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Hi Violin Lab Amigos, The videos on vibrato have the instruction broken down to a number of doable, intermediary steps. One transition that I didn't see and I find myself struggling with is the loss of finger pressure on the string after a forward impulse. The sound I'm producing sounds more like tremolo with the tone turning on and off. I am trying to have relaxed fingers and am steering myself away from a solution that resembles a tighter grip. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks! 5 Responses Posted: November 18, 2015 Last Comment: November 19, 2015 |
Replies
 Michael Baumgardner Posted: November 19, 2015 |
Beth's video response was tremendously helpful for me. I've been working on vibrato for a number of months, but generally I've not been happy with the amplitude of the pitch change (which I track with Intonia). For whatever reason, I've not introduced a slight rocking motion in the wrist movement and have actually tried to keep the same motion as sliding. Just working with a slight variation in that movement as Beth described has really been immediately helpful. Some of these video responses are real gold! |
Posted: November 19, 2015 |
Hi Bryan, The step by step system as laid out in the videos does work. Take the time now to lay down a good foundation. Follow each step and try not to rush a head. Your vibrato will actually develop faster because you will not develop those bad habits which will be very hard to get rid of. We are establishing a muscle memory so that we can start using it unconsciously to express what we want in the piece of music we are playing. But before we get there we have to slow down and learn the basics. I was at the same spot and Beth helped me out with a video response. Different analogy but the out come will be the same. You'll get there. :))) |
 Beth Blackerby Posted: November 18, 2015 |
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Posted: November 18, 2015 |
Hello Bryan. I recall Beth explained the natural pressure release that Rustam is talking about. I was very concerned that I was doing something wrong until I read that. For me, if there is too much pressure release, I don't like the sound. It's subtle. My solution so far is to make sure I have all my shoulders relaxed and concentrate on the looseness of the finger tip. Also to practice both arm and wrist vibrato. It is similar to the advice of putting the weight of the arm into the bow: thinking about putting the weight of the arm into the left hand and not thinking about finger pressure. It's not a lot of weight, just that the pressure comes from the arm and not from squeezing fingers. I've not seen this advice anywhere, it's just a way of thinking about it that works for me. |
Posted: November 18, 2015 |
Hi Bryan, My understanding is that there is a slight release in finger pressure as you go away from the pitch. This happens on its own, though, as you speed up and I was taught to mainly concentrate on movement and looseness at the end knuckle of the vibrating finger as you do the vibrating motion (whether its hand or wrist, I tend towards wrist). Don't consciously think of a change in finger pressure. |