Beginner Violin Tips


Violin Shoulder Rest – How to Choose One and Adjust It

Most violinists (especially beginners) need a good violin shoulder rest to comfortably play the violin for any period of time.

How to judge size: if you have a longer neck, you need a taller shoulder rest. Most rests are adjustable in height as well as shape, so it shouldn’t be too hard to shape one into something that works for you. Eliminating strain on your neck and shoulder is the end goal.

Our Favorite: Everest EZ Series Violin Shoulder Rest

It grips the violin well, stays on, has soft feet that won’t damage the violin, and has thick padding that makes it comfortable on your shoulder. It’s built to last and very popular.

While the Everest shoulder rest works great for many violinists, you may need to try several shoulder rests before you find the perfect one for you. Amazon has a great 30 day return policy (as of this writing), so if you try this rest but find that it’s not quite right for your particular shoulder, return it and try another.

We should mention that this shoulder rest is made for a full size violin, so if you need something smaller, refer to our article on violin size.

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