The Violin Channel recently caught up with Berent Kofker, violinist and product developer at Pirastro, who saw the release of his latest invention, the KorfkerSpring chin rest system.

 

What were your main goals when conceiving the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® chin rest?

Using modern ergonomic principles as the foundation for this new design, I set out to create a chin rest so light that it would feel like not using one at all. It would need to be completely adjustable, suit players with both short and long necks and be acoustically superior. This new product would be intended for violinists and violists who appreciate the importance of a balanced and free playing style and value the most accurate string response and widest dynamic range their instruments have to offer.

Having experienced that the rigidity of traditional chinrests contributes to the habit of clamping, I started experimenting with a flexible design and discovered its potential for both ergonomics and sound.

 

How does it differ from regular chin rests?

The flexibility of the spring at the heart of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring gives us instant feedback on the amount of pressure we place on the chin plate, so we can consciously reduce it to a healthy range. The subtle flexing of the spring also stimulates the subconscious balancing system in our neck and upper body and reactivates two essential biological mechanisms which neuroscientists call affordance and grip-force modulation. Abel Tomàs from the Cuarteto Casals has toured with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring for almost a year and recently shared with us that with it he gained a better playing position and a greater security in intonation by feeling “free” around the chin and neck, all while the violin remained stable.

The chin plate of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring is convex, finely adjustable, and compact, encouraging us to balance our instrument with an elongated spine. By contrast, traditional chin rests invite us to reach over the instrument and clamp it between jaw and shoulder. This, often rigid, position can cause discomfort and, in some cases, injury.

Another feature that sets the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring apart is that, using one of the four higher springs, it is easily removable for when it doesn’t fit in your case. When off the instrument, the KorfkerSpring lives in a high-end protection case of its own.

I should not forget to mention, the Pirastro KorfkerSpring weighs only 15 grams - less than a third of the weight of the average chin rest!

 

How long did it take to develop and test the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring?

The development of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring started off with a flurry of invention! I simultaneously worked on the shape of the chin plate, the tiny adjustable ball joint to connect it to the suspension element, and super light and resilient springs providing suspension and height adjustment. The traditional clamp system received some much-needed refinements and shed three-quarters of its weight! Then there was the challenge of inventing a way to clip the various springs into the clamps so they could be removed easily. Simultaneously, we researched and developed the materials which would eventually make the whole design possible.

Although progress was fast at the start, perfecting every detail of the KorfkerSpring ultimately took nearly a decade. Throughout this time, Pirastro’s management never wavered in its support. Eventually, our shared dedication allowed us to refine the KorfkerSpring until every part met the highest standards.

Once confident about the qualities and stability of our prototype, we involved a varied group of professional testers who helped with fine-tuning, resulting in a spring that, while providing subtle pressure feedback, gives security and confidence on stage.

 

What is your advice to best set up the chin rest?

It’s easy to fully personalize your PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and is well described in the manual. For deciding the right height, my advice would be to rest the violin on the collarbone and choose a spring which leaves 1 cm of space between the jaw or chin and the chin plate. It is also a great idea to look at raising the chin rest and lowering the shoulder rest to ensure the violin meets the collarbone when horizontal. The six interchangeable springs of the KorfkerSpring offer a height range of 25 to 50 mm in steps of 5 mm with the low springs catering for shorter and the high ones for longer necks.

Although I like using mine center mounted, there is no rule to this. For most players, the feeling of playing with a KorfkerSpring is so liberating that I would suggest trying out various positions.

My last piece of advice is to give yourself some time to get used to playing with a KorfkerSpring. While some feel at home with it from the first minute, some need time to get used to it. What is exciting is that its flexibility encourages us to explore how we want to move when we play and can start us off on a path of discovery. It certainly did for me!

 

How do a shoulder rest like the PIRASTRO KorfkerRest or KorfkerRest LUNA and the new KorfkerSpring chin rest work together?

That is a very interesting question. Designed following similar ergonomic and acoustic principles, they work together like a set. Our testers have unanimously remarked how well our shoulder rests fit with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and together bring a perfect level of customization, comfort, and acoustics.

In conjunction with our PIRASTRO KorfkerRest Model 2 and LUNA, which have already changed the way we “listen” to shoulder rests, the KorfkerSpring will be able to show what an acoustically optimized chin rest can do for the sound. Believe it or not, because a chin rest not only dampens the body of an instrument but also directly dulls the strings, the difference is even more astounding!

I personally can’t get enough of how it feels when I play with the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring and a KorfkerRest. It’s like experiencing a freedom in the sound and string response that I always knew was there but could never quite access.

Abel Tomàs, already an enthusiastic user of our PIRASTRO KorfkerRest LUNA, shared with us that when he started using the KorfkerSpring, he noticed the “dramatic difference” it made to the sound of his instrument compared to playing with a conventional chin rest—so much cleaner and clearer, with far greater richness of overtones and clarity. He added that it’s a joy to feel the violin so much lighter in his hands.

 

Learn more about the Pirastro KorfkerSpring at this link.