u/Expert-Woodpecker844

Sorry I mean rs5 😁Looking for a size L

I was playing a 16.5 inch viola for 20 years and then last year upgraded to a really nice italian viola that is slightly larger at 16.8 inches and a better bow. while at the shop i picked up a korfker luna to go with it.

in some areas with this instrument i started making huge improvements. the instrument is just really dialed in and clear/rich on all notes in all positions on all strings.

in other areas I was having a lot of issues with general comfort. playing up in higher positions on the C string is really clear on this viola, so i've been trying to take advantage of it, but it would feel really awkward physically.

i would feel generally ok standing up and practicing practicing at home with a t shirt on, but then playing while sitting down and performing with a suit jacket felt awkard.

a couple of days ago i played a quartet gig with a violinist who does not use a shoulder rest and noticed how he was able to reach around the instrument and it dawned on me that i probably wasn't rotating my shoulder around enough and the shoulder rest feet were too high.

out of the box, the luna comes with a higher leg on the chest side, so i switched to one of the lower legs and then screwed both legs down almost fully.

now i'm able to rotate my shoulder more and it feels more natural shifting from first position on the A string to about 6th position on the C string. i can feel a bit more a stretching sensation in my shoulder with the rotation.

also with the lower height i feel i can put more head weight on the chinrest which helps lock the instrument in better.

TL;DR - it can be hard to narrow down exactly how high the shoulder rest feet should be because the shoulder shape changes when you're playing in low positions vs playing in high positions on the lower strings, but i think etudes and exercises are the answer to figuring it out.

playing rode etude #5 for the last week has really helped me figure this issue out. also playing the sevcik shifting exercises on the C and A string helped.

I've had a spirocore C tungsten light gauge on my viola for almost 7 months, practicing and performing 3+ hours a day and still sounds excellent. I'm on my 3rd set of rondo G D and A and just keep the spirocore C on. Does anyone have an estimate of how long they usually last with constant use?

Im always weary of degradation creep and try to change strings proactively.

I was wondering if anyone has tips on how to not get the deer in headlights sensation when playing fast run sections in various orchestra pieces. What gets me sometimes is pieces that are mostly doable but then have half a page of 16th runs or when the composer writes inside/outside parts smooshed together on the same line and you're the inside player, or when everyone is just blasting it out and so it's hard to line up with anything. I'm pretty good at knowing when I'm going to mess up so I cut out and get back in but it would be ideal to just be one of those players that can nail it.