I've been self-teaching for a few years and LOVE the sound of vibrato. Unfortunately, my 60-year-old hand does not seem to want to move that way or that quickly. I love your video and am going to try to practice this every day. As everyone else has already commented, it's the best explanation of how to accomplish vibrato that I've seen so far. And, believe me, I've watched a lot of them! Wish me luck!
I hear you say that you start with the pitch and then you go above it. A few comments about that: 1. Everything I've seen so far indicates you should go below the pitch. 2. If you start _on_ the pitch with your finger rotated normally with the pad on the string, there is vert little pad left for you to go above the pitch as you quickly hit nail. 3. What I hear you doing is actually going _below_ the pitch - regarless of what you previously said.
Yes, you are correct in many ways. There is a lot of nuance about the most effective way to move. To some extent, how you "think" about the vibrato, will sometimes not be reflected in the actual physics of what is happening but how you think about it can make all the difference. The most important aspect is to just move and to move consistently and evenly in a controlled manner. The metronome is your friend.
I'm so grateful for these videos because I'm spending all of my money on a violin, and don't have money for lessons right away, so these videos are so amazing for someone like me. ❤
Some people just find it fun clicking the thumb down icon at kv's video when they are just so good easy to understand and helpful. I think he should have more followers and subscribers than this. Upstairs saying
OK! -- I shall try! Sometimes I think I'm a nut for thinking that I, at age 59, can actually learn to play the violin. Thank you for your helpful videos. - Leslie
Great! Just remember it's a process. There isn't an "arrival" necessarily. The only arrival moment will be when you set an exact goal. For example, I want to play this or that piece. As long as you are consistent with your practice, it's only a matter of time before you get there. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this video! I’m a beginner and have no teacher right now so your videos are very very helpful to me! 😁👍 (I also got my first violin from Kennedy Violins and I love it!)
This is the best vibrato video I’ve seen, it has helped me a lot! I think I’ve finally “got it” ! I’m excited to develop it further. Thank you for all your great videos.
Thank you for this video for practicing vibrato. After seeing so many videos I find this really really helpful. Its for 11 years old daughter, Ashmita, learning violin for last two years. Now under lockdown has no teacher. She is trying to learn vibrato from CZcams. I really liked the logical way of your teaching. Thank you
Well, that's very kind of you to say! The best vibrato in my opinion is Pinckas Zukermann. You should listen to his Brahms sonatas. They are amazing. I attended Eastman school of music. I'm out of shape these days. My vibrator used to be much better. 🥺
Excellent 👍 one question: what is the pressure you exercise on the string with a relaxed hand? If I relax my hand the finger needs some weight on the string isn't it? Please clarify that. Thank you very much for all your work!
Thanks Joel! Straight pinkie is fixed. Initially I was doing worse when I switched to bend pinkie (tone) but was adamant to stick to it (thanks to you for tickling my resolve by saying ‘it is easier said than done’ 😀), getting better now. Asking my son to try to switch to right bow hold as well. Next is vibrato. Vibrato has turned out to be one of the toughest thing I ever tried to learn. However, your video is helping in big way. Now getting closer. Feeling very happy today as now it is somewhat coming. I see hope on the other side of the tunnel.
That's awesome to hear! Let us know if you have any questions once it arrives and let me know if you have any ideas of more vids to make. Happy practicing!
@@KennedyViolins it came in and it is so amazing words can't give it the justice it deserves!! I do have a video idea actually :D one thing I have been having trouble with is where to put my fingering hand on the neck of the violin. I put it right under the tuning box but still find it hard reaching over to the G string to finger lol so a video on where to put your hand would be amazing!! 😍🙏🏼
Hi ..I have found your video very helpful for practicing vibrato. I am also looking for video lesson on spiccato and colle. Please give the link if you already have these video lessons.. Thank so much.
Great exercise, thank you! I'm de-cluttering (CZcams can be useful but overwhelming and confusing at times!), and focusing on this exercise for the next few weeks. The main reason is that I can see how this would work, and I appreciate how gradual it is. One quick question... during the exercise, what is it that moves the finger? Is it the wrist itself (with everything else being a 'passive passenger' so to speak), the knuckle nearest the fingerboard (I think that's what is referred to as finger vibrato?), something else (perhaps the base knuckle or the hand?), some kind of favourable wind? :-D Many thanks again!!
