Violin Accessories

Choosing the Right Accessories

The purpose of this page discusses violin accessories which includes various types of strings and rosin.  As a violin student advances, it is my hope that this information is helpful to the student.  The more informed the student is, the better decisions he/she will make with regard to selecting strings and rosin.

-Marnie

The following article explains the types of violin strings a player might use on his/her violin: https://stringsmagazine.com/a-guide-to-choosing-the-right-violin-strings/

The last point of the essay discusses when to change strings.  According to the article, a string may sound “dull” over time.  As a string is played, it will become less resonant over time.  Sometimes overtones will become less prevalent which will impact the sound of a violin.

Occasionally a violin string will start to unravel and feel rough to the touch.  Whenever a string feels rough, many times the string(s) will break shortly.  This is another sign that the string should be replaced.

There are many types of strings a player may use.  They include gut core, steel core and synthetic core strings.How do we know what type of string to use?
The type of string a violinist uses depends on the type of sound he/she desires.  Different types of sound that may be appealing to violinists include sweet and brighter sounding violins to name a few.  The following links give insight into strings that may be satisfying to some players under the quick reference section:

Scroll down a little to see another string chart: https://violinlounge.com/violin-strings-the-ultimate-buying-guide/

Here is an additional string identification chart: https://www.violinstringreview.com/string-color-id.html, https://www.lashofviolins.com/string-identification.htm

This chart matches various types of strings with the tailpiece and peg color: https://www.thesoundpost.com/files/fr/Colors_French_violin.pdf

How much do different strings cost?  https://fiddlershop.com/collections/violin-string-sets?page=1

Using a violin mute is necessary for two reasons:
1. A composer may require musicians to perform with a mute to achieve a specific type of sound.
2. The current practice environment may necessitate lowering the volume of the violin. 

For the musician playing in orchestra, an orchestra mute would be advised.  For practicing, a practice mute should be used.

For more information on mutes, click here. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a rosin to use include the cost of rosin, the durability of it, the amount of dust it leaves (important for those people more sensitive to rosin dust) and the tone the rosin creates.

Just as there are different violin strings to choose from, various types of rosin are available.  More different kinds of rosin are becoming available with each passing year.

The following article discusses types of rosin to use at various times of the year.

For more information on how various types of rosin influences the sound of the violin, see https://stringsmagazine.com/the-differences-between-dark-and-amber-rosin/

Violin chinrests come in various shapes and sizes.  A chinrest that may be suitable for one person may not be suitable for another.

The shape of a chinrest a player might use depends on the shape of his/her face as explained in this pdf: How to Choose a Violin Chinrest (PDF)

When most violinists play, their chin naturally ends up on the tailpiece which is located underneath the chinrest.  Since the player’s chin sits on the tailpiece, it stands to reason that most violinists are more comfortable with a center mount chinrest than one off to the side.

Here is an article that gives more in depth information on chinrests: https://stringsmagazine.com/how-to-select-the-right-chin-rest-for-violin-or-viola/

As a violin teacher, one of the things I see most often with transfer students are players holding the violin with inadequate support for the player’s head.  The inadequate support is reflected by a student’s head that is crooked when he/she plays.  This leads to sore muscles which not only make it uncomfortable for the player but causes physical problems.  Lack of chinrest height can also make it hard for people to play violin for any length of time without getting a sore neck.

Since muscles on the human body are connected with each other, a sore neck may also cause sore shoulders.  So how should a person find the right chinrest for him/her?

Gelrests can make playing the violin more comfortable.  They have adhesive on the back and are placed on chinrests. The shape of your chinrest determines if a Flesch (for center mount chinrests) or Guarneri (side mount chinrests) is more suitable. When I have introduced the gelrests to my students, they love the feel of the gelrest under their skin. If you have sensitive skin, you will not regret getting this item.  

If the metal clamps of the chinrest are bothering you, you may consider purchasing this item which also covers the chinrest: https://fiddlershop.com/products/cotton-violin-chinrest-cover