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Im really surprised at the attention this thread has generated. Vibrato is one of those "elusive" skills that we all want. I challenge you all to take time each day for the next 90 and do what I do. Watch the FM vids and others on the youtubes if you like, practice! and when you have your "Eureka!" moment, post it here. When enough of us have accomplished this I say we all pick a song to learn where we can vibrate and have someone mash it up ala the group projects. whose with me?
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Sounds like a great idea. I've been working on the Braveheart theme since almost day 1 and it would nice to see what it sounds like with real vibrato in it.
"I know a girl who cries when she practices violin because each note sounds so pure it just cuts into her, and then the melody comes pouring out her eyes. Now, to me, everything else just sounds like a lie."
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I admire your conviction on this everyone. A few things to keep in mind.
It's ok for the violin to move a bit when vibrating. I can keep my violin still when vibrating by just applying more pressure with my jawbone but prefer not to since it doesn't help the sound.
Someone wrote me in a PM that they are wearing down their strings very fast trying to learn vibrato. Your fingers should be rolling on the string. Tip-flat not sliding.
When trying to learn, exaggerate but when you speed things up just a little see if you can get 1/8" or 1/4" or 1/2"...... Try working the width up with time but be satisfied with little movement till it comes natural.
Wrist and hand vibrato - Imagine holding a salt shaker to get salt on your fingerboard ...... Still with the finger rolling and not sliding.
RELAX.... As soon as you tense up, you will lesson chances for success. Still keep the downwards pressure of the RELAXED finger hard enough that the finger sticks and does not slide. Dry fingers will make vibrato very hard for a beginner, consider a good none greasy hand lotion if you have this problem.
GOOD LUCK!!!! I look forward to hearing about the results and helping if I can.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Pierre,
That statement you made about the salt shaker is perfect! Funny how things like that just "click."
Another point my teacher told me is that it helps to ensure you keep a gap between the fingers and the as well. Being as I mainly use arm vibrato (my wrists have no flexibility), I always try to keep my thumb under the neck as it forces my wrist into the proper position and helps with the motion itself. I don't know if that will help you all that much but it's made a world of difference for me.
One thing she also mentioned which I thought was interesting is that she said she could teach the technical steps of how to do vibrato but in the end, the student has to find it themselves. As an example, when walking into the studio, she spoke how she can always tell who's playing simply by the tone/style of their vibrato. I had no idea there was such a subtle difference between players but considering how folks tend to modify their style, I suppose it makes sense.
"I know a girl who cries when she practices violin because each note sounds so pure it just cuts into her, and then the melody comes pouring out her eyes. Now, to me, everything else just sounds like a lie."
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Well sunday is approaching and so is my first update vid. There are three types of learning vibrato approaches that Ive found.
The most prevalent is the "Fiddlerman" method of rocking the finger backwards and again. Some teach a modification of this technique by starting learning in 4th position. Using the shoulder of the violin to prevent forward movement and emphasizing the wrist feel of the motion.
The second is the "Salt shaker" method of holding the fiddle in guitar position, rolling the finger from side to side while remaining on the finger tip. Once comfy doing this move the fiddle to playing position on the shoulder and continue to motion, this gradually turns it from a side to side motion to a back n forward motion. Its freaky but it works. This method also supposes that the true pitch of the vibrato is in the middle of the oscillation.
The third is the "Bouncy finger" that is taught by a few as a last resort approach. Todd Ehle's vid depicts this method.
Its too early to state which method is the most effective but Im doing each style each day from about 5 diff vids. We will see.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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I'm leaning toward #2 > as another said on another post > just clicks.
Looking forward to your next vid.
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"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Thank you for this excellent video, an addition to your vibrato series. This really helps to clarify quite a few points as well as shows how the expert did it. I love your dynamic expression/control as this is a demo of your tips on another post.
Love the sound of that violin. It's beautiful and rich.
But, men, your fingers in slow motion don't look pretty as I thought they were in real time....haha. LOL.
Greatly appreciated it, FM. Another awesome tut.
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I gave up on vibrato long ago because I realized its simply a modified trill. And a trill is simply a really fast finger exercise. And a finger exercise develops finger independence contrary to the normal scale fingering dropping in the order 1-2-3-4...I thought preparation of scales done slowly was enough. Nope.
I was short circuiting this process of learning and it didn't work. The hand and fingers were not developed (flexibility and agile) to such extent as to possess life in every motion. Therefore the ROI was 0.
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Composer said
I gave up on vibrato long ago because I realized its simply a modified trill.
Too bad that you gave up though. I'm just a beginner but I can tell you that vibrato is not in anyway a trill. It may sound similar to an unfamiliar ear, but if one knows how to listen then the two are totally different in just about every aspect.
Who knows, if you try hard then you may get it some day. Nothing comes easily and you know that, right?
Thank you FM. I had seen a video where vibrato was shown as the fingers moving sideways. My fingers don't move that way at all but the way you it I now believe I can do vibrato to some extent.
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That vid does indeed help a lot FM. It was a great angle to see the mechanics of it. The slow motion portion was really strange listening to it. Sort of like a dream state > it really showed how the finger motion should be when it was slowed down like that. I also noticed your wrist > how it was moving back and forth with such fluid flexibility. It will really help > it ROCKed!!
Looking forward to Pfish's next vid to see how he is doing with this.
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So just one week into it and Im feeling pretty good about myself and my progress. Its not finished in any streach of the imagination but Im not a spazmatic mess either. What I have learned in this first week;
1. If I go slow I can learn it and its gonna take a bit of time.
2. It has caused me to focus on relaxing, really relaxing the left hand which has cured my left hand "creep".
3. It has somehow allowed me to feel more free with my fingerings, so I can move faster. This is probably a side effect of the relaxation of the left hand.
4. A combination of the backwards rolling method and the side to side salt shaker method have really opened up the essential hand movement to me. I can physically feel the difference. The side to side motion also solidified the "planting" of the fingertip allowing it to roll and not slide.
5. Coordination of the bowing and the vibrating might take an additional 90 days! lol.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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If I am heading in the wrong direction someone fix me now before its too ingrained!
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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NIce pfish > I have been working on vibrato more so now due to this thread > your vids and post are very helpful. > Thanks > yep > it is encouraging me.
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That looks great and is exactly right Robert. For the 3rd finger apply more weight to the left side of the finger. You'll see that it gets a little more strength.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I'm on it!~ Thats a big boost to the confidence right there! So the plan is to keep on and try the scales with vibrato deal from the Fiddlerman tutorial and to try and make it faster and sustained more.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
Now that was a blast, Pfish! Your plan works!
PS: How did You do that funny special effects with your video?
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Sorry bout the shakey camera, my puter can barely handle the data. Time for a new one but theres so much other stuff I would spend money on, if I had any. lol.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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