Oh by the way, I do appreciate there are different types of vibrato, and you said you wouldn't get into that. I was just wondering what you were doing during the exercise demonstration. Obviously, it's not an arm vibrato, but other than that, I cannot really tell. Thanks!
@@SeasickSailor76 To put it simply, the hand is moving and the finger is stationary, so this rocks the finger back and forth. Nothing is "locked" and it's important that everything is fluid and does not have tension. Just looking at how the hand moves, may be the best indicator though. Think of a string that is attached to the second knuckle of every finger and it's pulling the fingers towards your face and the hand moves along with it. 👍
Hah! Funny thing... I had forgotten I said I'd report back in a couple of months. I just thought it was time for an update, and it's actually been a couple of months. UPDATE: I've been doing the exercise pretty much daily. I've probably missed 5-6 days in total (but not in a row). Each day I practiced until I ran out of time or until my wrist got tired (5-10mins). Some days I practiced 2-3 times a day at different points. I started at 62bpm and did not go up until I was comfortable at each speed. OBSERVATIONS: - I always went up in steps of 5bpm but I got stuck between 82 and 87bpm. At that point I went up by increments of 1bpm. Not sure why, but it only happened at that speed. After that I have been going up by 5bpm. - At around 117/122bpm, I noticed a change in my vibrato when playing pieces. Not quite sure what happened... it was like a switch. I think my vibrato loosened, and I got the first knuckle to respond more easily to the wrist movement. - I'd be done by now if I didn't have a pinky! 😆 - I just got to 132bpm. Time for the shifting! 😬 - Really looking forward to the next couple of months! Thank you!!
May I ask a question about your great instruction? You said you go above the pitch with the vibrato but in fact you go below the pitch. I guess how you do it what I'll follow.
Yes, it's true that there are two schools of thought on this. You either vibrato up to the note or you start below the note and slightly above them back to the original pitch. The fact the matter is, even though people have their own opinions on this, a lot of people don't notice that they do both. And which one you do is kind of determined by the kind of sound that you're trying to create. I think I do this as well and I didn't demonstrate it very well in this video. The main point of video though is that you want to practice your vibrato with a consistent even motion that is something you're in control of when you're learning it. This is the best thing you can do to start learning vibrato.
@@KennedyViolins Thank you so much for your reply and discussing the different types of vibrato. I was very surprised about going above the pitch because that's what I do naturally, and I always thought it's wrong. It's the most spontaneous movement for me. So I was really glad that you mentioned it.
Yes, it's pretty common. Although it's important not to do it excessively and you always have to go back to the "intune" pitch. In other words, the intune portion needs to be the dominant part of however you vibrato. Otherwise you're just playing flat or sharp!@@christianemichelberger8245
So, to be clear…sometimes it seams you are rolling the finger pad from side to side and other times it’s front of pad to back of pad. (Which I absolutely cannot do well at all.) Is one method preferred?
Well, I suppose the best answer and most common way to explain the movement would be "pad to the side". However, I don't know that this is the most important question to answer. You really should be focused on having "control" of the movement with a metronome and changing the pitch during that movement. Focus on speeding it up with a metronome in a controlled manner. Perhaps you are above or below the pitch, blah blah blah. Sure, everybody has their opinion but don't get lost in the details. Just focus on changing the pitch in a controlled and methodical manner. Do this with a metronome and be in control and you WILL have functional vibrato. Promise...
I haven't actually watched other vibrato videos on CZcams. The way that I teach it in this video is pretty much standard across most u.s. conservatories but if other videos are teaching to move your hand towards the nut then I understand. This is probably a much simpler approach and while not technically correct, it's probably more useful to most people. Perhaps I should have taken that approach. Thanks for the comment!
I'm a beginner, have taken some lessons but wanted to know is it better to use your wrist and roll the finger back and forth or bend the finger back and forth on that first joint to get the sound? Thanks for all of your video's Joel, very helpful
@@michaelmclaughlin6345 Yes, you are NOT bending the string. You are merely changing the contact patch of your finger on the string in a very small way.
