need one - mine was causing me so many technique problems which are now well en route to being fixed now the rest is gone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) But when i used a rest, i genuinelly thought i wasnt physically able to play without it.

I was just wondering how many people on here use one, and if they've tried to learn to play without one.

(No this isn't an anti-shoulder rest post! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) )


Oh dear - i don't think my poll worked (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[AuroraViolin]

I've been doing some thinking about this recently (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
this video is quite interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSk8W5gFffA...der&list=UL
I watched it and then tried to play without my shoulder rest and I liked it...ish
I felt I had more freedom to move around the violin without it, but I must have been gripping with my neck or something because the next day I woke up and my shoulder was really clicky and just felt dead, pretty much!
I also noticed that without the shoulder rest I was holding the violin differently, with my chin more towards the tailpiece.

[Devil_Fiddler]

I've been doing some thinking about this recently (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
this video is quite interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSk8W5gFffA...der&list=UL
I watched it and then tried to play without my shoulder rest and I liked it...ish
I felt I had more freedom to move around the violin without it, but I must have been gripping with my neck or something because the next day I woke up and my shoulder was really clicky and just felt dead, pretty much!
I also noticed that without the shoulder rest I was holding the violin differently, with my chin more towards the tailpiece.

Just watched that video and some others from that user, they're interesting, but I was quite interested by the shoulder rest paint experiment - do other people find the same as this girl, in that not all of the shoulder rest is used?
I've just been doing a similar experiment of my own which has been pretty interesting... first of all, all of the surface of my shoulder rest is against my shoulder/chest and slightly more heavily resting at the lower end, but with not much difference of pressure across the width, if that makes sense?
I also looked at where my shoulder rest was during different times in my practice session and I think I might have finally cracked the issue I've been having with tension in my left shoulder - As I play, I tend to naturally slouch/relax a little and looking at it, as this happens the top end of my s/r moves down and along so that the end is resting on my shoulder rather than the end of my collar bone, so I'm tensing my shoulder in order to try and support my violin. I'm not exactly sure what the solution to this is, other than not to slouch (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) , but it's good to know why it's happening (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

As to not using a shoulder rest, I've tried it a few times and really haven't got on too well, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it 'right' - should your actual shoulder be touching the violin at all?
Anyway, I don't have too many problems using one, so I might as well stick to that for now - really interesting thread though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[jojo]

As to not using a shoulder rest,
should your actual shoulder be touching the violin at all?

if by shoulder you mean the very tip of your shoulder (ie the 'rotator cuff') then no...
it's a bit difficult to say with just words, would a video help? or a photo?
how can I describe it, if I talk about a female violinist, 'imagine' the female wearing no top just a bra (ooooerrrr (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)) by shoulder do you mean the bit from the bra strap to the arm? that bit should NOT touch the violin
if you want to see how I hold the violin with no shoulder rest you can look at me playing a VERY BAD out of tune and horrible Meditation from Thais full of shaky bows
you can play it with no sound that will help a LOT (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)
here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlCVLFT0Zw

ps I can't believe I have just posted that link (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[viola-mad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlCVLFT0Zw

Sorry, I know this is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/offTopic.gif) but I just had to comment. Jojo, I'm really struck by how comfortable and confident you look. Your posture when you're playing looks like that of somebody who has been playing much longer. And it looks like you are playing from memory too - very brave!! Nice work.