GB2523590A - Flexible violin/viola holding device - Google Patents

Abstract

A holding device for a violin/viola comprises an elastic band or strap 1 which is wrapped around the player and which is attached to the instrument. The band or strap is preferably adjustable via a buckle means and is attached to the instrument by a hook or clasp, a clamping arrangement with a hook, figure 13, may alternatively be used. The flexible holding device enables the instrument to be held in a playing position without the need for a user to apply pressure with their jaw or chin.

Description

DESCRI PTION Title

Flexible violin/viola holding device

Background

This invention relates to a violin/viola holding device which allows the player to move the head-and neck region freely whilst providing the necessary playing stability at the same time, replacing the usual chin rest.

In order to counterbalance the downwards acting drag of the of the instrument (through gravitational attraction and through pressure applied with fingers and bow onto the instrument) the violinist has to trap the instrument between his jaw and shoulder, using a chin -and a shoulder rest. Hereby the head and neck region are required to remain in a relative static position whilst applying pressure onto the instrument. Although this guarantees the necessary stability whilst playing, it can have a negative influence on other aspects of violin technique and can contribute to playing-related musculoskeletal disorders and postural deformity. The invention aims to overcome this trapping mechanism.

Statement of invention

To overcome the trapping mechanism as part of the violin/viola hold, the present invention proposes: an adjustable band in conjunction with either one or two flexible gel pads or two clasps and a connection kit. Together, they will replace the compressive stress of the jaw with a counterbalancing drag force, leaving head and neck free to move. The elastic band is attached to the tailpiece, chin rest or brink of the instrument (through the connection kit) and passed around the players upper torso, going underneath the right or both arm pits. To avoid discomfort under the arm pit, the elastic band is bolstered up with a flexible gel pad.

Alternatively, the elastic band can also be attached to the players waist belt.

Advantages The invention allows the violinist/violist to experience the same playing stability and security he/she would achieve with the conventional violin hold, but without the necessity of trapping the instrument between jaw and shoulder. Being free of the usual holding mechanism, the violinist/violist now has more capacities to use the neck region constructively for violinistic movements, co-ordination and overall balance. The concept allows the violin/viola to remain securely in one position without trapping, yet gives enough flexibility to adjust to the players's physical dimensions and to different violinistic situations.

Often, the position of the instrument is influenced merely by the attempt to secure the instrument between jaw and shoulder as opposed to choosing positioning angles with regards to a well thought-through system of playing mechanics and according to the players physical dimensions. The invention allows to position and secure the instrument at the desired angles.

Introducing to drawings An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: * figure 1 and 2 show a violinist from the front and from the back, holding the instrument commonly with the help of chin -and shoulder rest (in black) and with the help of the left arm. Ref. No. 1, 2 and 3 are showing the downwards acting forces of gravity and the pressures applied through the fingers and the bow.

* figure 3 and 4 show the violinist from the front and from the back, holding the instrument with the flexible violin/viola holding device, replacing the repressive stress of the jaw with the counterbalancing drag force of the flexible holding device according to the invention * figures 5 -8 show alternative set-up's of the invention. The elastic band can be wrapped around the players body in different ways, depending on the players' preference and depending on the desired direction of the pulling force of the elastic band.

* figure 9-11 show the flexible adjustable band and the gel pad(s) in different set-up's according to the invention.

* figure 12 shows the connection kit to connect the flexible band with the instrument.

* figure 13 shows an alternative connection kit to connect the flexible band with the instrument.

* figure 14 shows the connection kit attached to the violin.

* figure 15 and 15 show the flexible arm pit gel pad according to the invention.

* figure 17 shows a violinist from the bird perspective to explain the advances of adjustable positioning of the instrument as mentioned in the detailed description.

Detailed description

The invention will now be described in order to explain how it's built differently from other holding devices and why it contributes to a more economic and precise way of executing certain violinistic movements and why it provides health benefits for the violinist/violist. This invention claims to be a novelty in two ways: 1) how it is built differently both functionally and in substance from previous violin/viola holding/support devices, and 2) how it helps to develop a different, more advanced method of executing certain aspects of violin/viola technique. Hence, this invention is also claiming to be a novelty in performing a known physical act in a different -more advanced-way.

Before describing the functionality of the invention, the statics of a common violin/viola hold are described. This will help to point how the invention works fundamentally different.