I understand the exercise but I don't understand the mechanic of the vibrato and this video doesn't seem to explain it. Am I moving the whole hand, does my thumb move as well, am I sliding the finger up and down the string or am i just rolling the finger pad up the string? Can you explain the basics of the movement of the left hand?
About 4 minutes in, is probably the place to see the movement but you are moving the hand and not anything else. Not the thumb and not the finger. You are rocking the finger on the pad. Hope that helps!
@@KennedyViolins when I first tried vibrato my right hand wanted to do tremolo so I knew it was too early for me to try it but now I have all the notes in first position and no stickers on my violin and good intonation I am ready to try vibrato now
I've been self-teaching for a few years and LOVE the sound of vibrato. Unfortunately, my 60-year-old hand does not seem to want to move that way or that quickly. I love your video and am going to try to practice this every day. As everyone else has already commented, it's the best explanation of how to accomplish vibrato that I've seen so far. And, believe me, I've watched a lot of them! Wish me luck!
I wish you luck. I need it too.
HI there just wondering how you made out practizing the vibrato since it is two years ago?
I hear you say that you start with the pitch and then you go above it. A few comments about that:
1. Everything I've seen so far indicates you should go below the pitch.
2. If you start _on_ the pitch with your finger rotated normally with the pad on the string, there is vert little pad left for you to go above the pitch as you quickly hit nail.
3. What I hear you doing is actually going _below_ the pitch - regarless of what you previously said.
Yes, you are correct in many ways. There is a lot of nuance about the most effective way to move. To some extent, how you "think" about the vibrato, will sometimes not be reflected in the actual physics of what is happening but how you think about it can make all the difference. The most important aspect is to just move and to move consistently and evenly in a controlled manner. The metronome is your friend.
I'm so grateful for these videos because I'm spending all of my money on a violin, and don't have money for lessons right away, so these videos are so amazing for someone like me. ❤
Also I 😂
Wow I’ve been thru so many lessons on vibrato techniques, and yours are the easiest to understand and to follow!
Sweet, thanks!!
Some people just find it fun clicking the thumb down icon at kv's video when they are just so good easy to understand and helpful. I think he should have more followers and subscribers than this. Upstairs saying
I think this in one of most intelligent exercizes for vibrato I've ever learnt....
Thank you, I am a beginner and I have started trying vibrato with a metronome in 60!! My hand hurts but I can see how good your video is. thank you
The best tutorial for vibrato on youtube that I ever seen !
OK! -- I shall try! Sometimes I think I'm a nut for thinking that I, at age 59, can actually learn to play the violin. Thank you for your helpful videos. - Leslie
Great! Just remember it's a process. There isn't an "arrival" necessarily. The only arrival moment will be when you set an exact goal. For example, I want to play this or that piece. As long as you are consistent with your practice, it's only a matter of time before you get there. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this video! I’m a beginner and have no teacher right now so your videos are very very helpful to me! 😁👍 (I also got my first violin from Kennedy Violins and I love it!)
I'm so glad to hear that! Let me know if there are any other videos you want to see. Happy practicing!
Hey hey hey what kinda violin is it and how much was it?????? Cuz my violin is crap( but i love my violin. My violin My bae)
These practice videos have been great. Thank you!
Cool. Glad you like them. Happy practicing and let me know what else you want to see :) More to come!
Thanks a lot I like your lessons
Sweet. I'll keep going!
This is the best vibrato video I’ve seen, it has helped me a lot! I think I’ve finally “got it” ! I’m excited to develop it further. Thank you for all your great videos.
Awesome. That's great to hear! Thanks for letting me know. 👍
It worked!
Holy smokes!
Very good explanation! I will follow you.
Thank you for this video for practicing vibrato.
After seeing so many videos I find this really really helpful. Its for 11 years old daughter, Ashmita, learning violin for last two years. Now under lockdown has no teacher. She is trying to learn vibrato from CZcams. I really liked the logical way of your teaching. Thank you
That's great! That's great to hear and thanks for letting me know!
