Can I join too?

I'm just starting to learn although my teacher hasn't showed me how to do it yet. We are working through the exercises in 'Viva Vibrato'. Has anyone used it?? I think it would be great if I was younger...

I looked at that but didn't find it very helpful.
I want to know how to stop my fingers sliding up the fingerboard...

W

Do you think that your problem with your fingers sliding up the fingerboard is due to a lack of flexibility in the fingers?

I know various excercises that improve flexibility in the fingers. There is a good vibrato excersice in Kievmann's book "Practicing the Viola Mentally and Physically' which is designed to make the first finger joint more flexible. If you think this sort of excercise might help I could give you more information about them.

Talking of exercises I've found I've been walking around with one of my left hand fingers sitting in the palm of my right hand and rocking it to and fro trying to make the finger joints do all the moving. It's quite hard to relax the finger and push from the arm rather than move the finger by it's own muscles. But it's helping.

It's quite good for getting the 'feel' of flexing that finger though my fourth finds it quite hard. I was doing this yesterday while walking the dogs

I'm confused! I've been away on holiday, so I haven't touched my violin for nearly 3 weeks. I had a violin lesson yesterday, my teacher said that when she saw me last month, I was doing arm vibrato and yesterday I was doing hand vibrato. But whatever I was doing, I thought it looked the same. I'm still developing my vibrato, so I'm experimenting plus I have lessons once a month which is not ideal cos I get into bad habits! My teacher said people are generally good at one or the other and that the hand/wrist vibrato is more natural to me. Is this true? You can only be good at one? That sounds a bit strange to me, I thought you should learn all styles and be good at them.

Does anyone know what are the advantages of arm vs hand vibrato? Which is better and used more often? I tried searching the internet but I can't find any useful information, all I found from various site were:
- Viola players tend to use arm vibrato cos it's wider
- The arm vibrato is slower and used for slower music, wrist is faster
- Wrist vibrato is more common
- You can't use arm vibrato in the higher positions
Is any of this true?

Thanks in advance!

Actually, you use arm vibrato in high positions because your wrist is already stretched forward and you can't roll it backwards! Some people use finger vibrato in high positions as well. Can anyone confirm that?

same with me, when i tried my grandma's violin and tried to do vibrato, the whole violin began shake.. hehehe after that i returned my grandma's violin and never tried it again..

good luck with the vibrato!

Does anyone practice vibrato with a metronome??

I mean one pitch per beat, then quavers, then semi-quavers and so on... rocking the vibrato in strict time getting faster and faster?...

..or do you all 'wobble' randomly????

I'm trying to control the vibrato now I've vaguely got the action but it's nowhere near being under control... if I'm quick enough to get it in anyway!

Also I saw in http://www.violinmasterclass.com/ That you're supposed to do 'quarter' pitch vibrato, then 'half-pitch' vibrato etc.... what amazing control over how far you 'rock'!!!!

I have definitely got the vibrato action... but I can only do it quite slowly and on some notes I can't do it at all without shaking the violin. Is this normal? Also, my vibrato comes from the wrist- how on earth do you do arm vibrato

In answer to lottie, my 'vibrato' (it's not quite there yet) is both random and to the metronome... my teacher advised me to practise it first of all to the metronome so I've been doing that- although metronomes are evil little critters!

I was beginning to feel I was the only person still struggling with this... I can do it on 2nd finger if I'm having a very good day but then only if I'm standing in front of the mirror. I certainly can't use it in context yet...

W

Yes, it's the 'in context' bit I'm sticking on - I can pick up the violin and play any one note with vibrato but trying to do it in the middle of a piece is really hard.... if I do try it my bowing goes wonky, or my left arm slips out, or my eyes cross!!! One day I'm hoping to pull it all together.

I'm struggling with vibrato too!

I can do what sounds like vibrato (and looks like it!) but it doesn't actually make my finger joint move so isn't right. Does anybody know what I mean?!

I'm working through the Viva Vibrato book and have got stuck half way through. In my lesson today ALL we did was vibrato exercises...and it still hasn't come!! I've tried relaxing my hand and getting my finger joints to move but I just can't get everything working together without moving my wrist! Can anyone give me any tips?? I've watched all the professorV and violin masterclass videos and nothing is helping

All I want for christmas is vibrato...