With the common holding set-up, the violinist/violist has to counterbalance 3 downwards (earthwards) acting forces when playing the violin/viola. These are: a) the gravitational attraction, which is dragging the instrument downwards (see fig 1, ref no 1).

b) the downwards acting pressure of the fingers into the strings/fingerboard of the instrument (see fig 1, ref no 2).

c) the downwards acting pressure of the bow into the strings of the violin (see fig 1, ref no 3).

These three downward acting forces are commonly compensated through two systems of counterbalancing forces: Firstly, they are partly counterbalanced through holding the violin/viola upwards with the left arm. Hereby the thumb of the left hand is placed underneath the fingerboard of the violin/viola to apply this force (see fig 2, ref no 1). Secondly, the downwards acting forces a b and c are compensated through trapping the instrument between jaw and shoulder. Hereby, jaw and shoulder are applying pressure onto the instrument into the opposite directions (fig 2 ret no 2&3). The violin/viola is hereby acting as an (unbalanced) see saw: the shoulder rest forms the stand of the see saw (fig 2, ref no 2). The head presses the violin/viola down at its base (through the chin rest -fig 2 ref no 3), which in return brings up the scroll and compensates the 3 downwards acting forces a, b and c. This being the case, the head has a permanent (unnatural) static relationship with the shoulder within the current concept of the violin/viola hold.

In contrast to the common violin/viola hold, the invention frees the player from the static relationship between head and shoulder in the following way: the downwards acting pressure of the head/jaw is replaced by a downwards/sidewards acting force. This force is generated through an elastic band (fig 3&4 ref no 1) which is wrapped around the player and which is attached to the tailpiece/chin rest/base of the instrument. Figure 3 and 4 show how the elastic band is wrapped around the player so it can pull on the instrument down-and inwards. As a result, this will keep the instrument up in playing position and compensates the downwards acting forces a, b and c. The head is free from any holding tasks, as seen in figures 3 & 4. The arrangement in figure 5 & 6 works similar, though although the elastic band is wrapped around the whole torso of the player.

Alternatively, the elastic band can also be attached to the waist belt (ref. no. 1 in figure 7 & 8) of the player with a clasp (ref. no 1 in figure 11).

Further benefits: Apart from counterbalancing forces a, b and c in an improved way, the invention has a number of other benefits. These are: 1) Improved standing/sitting posture The positioning of the head plays an important role when aiming for a healthy body posture. With the invention, the head is not an integral part of the violin/viola holding system anymore. It is now free to remain in a healthy, unrestricted position.

2) Decrease of risk of PRMD5 Numerous violinists/violists experience playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD), especially in the neck region, partly because of the unnatural trapping mechanism. The invention can help to reduce or eliminate PRMD5.

3) Shifting downwards and other violin-technique related aspects When violinists move/slide their fingers down the fingerboard/strings (outwards), the violin has the tendency to be pulled outwards (away from the player), too. As a result, the player has to keep the violin in place by slightly "hooking" the bulge of the chin rest underneath the jaw. With the invention this is not necessary anymore, since it does not only counterbalance forces a, b and c but also pulls the violin inwards towards the neck of the player (with the desired strength) to counterbalance the forces resulting from shifting.

4) Educational benefits Beginners and students tend to cramp their instrument unnecessarily strongly, being afraid of dropping the instrument and as a result of trying to execute highly complex movements with the necessary accuracy. The invention can help to release this mechanism when introducing student to the instrument.

HOW IT DIFFERS FROM PREVIOUS INVENTIONS

DE3210739 (Al) -1982-12-23 this is a static concept which does not respond to the players movements CN2O1 397666 (Y) -2010-02-03 the belt is not made out of flexible material. Although there are similarities in the static concept of this invention, it wont allow to adjust to the players movements or allow to change the positioning of the violin whilst playing. Furthermore, the device can not be attached to the waist belt of the player to allow a freely moving chest.

JP2008129438 (A) -2008-06-05 is a different system. Whilst it prevents the violin to move away from the neck, it does not counterbalance the forces a, b and c as described above.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS1) an elastic band to support positioning a violin or viola on the player, the elastic band being wrapped around the player and attached to the brink of the instrument.

   2) an elastic band according to claim 1, in which the elastic band is connected with one or two flexible gel pads or two clasps.

   3) an elastic band according to claim 2, in which the elastic band can be adjusted in length through a buckle.

   4) two screw clamps with hooks, the clamps being attached to the brink of the instrument to hook the elastic band into the hooks.