Establishing the Violin or Viola Hold: The Basics
The patience and perseverance required in learning to correct hold and posture are well worth the effort in the long run. It will promote proper shifting and vibrato, as well as bowing. It should be understood that the development of a good instrument hold is a continuous process, and is something that should be reviewed quite often.
The parent or teacher may help the student to establish good position habits and motion patterns by providing a wall mirror for the practice room.
The violin should rest on the collarbone and be supported by the left hand and by the shoulder. Gentle weight from the head, with a relaxed neck, stabilizes the violin on the collarbone. The chin rest protects the top of the violin and adjusts for the length of the player's neck. As the violin strings are held parallel to the floor a shoulder pad is fitted to fill the slight space between the back of the violin and the player's shoulder. The shoulder pad should not prevent the violin from resting on the collarbone and should not be used to compensate for the length of the player's neck. A frequently overlooked function of the shoulder pad is to provide friction so that the violin neither pivots too easily nor slips off the shoulder. The violin may be held briefly by increased weight of the head on the chin rest in order to free the left hand but ongoing support of the violin shifts constantly between the left shoulder, jaw, and left hand, with contact with the collarbone remaining constant. Low density foam pads in minimal contact with the back of the violin will not adversely affect the sound of the instrument.
Another option is to use a plastic or wooden shoulder rest. These are typically more expensive, and is the most commonly seen form of support for instruments. There are many types of shoulder rests available on the market today, but I would suggest Kun or Mach One.