Vibrato and the Musical Phrase (shaping the music & musicality)

[bachsxoxogirl]

thanks a ton for these videos... i've found them so helpful and got so much insight from them.

[bachsxoxogirl]

p.s. of course the one with both is the best, but of the first two (with dynamics and no vibrato/no dynamics, only vibrato) i still think the one with only vibrato was better than the one with only dynamics.

[bachsxoxogirl]

i think i like the second (syrup covered) version more!

[Breyerobsessed27]

I like your use of glissandos. Very unique!

[crAAzysk8r]

I was playing it with you the second time (but a way easier version) but it actually matched up and it sounded really good! haha , I gotta show my mom that.

[o0paradigm0o]

For a fiddle tune like Greensleeves, there's something authentic about the minimization of vibrato. Todd - you rule.

[MrKalaylar]

harika teşekkürler



[mikhaeldito]

Hello professor!

Would you please make a new video for Upbow Staccato?

I've been looking for it in the youtube, but there's no one that make a good description about the technique. I believe you're the only one that able to do it.

Thanks professor!

[eeelisaaa3]

I don't think that there is a right or a wrong in playing music. What is important for me is that you are making music, not just playing the notes. My first violin teacher always said that I first had to learn the notes, but then, it really began. I had to tell her a story. I had to make a story from the notes, from the music sheet. Sometimes a fragment was about a river, another was about birds or about a thunderstorm.

[SomeAnimeOtaku]

o.0 good job on suppressing your musicalty while doing the vibrato:P

and you did a tiny little vibrato at 2:01 was it becouse you couldnt keep the vibrato down or becouse you got a tiny bit out of tune?

[Dualz101]

very informative and real... dynamics is important and thats the emotion..

[professorV]

Hi Dualz101, it was an interesting topic for me. I suppose there is no one correct answer, it's different for different people. Thanks for the comment.

[lokisumbilla]

Dear Sir, I cried upon hearing the music you played even without the vibrato. And I got too emotional when I heared the vibrato. Indeed, it is emotion we are talking about. By the way, May I know what the title of the music is please?

[SchnizelGaming]

Im thinking to buy a violin and just be self learning and if i whanna learn a song iäll check vissual lesson... im so lasy ^^

[joymartinez1607]

I don`t like the vibrato used in each note for me sounds like a dryer machine with no emotion.I like more baroque style with vibrato just to accentuate a note or a phrase . : ) but well some people just like modern style with the dryer machine....

[amabilecolo]

My very big compliment, that's a very good idea to explain the real power and, above all explained well.

[professorV]

@amabilecolo, Thank you Prof. Lieb. Best regards to you.

[peachcloverlauper]

I think of this as the difference between the modern and Celtic styles of playing. I don't feel that one is over the other, but the selection of musical techniques does effect the mood of the song. Violin is most often noticed in "classical music" where vibrato is the norm so I can see how a person listening to classical violin can come to think that vibrato equals feeling.

[brandautumn]

I believe that vibrato mostly gives intensity to a piece.

[jovelviolin]

hi mr,todd i liked the piece you played in this video, may i know the name of this piece? thank you !! I don't have any school in learning violin playing. thank you. because i am learning a lot for about 5 months.. I will post my own video soon. because i want to hear a feedback from you as my teacher(online)..

thanks a lot,

im Jovel from philippines.

[Jorgeoporco]

@jovelviolin It's called Greensleeves.

[bummy33]

but of course vibrato is detrimental to phrasing >_>. as long as the appropriate speeds are used... as it seems vibrato with one(fast) speed inhibits ability to create larger shaping(playing pp with fast vibrato,YUCK). violin is ridiculous, so easy yet so difficult until years of solitude are spent in the vocation of this instrument...anyways, hope to see videos on topics of rhythm as it is what i am least confident with (especially when with an accompianist. well only when i need an accomp lol)

[bummy33]

I liked best when you performed firstly without any vibrato. I think violinists should dabble a bit in piano. Piano has no vibrato at all and yet we are challenged with producing a singing tone from a percussion instrument(LoL!). I especially love the phrasing of violinists from the 1880 generation and early 20th century (such as rare sarasate recordings and those of josef hassid especially! & joachim<3). Also piano instills great intonation, even awakening your inner true hearing abilities.

[Amarynthine]

but this is simple phrasing, how do you work out how to shape complex phrases, like pieces with 12 tone...

[KitsuniChan]

Please, what's the name of this music? '____' I can't remember...

[Pelipequirroja]

@KitsuniChan It´s called Greensleeves. It´s a british folk and anonimous composition from the XVth century

[NingasKugon09]

like the 3rd one, it's complete...emotions can be expressed not only thru vibrato but by the softness and loudness ...

never learned vibrato, stopped my lesson and stopped my practice...but i still love the violin...soon i will retrace my footsteps towards the art of learning it...soon...

MERRY CRISTMAS Prof. V and bless you for ur untiring sharing of your expertise...

[dlb1911967]

Thanks Todd. This is a really useful lesson. I feel my violin playing has been a little one dimensional as I have focussed a bit too much on vibrato at times and not enough on the dynamics. This realization came to me only recently, and your video has just confirmed that thought. Thanks for generously sharing your knowledge and expertise! Dave

[violin2tor]

i agree with you Todd, these things go together... vibrato and the dynamics, makes the music burst with emotion. =)

[professorV]

Hi violin2tor, thanks. I love your username!

