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How to hold a violin on your chin?
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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 19, 2011 - 7:56 pm
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I can't figure out how to hold my violin on my chin without using my left fiingering hand to support it. I do have a shoulder piece but it makes my violin sit too high. The chin rest? How do you figure it out? I really want to figure out how to keep the violin on my shoulder so I have more freedom to play notes. Before I find the right size chin rest, I think I should be able to hold my Cecilio as is. How the heck do you hold this instrument with neck and shoulder only?

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rotex13
Philippines

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June 19, 2011 - 8:21 pm
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Use a shoulder rest(almost all of the shoulder rest are adjustable), left hand should not support the violin because it's really hard to shift from a position onto another position and freedom on notes are very important. Make sure that you hold your violin properly to have a maximum comfortability. My case, I can hold my violin w/ just my shoulder and chin. Good Luck Kuya myguitarnow.

 

 

P.S. I'm curious if there's any retail store who're selling Cecilio here in the Philippines? are you from Phils. ryt?

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Oliver
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June 19, 2011 - 8:29 pm
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You probably will not be able to hold the violin, while playing, without help from the left hand.  You may be able to hold the violin without hands if you are motionless. 

Finding the right chin rest is a nightmare.  Some dealers will allow you to do a trial on a few chin rests rather than test some of the 50+ models that are on the market.

There are people who will custom make a chin rest but that can run a lot of money.  Probably at least $200.

You are correct not to use a shoulder rest for your stated reason (shoulders too high). Even worse, nobody offers a shoulder rest that is an ideal companion for some chin rest.  Twice the trouble.

 

 

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 19, 2011 - 9:37 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Try to keep the violin high enough that you can balance it on or around your collar bone. If you balance it well enough you won't feel the need to support it so much. Unfortunately the chin-rest that they include does not suit everyone. I for one feel the need for a higher and more pronounced rest. It's OK that you support the violin slightly with your left hand, just not the fingers themselves. Kind of like you do with your guitar I would guess. Make sure that whatever you do you do not begin your venture on the violin with any kind of tension. Avoid squeezing the fiddle with your chin. If you have the opportunity to go to a good violin shop with lots of chin-rests, do it. The problem is that they don't exist that often. 

Do you have a long neck?

This is extremely expensive but makes so much sense. It would be cool if they sent it out for a deposit and returned most of the money upon returning the kit and ordering the right chin-rest.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Oliver
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June 19, 2011 - 9:50 pm
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MyG

Just remembered ....... I'm seeing more and more plastic chin rests in the $10 range.  I wasted a lot of money on ebony, so look for the plastic if you can.  I recently bought a plastic Teka and it was as good as ebony.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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rotex13
Philippines

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June 19, 2011 - 9:51 pm
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Oh I see! If your violin sits too high..uhmm you maybe have a high shoulder( or a short neck) or shoulder rest?, but in my case I can't balance my violin w/o the help of shoulder rest and I use the curved one that looks like "S", like oliver and fiddlerman said not all the chinrest are fitted to everyone so it's kinda hard to find one that's fitted to you.

 

 

 

PS Im very lucky that both of my chinrest and shoulder rest is fitted on me

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Oliver
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June 19, 2011 - 9:58 pm
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rotex13    just curious ........ what chin rest are you using ?

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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rotex13
Philippines

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June 20, 2011 - 12:15 am
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Oliver said:

rotex13    just curious ........ what chin rest are you using ?

it kinda look like this http://www.westfieldguitar.co......asp?ID=718

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 20, 2011 - 7:01 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16503

I like that one. Very similar to mine. However, everyone has different needs when it comes to chin-rests.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 20, 2011 - 7:05 am
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I wrote an email to chinrests.com about their kit which I would like to share and their response:

Hi, I'm Fiddlerman, Pierre Holstein, from Fiddlerman.com 
I frequently recommend my forum users with chin-rest concerns to visit this site. I do however feel like your fitting kit, as genius as it may be, is way too expensive for most people. Isn't there anyway you could offer sending out the kit for a deposit and refunding most of the money upon return and ordering the real rest? This would be such a great option for just about anyone. 
Sincerely, Pierre

Hi Pierre,  Thanks for your note, and for recommending that players take a look at the site.  Actually, we did try renting out the kits, but it was a nightmare tying to keep track of who had what, reconditioning kits, remaking parts, etc. It was a little like renting out a clothes-tailoring kit with lots of needles, fabric, and thread, and expecting it all to come back. And then, there was the problem, too, of people using the pieces incorrectly and mis-diagnosing themselves getting "funny" fits.  We've found over and over, it's just not wise for people to do self diagnosis.  You really do need the other set of eyes. Best would be for one teacher in your area to purchase a kit, learn how to use it, and then do fittings for people in your area. This would be a tremendous service to others, would bring in some money to the person who does the fittings, and would save others so much in so many regards- not just financially. The cost of the kit is reflected in the fact that there is so much hand work and care taken in the construction of each piece.  Gary barely breaks even with the associated costs, and it's quite time consuming to hand craft each kit. Happy to answer more questions as they come up. Wishing you all the best, Lynne Denig

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Oliver
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June 20, 2011 - 2:27 pm
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If that is not a lucrative possibility I have never seen it !

Anyone  in the teaching mode around here ?   : )

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 21, 2011 - 5:50 pm
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Thanks for the feedback.. I think I have an average neck Fiddlerman ;-) i'll look for local violin shops. For now I'll re-visit your lesson on holding the violin and look for other videos online. I am able to balance it pretty good with using my thumb while keeping my hands free. I just don't want to start off on the violin developing bad habits.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 21, 2011 - 7:20 pm
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I think mine is too. Being a professional guitarist you know how important it is to start out the correct way. Smile

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 21, 2011 - 9:43 pm
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Right on!

 

Update: I have been doing some more practicing to feel comfortable holding the violin. One thing I do have is broad shoulders and I think I have pretty big collar bones. I am sliding the violin more towards the inner of my shoulder in between my collar bone. Don't know how to explain this really but for sure everyone is a little different and practice until everything feels comfortable and practice more. 

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 22, 2011 - 4:15 pm
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I figured it out. I was all wrong before holding the violin too far back  on my shoulder. I can now hold the violin with just my chin and and shoulder both with and without a shoulder pad. 

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 22, 2011 - 5:05 pm
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Sounds great. If you feel like it have someone snap a photo of you holding it or we'll hook up on Skype sometime and I'll check it out.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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