A site that sells chinrests may seem like an odd place to talk about shoulder rests, but we get asked about them a lot so we're going to include our favorite tip, which doesn't get talked about all that much, for some reason. If your shoulder rest doesn't feel right to you, try this...

Many players find a shoulder rest very helpful, like me for instance. I have a tough time playing without one. What newer players don't always know is that the two adjustable feet should be set at very different heights -- one high and one low. That's because when you hold the instrument up to your chin, your left shoulder is actually touching the instrument, but the right side of the instrument is not touching your body at all -- in fact, it may be hovering 3 or 4 inches away. A properly adjusted shoulder rest solves this problem, by giving the right side of the instrument some support. To accomplish this, keep the foot of the shoulder rest on the left side as short as possible, while the foot on the right side should be lengthend. In my case, I lengthen it to its maximum height. Experiment with these height adjustments for a few minutes, to see what works best for you. See below .. . .

				Here'e how I set up my shoulder rest. You can see the foot on the left is very short, while the foot on the right is long. Yes, each player will adjust the right foot somewhat differently, depending on their playing style and physical size. The principle should remain true.
					Looking down from the neck of the instrument.
						Another view. Note that the shoulder rest is also angled across the back of the instrument. You can see that the left side is pushed towards the front of the violin, while the right side is toward the back. The exact angle is a matter of personal preference, but if your shoulder rest doesn't feel comfortable for you, try changing the angle..

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