I saw some of these on the ELLSO summer school and had the chance to borrow one for a session. I really liked the extra support that it gave so that it wouldn't slip but, as I was only borrowing, I didn't like to adjust it to suit me. Has anyone else used these and how adjustable are they?

W

They are extremely adjustable - apart from height and width, the shoulder rest itself can be bent around to make it fit the shape of your shoulder.

For general reference to anyone else reading this thread, you need quite a wide shoulder to benefit from the bonmusica rest and they tend to suit physically bigger female players and men, as opposed to the more petite female or narrower shouldered build.

As far as design goes, I personally think the bonmusica looks a bit Heath-Robinson, but they do their job admirably well if they suit your physique.

I agree that the design is far from attractive! I liked the way that it stopped the viola from slipping forwards and made it feel much more secure - but I think I would have to experiment quite a lot with the shoulder-piece to make it comfortable.

W

Which would be good for smaller female players? I too am interested in a shoulder rest.

I have to disagree about it being for the fuller figure!

I'm only a size 8-10 and it has been a godsend for me. It is so adjustable and comfy I can now play again having had nearly 2 years of not being able to play!

( I damaged my wrist whilst being pregnant and on crutches - long story !!!) Medically there is nothing they could do other than fuse the wrist - not good for a violin and piano player )


It has freed up my posture no end and there is no slippage of the instrument on the shoulder.

Iwould definately recommend it

How wide are your shoulders??? That's the crucial thing. Bear in mind that I am not just small, I am tiny, petite - I have hands the size of an average 10/11 year old and still fit into childrens clothes made for 12 year olds.

As above, depends on the width of your shoulders and whether you are small or petite. There is a difference between the two when it comes to violins and fittings. I personally find the Kun Bravo rest the most comfortable, because it's quite narrow and rests on my shoulder, rather than a Bonmusica which felt like it was hanging out on the edge and effectively hindering my arm. The length of your neck is also another important aspect to consider. You will need readily available height adjustement in the shoulder rest feet if you have a fairly long neck.

Best advice is to go along to a luthier, take your violin with you and try out some different rests. Be prepared to consider whether the chinrest makes playing comfortable as well. Many players have a habit of blaming the shoulder rest for any discomfort when they play, but sometimes a change of chinrest can solve the problem.

Regrettably, many people start off playing the violin and are never given any advice about positioning or how their physique affects the current shoulder/chinrest setup. I always offer advice on this to my own students. When you consider the contortions a violinist/violist has to perform in order to play, comfort is a crucial aspect to sort out right at the start, not years down the line when your back and neck have started to give you pain.

This sounds very sensible, only Vicky is a viola, not a violin. There seem to be dozens on the market, (just from looking at Liz's website earlier on today!), so it shouldn't be too hard to find one that suits. Can you comment on anything here, Liz?

For a viola, all the more reason to get your comfort sorted out before anything else. I use a Mach 1 wooden rest on my viola. They aren't cheap, but if the viola is deep-bodied, the feet (being right on the outer edges on simple screwthreads), can be wound right down to the wood of the rest and there are no bits sticking out under the rest to dig into the back of the instrument - as with the majority of other rests.

I have now bought one of these shoulder rests to give it a try. Long-term I think it will be fantastic for me as it 'forces' me to hold the viola in a much better position - and the 'chest-piece' helps to spread the weight-load. In the short term it means that I am having to get used to using a different set of muscles so I can't play for very long before they start to complain...

They do look a bit odd...

W