Holding the Violin WITHOUT SHOULDER REST tips and tricks

Hello again all!
A number of my violin students were asking me how I learned to hold the violin comfortably without a shoulder rest or pad! Here are some quick tips, tricks, and methods for trying it!
Admittedly, I DO NOT think it is necessary or even "better" to hold the violin without a shoulder rest; I do it simply because I find it more comfortable. If you do NOT prefer playing without a shoulder rest but still struggle to feel comfortable, please feel free to look at my video on playing comfortably WITH a shoulder rest!
HAPPY PRACTICING! :-)

[@fr3ak1shh]

Hey man, best guide on this. You're saving my jawline!

[@Skinny_Karlos]

I took up the violin as a second instrument ( BMus in classical guitar at Sydney Conservatorium) and just always used a shoulder rest. I never thought anything of it until just now, literally this video now. I can't believe how easily it came to my body as I thought NO this will just be too difficult. While I think I'll carry on with my Bonmusica rest I now know that should I ever need to (desert Island scenario lol) that I could do it. It still amazes me that I don't/didn't feel some weird unnatural feeling without a shoulder rest and I've tried most all during the last two + decades of playing. Thank you for this insight into what I genuinely thought quite impossible for me. We do amaze oursevesves do we not? Great video, Thank you !!

[@RojoEduardo]

Thank you Andrew, triying to learn by myself and this is very helpful.

[@SF-ru3lp]

Hi Andrew I did hear that playing without a shoulder rest increases the sound by 20% approx. I also heard elsewhere that if a person has shorter arms then the angle of the violin in front of one can make a difference. I do like the way you apportioned the amount of support at the various points. I like the tips for " non stick sponges etc. Much appreciated. G Ire (adult learner)

[@ChrisEbbrsen]

Thanks for the tip. I've been playing bear back for several months and have played my best songs that way. I like the support of an everest shoulder rest but have to secure chin rest onto violin. I believe the pinching affects tone and low end. So I removed everything and play in a baroque manner. I never have liked the pinching of the upper and lower plates. The Luther spent considerable time and energy graduating the plates so the top could move and respond to vibration and frequency why would anyone want to pinch it off? Let's say your best friend is to your left and your sitting in orchestra how do you put the violin on its side to avoid blinding your friend with your bow? Can't do it because your locked in with that damn shoulder rest the chin rest doesn't help either. You go fella I'm glad to see someone else plays bareback!😅

[@William3DP]

I started learning the violin about 6 weeks now, and have so far tried 3 different shoulder rests with varying degrees of success and non-success. I have done a few experiments with playing with no shoulder rest with somewhat promising results. Besides yours, I have viewed a few other videos that were supposedly about how to play the violin without a shoulder rest. Yours has been the best video that I have seen on this topic by far. The other videos consisted mostly of rants about why you shouldn't play with a shoulder rest with very little actual instruction. Thank you for making this video and sharing your knowledge and experience. I will definitely give playing without a shoulder rest a good try.

[@justintyme2451]

Thanks. This helps a lot. Including that small note about shifting with the thumb. I was led to believe that you should be able to support the violin consistently with your chin, leaving the left hand completely free. Just a beginner.

[@LukeRodies]

Thank you so much for this video. I am just learning the violin, and I feel that your four main points about how to hold the violin are already helping me develop a comfortable and sustainable way to play the instrument. I have not seen these tips anywhere else, so i really appreciate you putting this out there!

[@patfiddles]

Very good tips, Andrew. I really want to play without the shoulder rest and will try again using your tips. Shifting was problematic because I felt like I had to clamp down on the instrument with my jaw to freely move my hand...your hand seems to coast along without your head locking down or your shoulder pressing up! Many Thanks.

[@alexanderdmitriev4931]

Thanks for the video. The story sounds really familiar, in my case I had a tension in my back and neck, that's why I started experimenting, and found that playing without a shoulder works well. But as you said, left hand contributes a lot, and one has to practice to get used to a new way of using it. I started one year ago and constantly finding out that something becomes even more comfortable.

[@dianeovercash6739]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@rajendravarma7517]

Thanks for the left hand balance tip!it was very useful!

[@pandoraefretum]

I like your explanation using 25 %.... you gave excellent tips. thumbs up

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super tips Augustine violinist from Malaysia

[@johnwilkerson3391]

Very clearly presented, very detailed. Thank you sir, and keep up the good work !

[@arturtarnowski4023]

Thanks a lot! Great film! Can You give link to Geva pad? Cannot find it

[@philipq6906]

Very informative! Btw have you tried the Berber type chinrest? That one may be better than the one in your video I guess

[@melasonos6132]

Can I pay you to make a video on vibrato without a shoulder pad? Heh. My index lower joint is stuck on the neck, making it hard.

[@andrewhatfieldviolinist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYSzpadnncmJgsU :-)

[@amishaboorvan8054]

Super brother keep it up

[@seanleechild]

Thanks for your insights Viv. What's your argument to those who insist on not using a shoulder rest? They claim that way their violin resonates freer with bigger sound. In theory that may be true, but I feel comfort is priority. Agree? If I follow my ideal philosophy of simplicity and simplify by ditching the shoulder, then I'll be fussing with experimenting with the right chinrest or some pad......Which actually defeats the purpose of simplicity.

[@joseph2832]

thank so much

[@whiteowl1137]

Very good video ty

[@Leoluitat]

Thanks

[@seanleechild]

My philosophy is that if I ditch the shoulder rest for the ideal of simplicity, I don't want to be modifying some special chin rest or fussing with sponge pads or some shit. Because that's not really simplifying, and I might as well be using a shoulder rest. Agree?

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super ❤️

[@seanleechild]

As a bonus, we burn a little bit more calories when we play without shorter rest, because our left shoulder is going up and down as needed, therefore getting a little more exercise. Would you agree?

[@Abdulrahman_Arti]

👍🏻

[@amishaboorvan8054]

Want new videos

[@andreaviolin1]

Please could you translate it into Spanish?

[@creeper7957]

why you have only 82 sub fek boii how, you are a real youtuber big channels like pewdiepie don't deserve 100 mil subs they do nothing they have a editor and a scripter what do they do = nothing , you shall have it btw love the smile on your face but i can't get ut