What kind of shoulder rest/strings do pros use?

January 15, 2016 at 05:55 PM · I have only a vague idea what they use, but I think you will find that at least one uses almost any SR or string set you care to name. I am pretty sure there are a bunch of violinists, e.g., Hilary Hahn, who use Dominants for strings. If your question is designed to elicit information to help you choose, I am not sure this is useful. If you are simply curious for curiosity's sake, hopefully others will have more information.

January 15, 2016 at 06:42 PM · I have heard that Lilian Fuchs used Pirastro Olives.

January 15, 2016 at 10:44 PM · I've noticed David Garrett uses, BonMusica shoulder rest, wich I also use. Very famous among professionals is Kun, classic and Bravo. Less used are wolf, but it wouldn't be weird if you see someone with. About strings, very famous among professionals are Thomastic Domminant and p, as Pirastro Obligatos, Evah Pirazzi, and for the "old school" olive, as these are the best gut strings on market.

January 16, 2016 at 02:53 AM · PS: Lillian Fuchs used Olives, but used a pure-gut A because she thought it sacrilege to use a steel E on such an old Italian viola (Made by Gasparo de Salo, 1540-1609). :D

January 16, 2016 at 07:47 PM · Typo - shouldn't it be steel A?

January 16, 2016 at 09:33 PM · It doesn't matter that much what others use, unless it also works for you (and the instrument, in the particular case of strings.)

Not sure what violists use for SRs, but the ubiquitous Kun and also Wolf (usually Primos or Secondos) are used quite a bit among violinists. Have seen also a few players with the Viva La Musica standard to Professional models, which are good, though I love their "Diamond" model even more. I have a very worn Kun Bravo, a still good Wolf Forte Secondo, and the Diamond, which is the one I really use nowadays.

Kun has really stuck over the years for many players (Bravo seems to be a popular choice? as well as the regular models), and Wolf is "Secondo" to that, I'd think.

That said, especially for SRs (and chinrests for that matter), what others use has no bearing on what will be more comfortable and practical for you.

(I have noticed great soloists switch SRs throughout the years, so many of them seem to like to experiment as much as any other player.)

January 18, 2016 at 03:44 PM · Honestly I don't see the harm in finding out what kind of shoulder rest Yuri Bashmet uses. I'd be curious too. Years ago I made a study of bow holds of the pros, and that's an individualistic thing too. I learned some things from the study. They weren't really applicable to me, but it was fun anyway.

You can google some images of Bashmet and see if you can figure it out. Here's one.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wZkTbxqvMLs/UXW5fmj8f6I/AAAAAAAAAB4/B_Bzl3sJcjY/s1600/bashmet.jpg

Actually the more interesting aspect of this picture is that you can see Bashmet's tailpiece has four fine-tuners.

January 21, 2016 at 05:55 PM · Indeed, Bashmet uses 4 steel strings.

Although with creaky, but pretty pegs, I use 4 fine tuners on synthetics, as I am very finicky about tuning and re-tuning.

But then we all are, aren't we?..

January 22, 2016 at 02:56 PM · I have seen the rest used in the photo by Bashmet. It is an old Russian made one that is no longer available or manufactured I think, unfortunately.

The strings look like all steel. Can't tell the D&A, but the G&C seem to be Spirocores.

As for other soloists... Last time I saw Vengerov, he was using a Diamond Rest, though he had a Kun Bravo the time before. Zimmerman uses a Wolf. Many use the Kun Bravo. Kavakos has used a variety of Kuns. Some use nothing or cushions.

Cheers!

January 22, 2016 at 03:13 PM · "Some use nothing..."

On the contrary, I would argue they use their ideally shaped, supportive shoulder complexes to hold up the fiddle.

Re. Yuri Bashmet, kinda looks like the Resonans.

January 22, 2016 at 05:59 PM · "ideally shaped, supportive shoulder complexes"

Jeewon, that's one of the nicest things anyone has said about me for a long time - but then I'm not a pro ;)

January 24, 2016 at 10:54 PM · I studied with Bashmet for several years, so here's the nitty-gritty on his Testore :

Jeewon, good eye! He does use a resonans. It's ancient.

Stings are prim (regular, not orchestral) on A and D, and Spirocore C (tungsten stark) and G (not sure). He also uses the fine tuners a lot because of the steel strings, they're extremely responsive to tuning. Most people use composites now, so they don't need all 4. I think that is an old wittner.

I use Evah Pirazzi Golds, as do a LOT of people (half my section). Lots of violists use a spirocore heavy C, but it depends on whether it works with your instrment or not. For mine it's too much pressure and it doesn't sing anymore. I use a "viva la musica Artist" shoulder rest, because it's about as flat as I can find, and I'd rather not use a metal rest like the resonans, which has feet that I've seen scratch instruments.

Paul Neubaber uses Spirocore heavy C, Dominant G and D, Jargar forte A, changed every few weeks. He also doesn't use a shoulder rest, just a rubber band running through a few small rubber cosmetic sponges (the red ones you can get in most drugstores) to prevent slip.

Zukermann was using Dominants, but that was ~7/8 years ago, not sure anymore. He uses a small towel under his shirt and a small piece of "rubber netting", the anti-rug-slipping stuff held in place by a rubber band, just to give added grip on the shoulder.

January 25, 2016 at 08:49 PM · Zukerman Is quoted on the Thomastik site as using Vision Solos now.

I still have my old Resonans in a drawer, with chamois leather replacing the defunct rubber on the feet.