Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Private messaging is working again.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(1 votes) 
Offline
My teacher has just started me on some vibrato exercises. Seems like every time a new concept is introduced, I suffer a setback in other aspects of my playing- but eventually the new technique is incorporated, and things get back to normal... but this vibrato has really got me messed up. At the least, it is highlighting how much I depend on the left hand index finger base knuckle to get a good sound and good intonation. Now, I'm told to get that base knuckle off the neck, which results in more rotation of the arm, and basically I'm just lost because that's how I've been holding the violin since day 1. Should the base knuckle not ever be touching the neck? Or, when you get ready to hit a vibrato note, do you shift that knuckle off the neck? I watched the arm vibrato video, and Fiddleman is playing on the G string, and his base knuckle is obviously floating in air. I just can't do it! Just really can't get the feel of the motion, even on the E string, with or without the base knuckle. All I can think about now, when I play anything, is that BASE KNUCKLE! HELP!!!
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
Offline
Yes, you can do it. It will take some time and some practice. The worst part is that, IMHO, everybody thinks they know what they are doing and they try to explain it and it doesn't help a bit. It's like trying to explain how to ride a bicycle. You can explain it to someone all day long, but that doesn't work. The only way is to practice it over and over, get some skinned knees, invent new colorful phrases, cry a little, and then one day -- who knows how? You're doing it and you can't remember what all the fuss was about.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
Regulars
Offline
Lol @Uzi! What a great way to put it.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Offline
You nailed it Uzi..... I've been told that my vibrato videos were the only ones that actually made sense and helped quite a few to learn.
I've also been asked to make more vibrato videos because they don't understand what I am doing.....
I would imagine that more feel that my explanations are unclear but they wouldn't write to me about it.
As you said, all of a sudden, you're doing it. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Offline
@Fiddlerman I think your videos are clear. I watch them and I completely understand the mechanics of vibrato and just know I will be able to do it. Then I try and my hand and arm won't do what my brain is telling it.
Offline
Well, I'm guessing you are referring to me. 
Like I said, I can't vibrate with my right hand so I completely understand.
Keep us posted. I look forward to hearing that you accomplished it and are now able to vibrate.
For some it takes years and for others, hours/days...... Perfecting it is a whole different issue.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Offline
That must have been autocorrect, I know I typed Fiddlerman! My phone doesn't seem to like tagging people.
Offline
@micra
I think it is awesome that you are learning vibrato and have a one on one instructor.
I am still on the brink.. but it is eluding me. I have in my mind about 8 different videos.... Mostly Pierre's (I tried those far to early in my learning, and then a year later, and a year later). I think I get my best movement from the combination of his videos.
Then fellow fiddlers and a few you tubes out there have provided a little insight. My violin friend who has been playing for 22 years told me to do vibrato without bowing while watching tv... just sit and learn the movement. We shall see what happens.
I don't know the answer to your knuckle question.. but when I do get vibrato to happen it is usually with no base knuckle contact, so I do have a bit of extended reach to get the fingers more erect with pulls the base knuckle off. I am at work so It is hard to actually know what I do.
Good luck .... and Good Vibrations.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
1 Guest(s)
ELCBK
Strabo
Mouse
Fiddlerman
