How the Viper Changed My Life: A Player’s Story of Tension-Free Electric Violin Performance

For 35 years, Eileen Ricard Drew built her life around the violin.

She is a professional classical violinist. She has taught for nearly three decades.

Playing wasn’t just a career. It was her identity. Then, everything changed.

“I Almost Lost My Career.”

“Three years ago I developed a very sudden and severe pain in my neck. It burned so badly and in one day spread into my arms and into my hands — to the point that I could barely move my hands or even hold the fork at Thanksgiving dinner.”

Doctors diagnosed her with spinal stenosis and acute nerve compression.

But the underlying cause was something many violinists never question.

“It was all being caused from my career of holding a traditional violin with a chin rest and keeping the weight up.”

Decades of traditional violin posture — chin pressure, shoulder compression, static tension — had taken their toll.

Medication Didn’t Solve It. Rest Didn’t Solve It.

“I took every medication they could give me and even got spinal infusions to try to treat the problem, but nothing would make it go away.”

The hardest part?

“Partly because I kept playing. It’s my job.”

Like many professional violinists, stopping wasn’t an option.

But continuing meant pain.

Then Something Unexpected Happened

One of her students attended Mark Wood’s music camp.

When the student returned, he brought her something different:

A Viper electric violin.

“It’s a strap-on instrument that uses a series of straps and a kickstand to hold itself up. You don’t need your neck at all.”

She tried it on.

And then something happened she didn’t expect.

“Right in front of my student, I played — and I started to cry. Because I was pain-free.”

Pain-Free Playing

Eileen has now been playing her own Viper for several months.

“In the two months I’ve been playing, I’ve been able to play as long as I want every day — six days a week.”

But more importantly:

“While doing that, my neck is healing.”

She describes full rotation returning:

“I can go all the way to the left and to the right — full rotation — and I have no pain at all in my hands.”

Her muscle strength came back.

Her endurance returned.

Her career resumed.

“I am coming back. And it is all due to the Viper.”

A Different Kind of Electric Violin

The Viper electric violin’s self-supporting system removes the constant shoulder compression and chin pressure required by traditional violin posture.

It supports itself.

The player doesn’t have to.

For Eileen, that difference was everything.

“It’s achieved something that medical science was not able to help me with.”

A Message to Other Players

Eileen ends her story not as a brand ambassador — but as a fellow violinist.

“I’m sharing my story with you in hopes that if you are someone who suffers from pain as well, you might give it a try and find that you can play also for the rest of your life.”

This is not about switching to electric violin for novelty.

It’s about sustainability.

It’s about longevity.

It’s about continuing to play.