Shoulder rest
The purpose of a shoulder rest is to help the player to be comfortable holding the violin, which is held between the chin and the shoulder. Not all players use a shoulder rest. Many violinists prefer just to put a piece of cloth or some other form of padding on their shoulder. Whether a player uses a shoulder rest may depend on whether he or she has a long neck, and whether he is wearing clothes made with thick or thin material. It is important that the player can shift his left hand easily and freely to play in the higher positions without being afraid that he will drop the instrument, and without feeling the need to squeeze the instrument between his chin and shoulder as this will make the muscles in his neck very tight.