Hey all!
To any flute teachers out there, how have you taught pupils vibrato if they haven't developed it naturally? I have a few Grade 5s and although I attempted to start some work on vibrato a while ago, this seemed to fall on deaf ears so I decided to leave. Now of course, repertoire is starting to pretty much demand some vibrato....and I am struggling with explaining how to do it.

I have started with OTT diaphragm pulses, then trying to get them gradually more shallow ....but finding the right balance is hard.
I seemed to have developed it naturally myself and so was not really taught it from scratch.
Another pupil of mine has started to develop it naturally (to my great relief!) and this is great....but I just dont know what to do about the others!

Any tips would be gratefully received

FT xxxx

Hi

Im not a teacher but although Ive never been taught flute vibrato ive developed my own naturally and just use it here and there when i need it.

Ive never conciously analysed it so when I read your post I tried to do just that and analyse it - I played a note in vibrato and slowed it down and to a sort of "raw" state and this is how I would describe it - when breathing out I did it in exagerated short sharp huffs then I gradually reduced the exageration of the huff and slowly speeded it up and "smoothed" it out so it became a more of a subtle gentle wave in the outbreath rather than a huff until it became a vibrato. Im probably doing it completely wrong but it seems to work and sound ok for me. I hope this helps a little.

Don't let them develop it naturally by themselves, this causes people to have foul vibratos that soundl like bleating goats, to quote an ex teacher of mine. I always picture my vibrato as a curvy line, not rigid but really flowing and the vibrato has to go up and down over the line, without causing any bumps. Get them to start off doing this painfully slowly and gradually speed it up.
Sounds a bit confusing, but it really helped me
Sarah x

Although some develop a 'nanny-goat' vibrato, many players do develop a good, controlled vibrato on their own.

I haven't responded before, flutey toot, because you sound as if you're doing all the things I would. The missing ingredient is motivation and patience on behalf of the student. Some do not seem to care what sort of sound they are producing, and are not motivated to do the necessary practice. Those who want to produce a beautiful tone tend to work on their vibrato, and it doesn't take them very long to integrate it into their sound.

http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/vanclass/ubcclass.htm - the last clip on the left hand column is about vibrato.

If you have them doing diaphragm punches/pulses then I think the vibrato excerise should work for them if they repeat it a few times a day.

Thanks Andante! Yes, I think youre right- the pupil has to have the desire to improve her sound. Perhaps my pupils havent heard enough flute playing themselves and arent that aware of what vibrato even is? I must admit that with my earlier pupils I generally dont play with vibrato because I dont want to worry them or confuse them, but as they progress I then start using some when demonstrating.
i think I shall just do some diaphragm pulses with them until something happens!