5 Essential Viola Accessories For Beginners

Shoulder rests help to promote good posture, make the viola more comfortable to hold and help prevent neck and back problems from developing. Unless your teacher says otherwise, we strongly recommend the use of a shoulder rest.

The type of shoulder rest you buy will depend on the curve of your shoulder and the height of your neck. For beginners, we recommend 'The Everest' as it fits most body types, however it is always best to come in and get fitted by one of our trained staff members before purchasing.

Young violists using an 11" to 14" violas will have to use a 'violin' shoulder rest. You can use the size chart below to find your corresponding size. I.e if you are playing on a 11" viola, choose a 1/4 size violin shoulder rest... if you are playing on a 13" viola, choose any 3/4 violin shoulder rest. etc.

Click here to view the entire Everest range.

2. Violin Rosin

Rosin creates friction between the bow hair and the strings, allowing the strings to vibrate. Without rosin, your violin won't produce any sound!

Rosin is something that string players apply to the horsehair of their bow so that the bow grips the string. The constant friction between the string and the bow makes the string vibrate. This vibration is amplified by the body of the instrument to create sound.

Rosin comes as a hard, solid block or cake and when applied to the bow hair, becomes a fine white powder. For beginner viola players, we recommend using a good quality student rosin such as Paganini Violin Rosin.

Although it has 'violin' on the packaging, it is perfectly fine for viola players to use as well. As you progress, you may want to switch to a more expensive rosin that is specifically designed for viola players.

More information on rosin: What is rosin and how is it made?  |  Which rosin should I use?  |  How often should I rosin my bow?  |  Does violin rosin expire?  |  Can rosin damage my instrument or bow?

3. Music Stand

Having a music stand helps create a special space at home where the player feels inspired to practice.

Like any other discipline, playing the violin requires regular practice, which can come as a challenge for many parents. One of the ways you can help encourage and enable your kids to practice is by creating a dedicated practice space at home.

Using a music stand not only helps to promote good posture and puts the sheet music in a prominent position to read, but it also helps to create that special spot for the player to sit down a play.

For beginners, if you're looking for something that can collapse for easy storage, we recommend the Peak SMS-10. 

If you want to keep your music out on display, ready to play 24-7, we recommend something with a solid desk such as the SMS-32 or SMS-20.

4. Digital Tuner

Tuning your violin is something you need to do each time you play, and a digital tuner can make this process much easier.

As a beginner, the thought of having to tune your instrument without your teacher can be quite nerve-racking! However, practice makes perfect, and with the help of a digital tuner, you'll be a pro in no time.

A digital tuner lets you know what note you are playing, and whether that note is sharp or flat, so that you can make the appropriate adjustment. For the most part, you'll only need to use the fine tuners, however if you are keen to learn how to tune with the pegs, we recommend watching our video on 'How To Tune Your Violin' below.

For beginners, we recommend the 'Aroma Rechargeable Chromatic Tuner'.

Click to view our full range of tuners.