The phenomenon of vibrato is often asked about by beginner and intermediate violinists that want to have more finesse to their sound. Nothing’s wrong with that, because it’s a powerful staple of every good violinist’s arsenal, and can easily make a beginner sound like a seasoned pro when done well.
As a violinist, you probably know that the violin is a sensitive instrument. Many little things can affect how you sound – external factors like temperature or humidity, as well as internal factors like small changes in focus or… dare i say… sweaty palms – and sometimes with dire consequences. However, it’s not all bad because often one small change can literally TRANSFORM an aspect of your playing.
This guide will train you in one of the most important techniques on the violin – vibrato. If you want to play the violin and move people with your sound, you’re going to have to know what vibrato is, and be good at using it.
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What is Vibrato? Why use it?
Vibrato is when a note is quickly and repeatedly sharpened and flattened. It creates a “back and forth” type of sound that gives off an exciting, emotional impression. That emotional impression is something that singers and almost all instrument players desire and train to be able to create.
The benefits of vibrato to sound are very distinct. First, it makes a note sound immediately more emotional, which has a huge impact on listeners. It adds color and excitement to every part of the piece you’re playing. Vibrato makes it almost impossible to sound boring to anyone.
Because of all of this, it’s now far easier to sound better while physically doing less on stage.
How to get started:
Many violinists struggle with vibrato because they begin learning it incorrectly. I did too. It took me a long time to figure out the ideal way to learn and perform it in a way that makes it look and feel easy without cutting corners. The most important thing about creating vibrato is setting yourself up for it.
The reason why setting up is most important is that you can prevent yourself from creating vibrato before you even start. Many violinists do. To ensure a great set-up, there are 2 main requirements that you should be following before you start.
- Your fingertip must be on the string (and not any other part of your finger. Just your fingertip.
- Your wrist must be straight. Yep, I’m serious. No lazy wrist here. If your wrist isn’t straight, it’ll force more of your finger to touch the string, failing the first requirement and causing your vibrato to suffer.
Now that you know how to set-up yourself for it, you’ll need to know how to actually perform it.
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First off, there are three main types of vibrato.
- Finger Vibrato
- Wrist Vibrato
- Arm Vibrato
Finger vibrato is created when you subtly press a bit harder on the string using your finger, and then relax the finger. Some violinists disagree on whether this is a true type of the technique, and to some, it’s the only one they know. In my opinion, this variation is good to know, but you shouldn’t depend on it.
To create wrist vibrato, you’ll bend your wrist away from you (causing the top of your hand to come toward you) while your finger is on the string, then let the wrist move back to its original position by relaxing it. As you do this quickly, you’ll hear the sound start to form.
To create the arm variation, you bring your entire forearm toward you while your finger is on the string, and let the forearm move back to its original position by relaxing it (or relaxing the bicep). Do this repeatedly, and voilà – you’ve made vibrato.
What’s the point of having different types of vibrato?
There are a few reasons:
- Emotion. Different aspects of vibrato change the emotions created by it, and different types carry different emotional impacts with them.
- Speed. Some types allow more speed than others, which carry a different emotion, and are more suitable for different tempos.
- Variability. Different types use different leverage points (arm, wrist, etc) that make it easier or harder to change the speed and style of vibrato you’re doing.
So, when should you use these types? Usually, if you’re aiming for a slower, more romantic phrase or piece, you’d opt for arm vibrato. Use it from the finger when you’re playing a fast piece or using a quick burst of vibrato. The wrist variation is by far the most variable and versatile. You can use it in almost any situation, and it’s effective in fast and moderately-paced pieces. The wrist variation can be a bit difficult to slow down, but it can be suitable in slow pieces too.
Quick Recap:
2 Vibrato Requirements:
- Fingertip on string, and fingertip alone.
- Wrist as straight as possible, yet relaxed.
3 Types of Vibrato:
- Finger Vibrato
- Wrist Vibrato
- Arm Vibrato
Performance Guideline: Contract to move the body part up, and then relax it to let it return to its original position. Vibrato is not a cycle of moving back and forth, but a cycle of contracting and relaxing.
I made a quick video on it here. There was barely much info on the web that wasn’t cluttered with unnecessary information, so I had to make my own video, even if it was a quick one.
There are many more walkthroughs and tips in my violin program, Supreme String Secrets. I’ve created and devoted that program to showing violinists and violists simple ways that they can make their instrument far easier than usually thought and sound amazing in the process. Get it here.