Violin Vibrato Tips

Subject: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Feb 16 - 11:32 PM

Over the years, I have tried to play vibrato on my violin but have never had any success. My hand and wrist are too tight. I'd try and give up...try again later and give up again. I've started watching some YouTube videos about how to do this and I wondered if anyone here had any tips that they might share?

Thanks so much,

Michelle

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: GUEST,#
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 12:47 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BENXYt2c10

See if anything there is useful to you, Michelle.

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 03:06 AM

This might help...??

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: GUEST,Henry piper of Ottery
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 04:48 AM

If your in the England, don't bother !! most traditional English style fiddling used little or no vibrato !!

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 08:16 AM

If your in the England, don't bother !! most traditional English style fiddling used little or no vibrato !!

I'm in England and we play an eclectic mixture of traditional styles at the sessions I go to. There are several delightful waltzes and slow airs that benefit from the judicious use of vibrato. My vibrato technique is such that I normally switch from the fiddle to the mandolin when we play those tunes. Just because I can get away without vibrato for most of the time, is no reason why I shouldn't stretch my technique to include something that adds warmth and colour when used at the right time.

DC

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 10:29 AM

I've frequently heard Fiddler's using finger-vibrato at the (mostly Lincs/North Lincs) sessions I've played at.

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 11:27 AM

You don't need a violin to practice, and it really does help in learning the motion and how to relax the parts of the hand that need to be relaxed.

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 01:37 PM

Please don't misunderstand me! I was not implying that you should NOT use vibrato, but rather pointing out that most traditional English Fiddlers, used little or no vibrato, so you should not feel guilty or inadequate if you don't.
I appreciate that many modern fiddle players have been more formally trained than historical fiddlers such as "Jinky" Wells or Charles Benfield or the various Baldwins, from Gloucestershire and the Welsh borders, and it is not surprising that they make more use of vibrato than the fiddlers of years gone by.

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 01:41 PM

One of the problems I had when I first tried adding vibrato was that, as I was gripping the fiddle too tightly, I was moving the whole instrument back and forth rather than rocking the finger on the fingerboard. A tip I picked up at a workshop was to stand close to and facing a wall. With the scroll resting against the wall, the fiddle is trapped (gently) between the chin and the wall, keeping it still. Well adjusted chin and shoulder rests will support the fiddle and allow the left hand to be more relaxed.

Even after following these tips, vibrato is still a technique I am having to work on.

DC

Subject: RE: Violin Vibrato Tips
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Feb 16 - 01:51 PM

It's a difficult technique on the guitar too - the 'backwards/forwards' technique barely works because the positions of the frets are fixed, so it's more an 'up & down' motion, which takes some serious getting used to. Clapton describes it as 'shaking hands with the neck'.