You have the most satisfying viola vibrato I've ever heard. Who did you study with?
Well, that's very kind of you to say! The best vibrato in my opinion is Pinckas Zukermann. You should listen to his Brahms sonatas. They are amazing. I attended Eastman school of music. I'm out of shape these days. My vibrator used to be much better. 🥺
Oh I am so close and yet so far. It drive me CRAZY. It's helping though, I'm self taught so...
Keep up the good fight!
This is a really helpful approach, thank you. I think this will suit me and will report back!
Very excellent ! Thank you so much
Excellent 👍 one question: what is the pressure you exercise on the string with a relaxed hand? If I relax my hand the finger needs some weight on the string isn't it?
Please clarify that. Thank you very much for all your work!
I have never seen that explained or done before, wow thinks.
Thanks Joel! Straight pinkie is fixed. Initially I was doing worse when I switched to bend pinkie (tone) but was adamant to stick to it (thanks to you for tickling my resolve by saying ‘it is easier said than done’ 😀), getting better now. Asking my son to try to switch to right bow hold as well. Next is vibrato. Vibrato has turned out to be one of the toughest thing I ever tried to learn. However, your video is helping in big way. Now getting closer. Feeling very happy today as now it is somewhat coming. I see hope on the other side of the tunnel.
Glad the videos help. Learning a lot of these techniques is truly a lifelong journey!
My violin from you guys Is coming in the mail on Friday can't wait!!!
That's awesome to hear! Let us know if you have any questions once it arrives and let me know if you have any ideas of more vids to make. Happy practicing!
@@KennedyViolins it came in and it is so amazing words can't give it the justice it deserves!! I do have a video idea actually :D one thing I have been having trouble with is where to put my fingering hand on the neck of the violin. I put it right under the tuning box but still find it hard reaching over to the G string to finger lol so a video on where to put your hand would be amazing!! 😍🙏🏼
@@zane3556 Hmmmm... that's a good idea. I'll do a video on left hand placement. Thanks!
Your videos are so helpful. Please don't stop.
1-3:00
Hi ..I have found your video very helpful for practicing vibrato.
I am also looking for video lesson on spiccato and colle. Please give the link if you already have these video lessons..
Thank so much.
Great exercise, thank you! I'm de-cluttering (CZcams can be useful but overwhelming and confusing at times!), and focusing on this exercise for the next few weeks. The main reason is that I can see how this would work, and I appreciate how gradual it is.
One quick question... during the exercise, what is it that moves the finger? Is it the wrist itself (with everything else being a 'passive passenger' so to speak), the knuckle nearest the fingerboard (I think that's what is referred to as finger vibrato?), something else (perhaps the base knuckle or the hand?), some kind of favourable wind? :-D Many thanks again!!
Oh by the way, I do appreciate there are different types of vibrato, and you said you wouldn't get into that. I was just wondering what you were doing during the exercise demonstration. Obviously, it's not an arm vibrato, but other than that, I cannot really tell. Thanks!
... and I just noticed my question had already been answered in the comments. Apologies! I should have looked first.
@@SeasickSailor76 To put it simply, the hand is moving and the finger is stationary, so this rocks the finger back and forth. Nothing is "locked" and it's important that everything is fluid and does not have tension. Just looking at how the hand moves, may be the best indicator though. Think of a string that is attached to the second knuckle of every finger and it's pulling the fingers towards your face and the hand moves along with it. 👍
@@KennedyViolins That's really useful!! Thanks! I'll report back in a couple of months. 😄
Hah! Funny thing... I had forgotten I said I'd report back in a couple of months. I just thought it was time for an update, and it's actually been a couple of months.
UPDATE: I've been doing the exercise pretty much daily. I've probably missed 5-6 days in total (but not in a row). Each day I practiced until I ran out of time or until my wrist got tired (5-10mins). Some days I practiced 2-3 times a day at different points. I started at 62bpm and did not go up until I was comfortable at each speed.
OBSERVATIONS:
- I always went up in steps of 5bpm but I got stuck between 82 and 87bpm. At that point I went up by increments of 1bpm. Not sure why, but it only happened at that speed. After that I have been going up by 5bpm.
