Vibrato: Beyond the Basics

From http://violinlab.com: Learning vibrato is a slow process, and requires dedication. Here are some important tips to improving the quality of your emergent vibrato.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• violin vibrato
• vibrato for violin
• learn violin vibrato
• how to violin vibrato

[ThatOneKid641]

Does finger length affect vibrato? I have short fingers and I can't do it

[violinlab]

@ThatOneKid641 I have short fingers too. Besides, it's the freely rocking motion of the hand that will roll the fingertip and create the vibrato sound. Having short fingers is not an impediment. Keep doing the exercises!

[padfoot92]

In the previous vibrato video you talked about the flexibility of your first knuckle. I was wondering though, how far back is your knuckle going to be rocking when you do it faster? Does the exageration of the finger motion change at all when your doing fast vibrato? Because I'm having a lot of trouble with that, expecially on my third finger.

[violinlab]

@padfoot92 The knuckle still has a generous amount of movement when going faster. The trick is developing the flexibility. Practice by starting the vibrato without any finger pressure, and slowly add pressure (10%..20%..etc.. over the course of weeks) until you still have that flexibility in the knuckle but you have the string almost fully pressed down. I am preparing to do some slow motion close-up vibrato videos. I'll post them on my channel when they're finished.

[darkworld97]

vibrato is basically the shift of pitch, and we do this by moving pressure from our finger tip to our finger "palm" correct? But what if our instrument is shaking slightly? is the vibrato completely wrong?

[violinlab]

@darkworld97 Usually, the "shaking" violin is caused by too much pressure with the thumb, and often between the thumb and the inside of the first finger. Yet, because the vibrato is such a large movement (and should be to be effective) it is natural that there is a pull/tug with the neck of the violin. When the thumb is relaxed, something else happens: the wiggly skin is the "shock absorber" for the movement. It moves and the violin doesn't.

[Anonyfication]

@xxmarjoryxx16 Vaibrato, vihbrato, tamayto, tomahto. Same damn thing. She pronounces it how she pronounces it, get over yourself.

[JohnnyStreets]

@xxmarjoryxx16 Both pronunciations are correct.

[Pizzaplanet101]

Both top comments are the person who reply a question. o.O

[JackInMilwaukeeWI]

@Anonyfication chill.

[2nosayno]

is it usually akward in the beginning

[Danofnj]

Another superb video...you're the best, thanks!!!

[Weststreetstar]

Thank you - a very helpful video. I'm a grade 5 adult learner and vibrato is likely to be the undoing of me. If my fiddle were alive I'd have accidentally strangled it by now! Tension tension tension. Your tips have helped me to work on relaxing and loosening up. Thanks for posting.

[elgatosucio]

I m speechless....the vibrato came right along with your explanaition about the thumb. I never paid attention to it and now it started to move, all my hand and arm. In another way of saying, the vibrato is ALSO with the thumb. You're great. thanks a lot.