I've always learned and read that it's best to be able to do finger, wrist and arm vibrato so you can use the most appropriate technique at the time not to just concentrate on finger vibrato.
I find that I use wrist vibrato mostly in first position or for first finger and more often use finger vibrato in higher postitions.

Yes, but how do you DO arm vibrato? I can't even attempt it without making a hash of it! Finger and wrist I get.

SO.....
any of you achieved your vibrato since this thread was started back in september 2007??
any updates?

Not really. Although I understand the principles etc, the skin on my fingertips seems to be very dry and shiny so I find it almost impossible to stop my finger from sliding on the string...

W

I can totally simpathise with that, my fingers are VERY dry and shiny just like you say, for example, I can NEVER open a carrier bag at the supermarket as my fingers have NO grip whatsoever, I must also be 'fingerprint-less' as I never leave a finger mark on anything I touch!!!
and just like you my fingertip slides on the violin rather than sticking slightly and allow the joint to bend!
maybe we should apply some cream to moisten our fingers before we play?? or would that 'damage' the violin???

I've managed to get my finger to stick to the string but my hand is still quite stiff. However my vibrato, although slow, is quite even now and I'm starting to work on the more difficult fingers (like fourth on the G string )

If you can make your hand really floppy it helps the finger 'stick'

Has anyone tried putting rosin on their fingertips??

W

Try practising rolling your finger on your other hand when you have a free moment - roll it back and forth sowly at first, then gradually quicker...
That's what my teacher got me to do, anyway Just make sure it doesn't turn into a cellist's sideways vibrato, unless of course you happen to be a cellist.

Do people tend to do finger, wrist or arm vibrato?

my fingertips slide even when I place them on the palm of my other hand or or any other object!
and no, have not tried rosin on my fingers

Finger vibrato is what I would assume

Even though I have not done an exam on the new sylabuss I do know taht you do not have to do vibrato but it is a big help, and can get you more points, as you are not just playing the notes, but playing it musically.

I did vibarto during my grade 3 exam, a couple of years ago. I also did it at grade 4.

Just to confirm: no actual need for it but it does help.

Vibrato is one of those things that are hard to teach, my teacher doesn't want to help me improve vibrato as it is not as important as learning technique, dynamics etc...

I think it just comes with time. Just try doing on a coupleof notes over and over and over. Does this for a month or so and you should see yourself doing better vibrato.

Alsop what scurra said is a very good tip. My teacher suggest I do that in my own time at home. Just 5 minutes a day for a couple fo weeks will help a lot.

A BIT off topic but I have to say this: I LOVE your nickname 'Violin Hero'

I like to think I am a hero becuase at my school out of 380 kids i'm the only to play violin. But in reality i'm a normal violinist, grade 6. Doubt I could ever get a diploma on violin or naything but I'd love top get to grade 8 standard before I leave school in Jly 2009.

Indeed a 'Hero' then
and a grade 8 for next year could be on the cards with dedication and lots of practice, give it a go!
I am going to MAKE myself do 5 minutes of vibrato exercises a day from today, I have 'evaded' the subject too long now...it's just that whenever I do a vibrato exercise I am so USELESS I don't want to do it anymore, but I keep forgetting that without doing them I will stay useless!
So how about that for next year you do your grade 8 and I do my grade 5 with outstanding vibrato???
Let's go for it!!

If you find a cure for shiny fingers, please pass it on...

W

Willobie,
I might be brave and try some moisturising cream before I play (not sure if that will be bad for the fingerboard though, so I will only put a tiny bit on and make sure it is well absorbed before I start playing, it does help me open the sainsbury's carrier bags whenever I do it prior to my shopping trip )

I still can't do it

Lol

[/quote]
I like to think I am a hero becuase at my school out of 380 kids i'm the only to play violin. But in reality i'm a normal violinist, grade 6. Doubt I could ever get a diploma on violin or naything but I'd love top get to grade 8 standard before I leave school in Jly 2009.
[/quote]

Well seeing as I just joined an orchetsra in Euston, I will have to practice a lot more. 2 long pieces of music amd that is not evn half of what we are peforming on 10th July for our summer concert.

remeber everyone be available to come to the learning orchestra concert on the 10th July 2008 in Euston.

Talking of vibrato....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOWsyoTQOxg...feature=related

ulp

Wow, that's amazing. I don't know how these little kids do it.

This video is brilliant too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEgb4G071oc

Makes me want to practice more!