Buying a Shoulder Pad

1. Blog 2: ZaretAndSonsViolins.com BUYING A SHOULDER PAD The topic of violin shoulder pads has led to lot of controversy between the teachers and the violinists because they were not used due to the fact that they affect the sound of the instrument. There are still few teachers who do not recommend using them. Certainly there are few violinists who can play well without a shoulder pad, but often there are people that have short necks, who actually NEED them to be able to comfortably handle the instrument. There are two major categories of shoulder pads, first is the “soft” rests. It is made up of curved foam pieces, sponges - even a kitchen sponge with a rubber band. There is another category which has air filled in it, in this type of shoulder pad; it has an air filled bladder that can be adjusted accordingly. Some teachers say that rests are not rigid and their logic is that the rest locks the player in one position. However, the sound changes by the force of the soft pad that is usually against the back of the violin. Often, the contact of the soft rest muffles and creates fuzz in the sound. Another major category of shoulder pad is the “rigid pad”. These rigid models are based on the same principal as soft pads: it has feet that attaches to the sides of the violin and a curved tight formed bar that connects the feet. There are various varieties of this violin shoulder pad available in the market, depending upon the violinist’s upper body, neck and height. The importance of the shoulder pad is often underestimated but it is often useful to consult your teacher before buying one.