[crashtestdeity]

Hear! Hear!

[Deathatheist]

In my personal opinion vibrato is to enhance a musical piece and intensify the "emotion" in that particular passage or musical phrase. To me, vibrato really stands out and without it it seems less... its hard to explain in words.... but lets say magical and it falls a little bit flatter. But this is pure speculation on my part.

[unfoldingart]

Thank you very much for this lesson! Very insightful.

[gijsphilip]

You are very right professor, but why don't you vibrate the fourth finger?

[kewelime]

This video makes a very important point.

[sepeters91]

Really made me think. Lately I've been experimenting with dynamics and phrasing on a piece I'm playing for juries. This clarified a few things about both of those.

[PreuschoffPerrier]

wonderful! Greets Inge

[JuicyJuice0123]

brilliant, thanks for the food-for-thought

[Coronelll7]

me gusta mucho

[gnulen]

to much vibrato... what you need is more cowbell !

[dragknuckle]

Jean-Luc Ponty uses vibrato sparsely, but has a lot of emotional intensity. The emotion in Alison Krauss' playing comes more from her use of dynamics than from vibrato.

[nellievic]

Wow, what a thought provoking discussion! Thanks Todd, I didn't readily have my own views to hand until I stopped to think about it.

[AzianguyxD]

...that was beautiful....

[ilivetowrite]

Timely video for me, ProfessorV! Thank you! :-)

Do you have any..."rules" for lack of a better word for when it is proper to pull tempo back and when it isn't (like in which parts of a measure, etc)? Particularly in something like solo Bach? I'm trying to take that step to being more musical but the fear of being "wrong" is daunting. ;-)

Thanks again for all the terrific videos. :-)

[pastore0506]

Very informative as all your videos are. I am now convinced that working on shaping the phrases should take priority over vibrato. That's not to say that vibrato should be ignored, it does have a place and should be part of one's stock of tools, so to speak.

[reinux]

please keep making these videos. i absolutely love them. you're an awesome teacher.

[bigfatfoot]

I agree with you. The piece without vibrato sounds nicer because it has all the different (I don't know what to call it) articulation. Even if you add vibrato to a piece without any articulation, it still sounds 'dead' somehow. I am still learning violin and I'm at Suzuki book 3's humoresque. Even if I can't vibrato yet, I still enjoy playing it using more articulation or more feelings.

[Azuriitko]

I am still learning vibrato (it is hard for me and I learn it only from videos) but when I try to apply vibrato on tune, I prefer to use it only on few tones. Same as ornaments or speed or volume. I think that some songs are great with all theese things, but adequately. So I think the third play was best, but I prefer less vibrato.

[unitednerdsbeproud]

The second one was like a MIDI file :S

First one was more human, but no 'wow', or as much beauty as possible.

Third was :D

[ArtWithRob]

I think the first version is much deeper and more emotional, with the speeding up and slowing down. The second part with the vibrato sounded good but it was missing something. It sounded like a robot was playing it.

[SaileAway]

dad?

[AlexeiNguyen]

depends on the song, for real. I wouldn't wanna here Pirates of the Caribbean with vibrato...

[Amarynthine]

I actually like the first... but the third is helpful.

[CrazyIemon]

Obviously the 3rd was the best. But I liked the vibrato better. However, I will think about what you said.

[rhopen]

The mixed version is the best. Wish I could do it :o) -Ron

[pugh7755]

Without vibrato Greensleeves has a rustic/mournful quality, something associated with a civil war soldier playing in camp while thinking of loved ones at home. With vibrato only, it sounds too sweet (for lack of a better term). However, when shaping and vibrato are combined it has a more of a sophisticated sound (doesn't really mean better), something played during a formal gathering.

Personally, I think with shaping alone, it sounds more natural, appropriately mournful.

Great video, thanks.

[donalddark25]

I agree with everything you say and for 3rd example where you mixed both of them i still think there was a lot of unnecessary vibratos because in my opinion if a piece is played with only vibratos from start to the end the emotion you can give with vibrato disappears.I think using it only at some important parts of the piece makes it more meaningfull.I hope i could tell what i wanted to say with this english :).

[pugh7755]

@donalddark25 good point about using vibrato sparingly and not drowning the piece unnecessarily.

[ShaolinViolin]

thanks professor V. never thought about vibrato in this way. :)

[panthercat38]

I like vibrato in moderation, according to the song. It makes it sounds more like natural singing.

The first was better.

The second was standard. Good, but not unusual.

[danldunham]

This lesson is really why I like to even practice (viola) because to get to where I can emote some human sense, patho, sweet, inspiring etc. is my real goal.

[gbritaney]

This is very helpful thank you!

[jocatz34]

I think the perfect way to play that piece would be to combine the phrasing with the vibrato! That way you get the whole range of emotion. :)

[katesmeow]

First one sounded mournful... second one sounded like something you'd hear played in the intro of a film reproduction of a play... or something. Hah.

Very thoughtful/thought-provoking explanation. Thank you. :)

[VirtuosoMartin]

perfectly explained =D