The Audio Shoulder Rest

Matter Squared LLC | mattersquared.com

Matter Squared’s flagship product, the Audio Shoulder Rest, is a Bluetooth-enabled shoulder rest for violinists and violists that integrates haptic feedback and audio capabilities. It incorporates both a speaker and an actuator, allowing the user to hear and feel rhythmic signals through their instrument. The ASR pairs with a companion app (“ASR Studio”) offering adjustable haptic intensity, metronome control, and blending between sound and vibration modes. It is designed to function with acoustic violins (3/4 and 4/4) and violas up to about 15" and to operate as a “smart” enhancement to existing practice tools (e.g. replacing or augmenting a metronome) by providing tactile reinforcement of rhythm. Matter Squared positions the ASR as uniquely combining conventional shoulder rest ergonomics with embedded sensing and playback technology.

The ASR emerged from development at Arizona State University and is protected by issued and pending patents. In early stages it secured non-dilutive funding (notably a $30,000 Lab to Launch award) which supported prototyping and user testing efforts. The company is preparing for the ASR’s commercial release (targeted Q4 2025).