Balancing Games 1: Poise and your violin

A wide view

Look into the room as you work, to keep your head up and your neck free.

Look into the room as you work, to keep your head up and your neck free.

Heads up

Remember where you head is as you play.

Remember where you head is as you play.

Broomstick throw

Hold the stick in both hands horizontally. Throw the stick up and let it fall back into your two hands several times, and let the weight of the stick cause your elbows to open to a relaxed position.

Hold the stick in both hands horizontally. Throw the stick up and let it fall back into your two hands several times, and let the weight of the stick cause your elbows to open to a relaxed position.

Broomstick toss

into “playing” position

With your right hand toss the right end of the stick up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand is in playing position at the left end of the stick.

With your right hand toss the right end of the stick up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand is in playing position at the left end of the stick.

Violin cradle

Cradle the violin in your hands freely like you did with the broomstick before you threw it in the air.

Cradle the violin in your hands freely like you did with the broomstick before you threw it in the air.

Violin toss

Into playing position

With your right hand toss the body of the instrument up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand has come into playing position.

With your right hand toss the body of the instrument up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand has come into playing position.

Settling shoulder rest

Shoulder rest on body

Place your shoulder rest first on your collar bone without your violin. When it is in the right place, it circles around your t-shirt collar, and creates a sturdy plateau for your violin. After settling the shoulder rest on your body, you can then place the instrument on top of it in playing position. Make sure that the violin itself rests on the collar bone and the jaw is centred in the chin rest.

Place your shoulder rest first on your collar bone without your violin. When it is in the right place, it circles around your t-shirt collar, and creates a sturdy plateau for your violin. After settling the shoulder rest on your body, you can then place the instrument on top of it in playing position. Make sure that the violin itself rests on the collar bone and the jaw is centred in the chin rest.

Jaw centering

Centre the jaw in the chin rest

Check that the jaw is centred in the chin rest cup by positioning the instrument with the right hand. You can rotate the instrument or slide it with strings parallel to achieve this. You can then attach the elastics.

Check that the jaw is centred in the chin rest cup by positioning the instrument with the right hand. You can rotate the instrument or slide it with strings parallel to achieve this. You can then attach the elastics.

Attaching the elastics

Hold the shoulder rest securely against the back of the instrument, and then attach the elastics to maintain the desired shoulder rest position.  Attach the elastic to the tailpiece button first.

Hold the shoulder rest securely against the back of the instrument, and then attach the elastics to maintain the desired shoulder rest position.  Attach the elastic to the tailpiece button first.