I've got a question about shoulder rests. How do you know if it's the right one for you? Is there supposed to be absolutely no pain in your arm or shoulder at all? I changed my chin rest to a Stuber model, with a protruding lip cuz I find it more comfortable. I currently use a Kun adjustable. When I play, the part of the arm where doctors normally give you injections hurt. Am I using the correct shoulder rest? Does it need to be higher? Please help. Thanks!

Without actually seeing you play with the set-up you have it's impossible to make a completely accurate judgment, but from my own experience of adjusting shoulder and chin rests it sounds as though things need to be a bit lower if you are getting pain in the arm just below the shoulder. If you are having to pull your arm a long way under the violin in order to reach the G string properly (esp. in higher positions), then you may need to adjust the angle of the violin.

I know you were considering a 7/8th size instrument. Did you persue this any further? For players of a petite build, a smaller violin can offer improvements in intonation and technique, in addition to helping prevent shoulder, arm, wrist and hand strain injuries.

Even at first position, I need to stretch quite abit for the 4th finger to be in tune and I am not able to reach from low 2nd finger to 4th. I do have problems with reaching G string even in 3rd positions. My hand goes around the neck when I do. I did not pursue the 7/8th size instrument because I have a feeling that these instruments are very rare in Singapore. I'll get my brother to take some photos and I'll send them to you? Is that alright?

The problem you have described here is exactly the same as I have with a full sized violin. The only other option that may be more viable in Singapore is to find a full-sized violin with either a very slim neck and/or a shorter string length, ie. the length of the string between the nut at the far end of the fingerboard and the bridge. On average, the string length on a full-sized instrument will be about 328 mm, but it's possible to track down old English or German violins with string lengths 4 or 5 mm shorter. This may not sound like a huge amount, but it makes a big difference to the stretch between the notes - especially for the fourth finger. The violin I play has a (smallish) body length of 349 mm and a string length of 324 mm. It's an English violin dating from around 1830.

Depending on the position of the notches on the edges of the soundholes it might be possible to have the bridge moved so as to shorten the string length on you exisiting instrument. You would need to discuss this with a good luthier so that the general setup of the instrument remains unchanged as far as tonal qualities are concerned.

If your brother wishes to send pictures of the current shoulder rest/chin rest setup then that's fine with me.

But if that is the case, wouldn't I need to have like a custom made violin? It's going to be very expensive if so. I am a beginner now and I currently have a full size chepa Chinese violin that I bought for S$145 I think.

No you won't need a custom made violin. Mine isn't, I just kept looking around until I found an instrument with a shorter string length. The necks of violins can be reduced in thickness, but again this needs the advice of a luthier. There is no easy answer unfortunately, but small hands are not an insurmountable issue to playing the violin. If you are still a beginner then there is every chance your hand may gradually adapt to the stretches - when I first downsized in string-length I was always playing sharp, so obviously my hand had adapted to some extent to the big stretches, but I know exactly what it's like to have the problems you've got and they are very frustrating problems too.

Go to http://www.violinslover.com and get a 7/8 Gliga. That will be by far your cheapest option unless you can find a Chinese brand that does a 7/8

Liz

I don't live in the US elidatrading, but thanks for the suggestion! =) I asked my teacher just now. He said he thinks I'm fine on a full size so I guess I'm sticking with it at the moment. Yea, I'm hoping my fingers will be able to accomodate to the stretching. Due to piano, my right hand finger span is slightly wider due to playing octaves haha. Hopefully, my left hand will soon. Thanks for the help everyone!

I know, I read your post. There are sellers who will post violins worldwide, you know.

Liz

Went to experiment just now. I thought about what AmandaL said about the shoulder rest having to be shorter. Measure length of my neck then measured the height of chinrest to violin bottom and then remaining length for the shoulder rest, turns out that my shoulder rest is a couple of cm too high. Had a practice just now. It's better now. Hope my fingers to adapt to the stretch though.