Items needed for Orchestra

VIOLINS and VIOLAS

• Shoulder Rest: The violin is not a naturally comfortable instrument to play, but there are some ways to make it as comfortable as possible. While chinrests come standard on nearly every violin—and have since the early nineteenth century—shoulder rests are more a matter of personal preference. 

A shoulder rest is an accessory that attaches to a violin to provide comfort and stability while playing. The shoulder rest attaches to the back of the violin and rests on the shoulder and collarbone. Its purpose is twofold:

1. It makes the violin comfortable to play for long durations, enabling proper posture and preventing injury.

2. It keeps the instrument from slipping, thereby allowing the player to remain in tune and fully able to attack a passage of music.

CELLO and BASS

• Rock Stop: Rock stops are one of the main accessories cellists and bassists need. Since they are not anchored on a shoulder like a violin or viola, they need to be supported by the floor via the endpin. In order to prevent this endpin from slipping, you need to either have a very sharp endpin, preferably made from silicone-carbide, or a great endpin stop. 

A rock stop is simply a round piece of rubber or plastic that has rubber as a base. The rock stop is placed in between the cello endpin and the floor. When the endpin is placed in the rock stop, the weight of the cello creates enough friction that the cello does not slip