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carl Flesch chin rest

Instruments: Is anyone familiar with the carl flesch chin rest? I am thinking of switching to one, but I am not sure of what disadvantages I might be facing.

From Beverly Halstead
Posted March 2, 2005 at 05:38 AM

Is anyone familiar with the carl flesch chin rest? I am thinking of switching to one, but I am not sure of what disadvantages I might be facing.

From Allen Liang
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 07:57 AM

Hiya Beverly:

I swtiched to this model of chinrest and I love it!!! My playing has became more natural and I love the sound I can produce using this chinrest (position)! Only thing I can think of is that sometime I do have to relax a bit to play high on G string, but then again I do use a shoulder rest. Hope this helps.

From Thomas McEvilley
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 08:42 AM

I recommend using the flat model and avoiding the humped one. For me, the hump is intrusive and uneccessary.

From Evelyn Ray
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 02:12 PM

I was uncomfortable holding the violin with my jaw and still reaching everywhere I needed so I went to a shop where I could try a variety of rests (shoulder nd chin) and after trying almost everything they had, I made the discovery that the center rest was right where I needed it positioned. I'm not sure why, but I've been told that if you have short arms you might find the center chin rest more comfortable. This is true for me. I chose the "no hump" Flesch. I've been using it for about 6 months now. I like it.

From Christian Vachon
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 02:31 PM

Hi,

As long as you are comfortable and relaxed and your setup is good. There is no harm. However, in my experience as a teacher, I would advise against it unless you are short with very small hands.

Cheers!

From Tom Holzman
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 04:43 PM

I use one and like it. I am not short with small fingers. However, your teacher can best advise you what makes sense. I did it to counteract a bad habit I had in terms of the position in which I held the violin.

From Evelyn Ray
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 07:31 PM

Christian,
I am...on both points. I'm 5'-1" and all things being relative, that's a short adult.

From Evelyn Ray
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 08:31 PM

Christian,
Do you understand the mechanics of why the center chinrest may work for short people and could you elaborate as to why they should not be used by others?

From Christian Vachon
Posted on March 2, 2005 at 09:32 PM

Hi,

Yes I can. As a general rule, they are helpful for people that are short because it reduces distances (especially for the bow). However, in most cases I have seen that it leads to problems in bow direction, cramped left hand, and often a problem with a low right arm elbow which is a disaster for sound and bowing. At least that has been the case in my teaching experience. I go by the student's physical structure, and so far, this is what I have observed.

Cheers!

From Keith Loke
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 12:28 AM

I also use a Flesch-style chinrest - the humpless variant. It's a little hard to get used to at first, especially if you're one of those violinists who inherently and instinctively places the jaw really far left when playing. Most people using the Guarneri model rest 'grip' (terrible word choice here, I know) the violin rather centrally anyway. Having said that, once you do get comfy with it, it's really not that bad an idea.

I like the tone I can create with it, and notice I bow much straighter now than before. These days, I don't even notice any discomfort when using the Flesch rest, although when I do occasionally foray back into using a more conventional chinrest (just for very short periods), I notice the violin becomes easier to play. That said, though, I also lose some of the fullness of my tone and the straightness of my bowing (which, yes, Galamian regarded as singularly unimportant).

I suppose, at the end of the day, some of the advice given by the others has been really good. It's up to yourself what you choose to play on, and also up to your body to either feel comfortable or not with one particular chinrest. Have a try of it at your local violin shop, and see if you can get to like it.

From Julie C.
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 04:10 AM

Why are Flesch chin rests good for short people with short arms and small hands? I fit all of that criteria... should I switch to one? Some of you might remember I posted a discussion on shoulder pains. My teacher suggested switching to Flesch chin rest, but at the time I didn't understand why. I'm currently using a Guarneri chin rest, but my chin lies no where near the bowl. It's like, over the tail piece.

Should I switch? I haven't had any shoulder pains recently, but I have noticed that sometimes my arms aren't relaxed...

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 04:12 AM

Greetings,
it would probably help you. Why not go to a shop and try one out?
Cheers,
Buri

From Beverly Halstead
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 04:07 AM

Well, I think I am going to invest in the switch. I found that upon trying it I was more comfortable. On my regular chinrest, I had been holding so close to the tailpiece that it was digging in uncomfortably. I also found that my 4th finger on the g string could function better for some reason. I am rather on the small side, but my teacher felt that I could use a full size and didn't need a 7/8 size. Though when I watch video's of great players like Oikstra, and Stern I notice that their bows look so short compared to mine. I wonder if getting a shorter bow is something else that I should consider?

From Thomas McEvilley
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 07:01 AM

They were bulky guys in big suits, thus their bows look small by comparison. Stick with a 29.25" or so standard size..

From Danny Gee
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 07:53 AM

I recently performed in a masterclass for Grigory Kalinovsky. He actually advocated using the ledge of the chin rest, not using so much the bowl of his rest. He did not use a shoulder rest, but used a pad that went under his suit jacket.

From my experience, centered flesch chin rests are good for small people with short arms because for some people it makes the violin slightly more in front of the body than out to the side. It really depends on how you hole the instrument and the rest of your instrument setup.

I use a dresden at my teacher's suggestion; it is a cup that has a ledge built in that helps give some stability. I use a shoulder rest with it.

I would advocate experimenting with many different chin rests. Try to make sure that what you find is comfortable and allows you enough stability with very little effort. Your head, neck and shoulders should rest, not push or strain in any way.

From Julie C.
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 08:23 PM

Centered flesch chin rests are good for small people with short arms because for some people it makes the violin slightly more in front of the body than out to the side.

Danny, I think I have a problem of holding the violin too far out to the side. Why is this a problem, and how does it impair my playing?

From Allen Liang
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 09:31 PM

I had the Guarneri model and played outwards too... Let's just say playing was actually tiring until I started using the Flesch Flat. Much more comfortable and I love the sound I play with it! and I am 5'9, so...

From Christian Vachon
Posted on March 3, 2005 at 11:07 PM

Hi,

Julie, actually holding the violin to the side, over the shoulder is not a problem. It is the opposite that usually is (at least in my experience as a violinist and teacher).

Cheers!

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