Playing Viola With A Chinrest Vs. Without A Chinrest

Most violists and violinists take for granted that the chinrest is a part of the instrument. While there's nothing wrong with using one, it definitely changes the sound of the instrument as well as how the performer feels while playing--albeit with some added technical challenges. I personally feel more free, relaxed, and better able to listen to myself without the chinrest but it makes shifting down extremely difficult and requires greater effort from the left hand. It is also comparatively unstable, making the bow struggle with fine articulations and sustaining loud, intense notes. This does, however, create a very natural expressive reaction to the momentum of the music. On the other hand, with the chinrest, my left hand is much more free to shift and vibrate at will, giving me easier access to a wider variety of colors. I can play much louder with more ease since the instrument is stabilized. I am super interested to see what everyone thinks of these two set-up possibilities. Which does YouTube prefer? Please write your thoughts in a comment below the video. Also, if you want to try this crazy setup for yourself, definitely do so with extreme caution, as it can lead to injury if you are not careful. I recommend practicing for 5 minutes or less a day to start and let your hand get accustomed to the added stress so that it strengthens slowly and does not get overworked. On that note, switching between setups is actually great. Different setups inform each other. 0:00 Bach Chaconne 1:15 Brahms Eb Sonata 2:19 Bartok Concerto 3:28 Paganini Caprice 24 4:41 Preucil “Daydream By The Sea” 6:06 Video Ending in V major by James Can’t get enough viola content? Check out my second channel for performances and compositions:    / @jamespreucilviolistcomposer   And the channel for my quartet, The Dolphins:    / @dolphinsquartet   Also, visit my quartet’s Merch Store, where you will find reasonably priced Dolphins Quartet shirts, hats, mugs, and stickers: https://thedolphinsquartet.com/merch