- At around 117/122bpm, I noticed a change in my vibrato when playing pieces. Not quite sure what happened... it was like a switch. I think my vibrato loosened, and I got the first knuckle to respond more easily to the wrist movement.
- I'd be done by now if I didn't have a pinky! 😆
- I just got to 132bpm. Time for the shifting! 😬
- Really looking forward to the next couple of months!
Thank you!!
May I ask a question about your great instruction? You said you go above the pitch with the vibrato but in fact you go below the pitch. I guess how you do it what I'll follow.
Yes, it's true that there are two schools of thought on this. You either vibrato up to the note or you start below the note and slightly above them back to the original pitch. The fact the matter is, even though people have their own opinions on this, a lot of people don't notice that they do both. And which one you do is kind of determined by the kind of sound that you're trying to create. I think I do this as well and I didn't demonstrate it very well in this video. The main point of video though is that you want to practice your vibrato with a consistent even motion that is something you're in control of when you're learning it. This is the best thing you can do to start learning vibrato.
@@KennedyViolins Thank you so much for your reply and discussing the different types of vibrato. I was very surprised about going above the pitch because that's what I do naturally, and I always thought it's wrong. It's the most spontaneous movement for me. So I was really glad that you mentioned it.
Yes, it's pretty common. Although it's important not to do it excessively and you always have to go back to the "intune" pitch. In other words, the intune portion needs to be the dominant part of however you vibrato. Otherwise you're just playing flat or sharp!@@christianemichelberger8245
So, to be clear…sometimes it seams you are rolling the finger pad from side to side and other times it’s front of pad to back of pad. (Which I absolutely cannot do well at all.) Is one method preferred?
Well, I suppose the best answer and most common way to explain the movement would be "pad to the side". However, I don't know that this is the most important question to answer. You really should be focused on having "control" of the movement with a metronome and changing the pitch during that movement. Focus on speeding it up with a metronome in a controlled manner. Perhaps you are above or below the pitch, blah blah blah. Sure, everybody has their opinion but don't get lost in the details. Just focus on changing the pitch in a controlled and methodical manner. Do this with a metronome and be in control and you WILL have functional vibrato. Promise...
Interesting the other how to vibrato videos I have seen all suggest that you should rock your finger towards the nut. But you advise the other way
I haven't actually watched other vibrato videos on CZcams. The way that I teach it in this video is pretty much standard across most u.s. conservatories but if other videos are teaching to move your hand towards the nut then I understand. This is probably a much simpler approach and while not technically correct, it's probably more useful to most people. Perhaps I should have taken that approach. Thanks for the comment!
How do you vibrate a string on the violin?
Draw your bow on it or pluck it. :)
Knew its a viola 😎
I'm a beginner, have taken some lessons but wanted to know is it better to use your wrist and roll the finger back and forth or bend the finger back and forth on that first joint to get the sound? Thanks for all of your video's Joel, very helpful
So your not actually bending the string, just rolling the finger up and down between notes. It's not like a guitar. Is that correct? Thank you
@@michaelmclaughlin6345 Yes, you are NOT bending the string. You are merely changing the contact patch of your finger on the string in a very small way.
@@MrViolaracer392 Thank you
I understand the exercise but I don't understand the mechanic of the vibrato and this video doesn't seem to explain it. Am I moving the whole hand, does my thumb move as well, am I sliding the finger up and down the string or am i just rolling the finger pad up the string? Can you explain the basics of the movement of the left hand?
About 4 minutes in, is probably the place to see the movement but you are moving the hand and not anything else. Not the thumb and not the finger. You are rocking the finger on the pad. Hope that helps!
Viola 🔥
I sure want to add vibrato to my playing.
Just practice a little everyday and you'll get it! 👍
@@KennedyViolins when I first tried vibrato my right hand wanted to do tremolo so I knew it was too early for me to try it but now I have all the notes in first position and no stickers on my violin and good intonation I am ready to try vibrato now
@@AmandaViolinGirl you just have to practice the motion slowly, then use a metronome to build speed. It takes time but it will work. Promise! 👍