Violin chin rest

[PinotAndPlaydough]

Is this the only alternative to a sponge? My daughter hates the sponge! Do you need different size chin rests for different size violins, any recommendations? I’m completely clueless about all of this.

My immediate thought when seeing the photo was that the violin was too big. Her arm is very stretched out. I have always had trouble finding comfortable shoulder rests because of sloped shoulders (and hypermobility) and it's so important to get it right and not develop the bad habits (like I have). Shoulder rests are a very personal thing, and sometimes the ones that teachers or everyone else said were great just didn't work for me. I had to try endless kinds and still don't find them very comfortable! I have finally found a German one called Wittner Isny that adjusts in lots of ways, and that has helped quite a bit, though still not perfect. It does come in small sizes, but it's pretty expensive (though you might be able to find the small sizes second hand for much cheaper - just be careful to get the correct chin rest fitting as it attaches to the chin rest, and there are a couple of ways of doing so - most people want the 'traditional barrel' attachment), so I wouldn't necessarily go to try it first, but just knowing that there are many out there, different shapes and sizes, might look subtly different but can make a big different to fit and feel.

When you get one you like, you also have to adjust it up and down and the angle and so on until you are happy, so it's much more adjustable than the sponge. The sponge looks too thick for her as well. Some people do play without one at all, just a cloth, so it's not necessarily wrong if she can mange to get (and keep) a good hold without one. But you would have to watch very carefully to make sure she doesn't get into bad positioning as she gets tired.