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I am an adult learner, only just passed grade 2. Can anyone give any help, advise, suggestions re: learning vibrato? Would really appreciate any tips. I have a tutor who has explained it etc but I understand there are several types; arm, wrist or hand movement. Any thoughts on the best, guidance on exercises to learn it etc?
Thanks
Rob
...I'm an adult returner...still struggling with vibrato too...although it's finally starting to appear...
...I think I've managed a reasonably reliable wrist vibrato...but depending on who you talk to, this may or may not be good...I can do an arm vibrato too, but I have to shake the entire violin and it sounds awful and is completly unreliable, but I'm working on it...because I have to be able to do it at some point...
...if you prop the scroll of your violin againt the wall (carefully so it doesn't slip) you can practice (or get the feel) of ALL the vibratos...I've only done this a few times, but it's the only way I've been able to manage to get a feel of how my arm/wrist/finger SHOULD move and the resulting sound...
<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>
I find arm vibrato most reliable, even though I use mainly wrist vibrato. Arm vibrato gives you a nice even vibrato on both single notes and chords, while wrist vibrato can't do chords very well. I don't know how the finger vibrato works (can someone explain to me?) It's used for high positions where you can't move your whole hand.
For all types of vibrato, the most important thing is that you must be relaxed. A common misconception is that vibrato is something tense. You must be relaxed for you hand and fingers to be flexible, then you can move, then you can vibrate.
for arm and wrist vibrato, the goal is to roll your finger back and forth on the string in an oscillating motion. In arm vibrato this is achieved by using the elbow to move your whole forearm back and forth. Wrist is moving the wrist while your elbow doesn't move.
IF I hit a wrong key its becaus i kind of like it that way.
Vibratos give unique quality. I, myself use wrist vibrato. Way back, my teacher told me that putting vibrato is like knocking on the door. Harvey was right. You should be relaxed! Your fingers and the whole arm should not be stiff and it should be relaxed in order to make a good vibrato. Vibrato should not be harsh. It should be romantic but of course it depends on the piece or the period of music. I tried doing the arm vibrato, but it's not easy for me. I guess I need to practice it more.
One of my teachers told me to make my vibratos wide. Its like putting exaggeration on the vibrato. Every note should have vibrato (I'm playing a baroque piece by the way). Well, maybe that's just an exercise to have a good vibrato. Vibratos are largely used during the romantic period. Recently, I found this site. They are introducing this vibrato device that attaches to the violin and holds the violinist's wrist in the correct position and practise good vibrato technique.(www.vibratotrainer.com)
Be VERY relaxed. I shouldn't at all be posting for any stringed intsurment due to my recent and short lived try on a violin BUT the only thing i could do well was vibrato. I sortove stumbled onto it while trying to overcompensate for the lack of good finger placement at first but then after i got the fingers down i realized that when played on the right note it sounded really really good. I assume i used wrist. But when i really thought about polishing up my vibrato i started overthinking it and tensed up and poof* the romantic sound was gone replaced by a sore arm and a sloppy sound. When i just stopped overthinking it, it came back.
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