A viola chinrest is a small musical piece that is made of wood. It is usually attached to the body of a viola to support the player’s jaw or chin on the instrument. The importance of this accessory is for better positioning thus better handling and balancing. Choosing the right chinrest for your viola will make a significant difference. Hence, it is best to be thorough when picking one.
What to look for when choosing a chinrest for viola
Comfort
The first thing to prioritize when choosing a chinrest for your viola is its comfortability. When playing, you should be comfortable and secured with this piece of accessory. It should not be the precursor to neck pains and other muscle pains. Thus, test each chinrest in accordance with its shape and height to assess what best fits you.
Flexibility
Choosing the right chinrest does not only lie with the accessory itself but also with the flexibility of the viola player. Viola players that are flexible in the left joint often prefer chinrests placed in this area. But a player that is not or less flexible may opt for a chinrest slightly over the tailpiece.
Quality & Material
The quality of a chinrest lies on who is behind the product — the company. If they are well-established in making violas and other musical instruments, then often, they already built a name and earned the trust of many. But regardless of how prominent they are, one should still evaluate whether they have the best products in the market.
A chin rest often comes in solid wood. Find a company that offers pure solid wood in their musical pieces. In this way, assurance is guaranteed.
Allergic Reaction
Chinrests come in different materials but the majority are made out of wood. Since these musical pieces come in contact with the jaw or chin, most of the time, it can cause allergic reactions or skin issues with the viola player. Prior to choosing a chinrest, better to check with a doctor and ask for a list of materials that you may be allergic with. This can alleviate any more pain and future unforeseen events when choosing a product.
Chinrest Brand Recommendations
There are wide variations of chinrest but so far, the well-known brands are the following:
- Berber
- Chin Comforter
- CUSHY
- Dresden
- Edu
- Flesch
- GelRest
- Wittner
- Goetz
- Gordon
- Kaufman
These brands are the best when it comes to chinrests brands and offer different product types that fit checks to every preference. From materials, comfortability, adjustable modes, and brand.
Conclusion
A small and simple piece of a musical instrument can make a difference in the playability of the instrument. Since a chinrest supports the jaw and chin of the viola player, this will result in better playability and performance. Investing in a good quality chinrest is always a good decision.
