Everything You Need to Know About the Violin From A-Z - The Chin Rest

Hello today I am continuing my series of articles that cover the violin from A-Z. Today we will be focusing of C for chin rest.

This part of the violin is a contoured piece of wood or plastic which is attached to the body of the violin or viola. It is used to aid the violinist in the positioning of their jaw or chin on the instrument.

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Before its invention violinists had two main postures, on the arm or between the legs. Early violins were held against the left breast or slightly higher at the shoulder. By the 19th century more demanding pieces for the violin had been written. These required the left hand to be free.

It was because of these new demands that the chin rest was invented by English violinist, conductor and composer Louis Spohr in the early 1800s. It was promoted by virtuoso violinists of that time such as Pierre Baillot and Giovanni Battista Viotti. Because of this it soon gained widespread acceptance with violinists. Today it is considered a standard part of the violin.

The first of these devices were merely a carved wooden block clamped to the violin but soon evolved into the crescent shapes we know today.

The invention of the chin rest allowed players to hold their instruments horizontally at shoulder height in front of them it also allowed them to free up their left hand and increase the flexibility of their bowing.

Not all violinists use chin rests there are those that find they are allergic to the materials used in the chin rests. Others argue that chin rests affect the sound of the violin and that the clamps damage the instrument. There is also the argument that using a chin rest severs the connection between player and instrument despite these arguments the chin rest is still widely used by most players.

Everything You Need to Know About the Violin From A-Z - The Chin Rest

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