String Clinic

Efl Devoloping Violin Vibrato

by Jerrie Lucktenberg
third position by the third book. All things considered, it is better to begin vibrato training too soon than too
1ate.

ll

intermediate string stu-

the note as sharp.

correct vibrato

dents should develop a beautiful vibrato. Through teach-

er demonstrations and listening to

performances by great artists, youngsters will develop a concept of good sound. Violists and violinists often struggle to learn vibrato although in

The left hand should remain flex-

ible, particularly in the joints nearest the nails. Flexibility combined with strength at the knuckles is the basis for a well-controlled vibrato.

should go from the pitch to below and back up. With lower strings and lower pitches, a wider vibrato is appropriate; higher pitches should have a nar-

rower and faster motion because pitches are closer together in the
higher registers. Many students have not discovered these nuances and tend to sound sharp.

Vibrato entails coordination of hand, arm, and finger. Students

should master and combine all three

to

produce different moods, using

slower technique {or dolce passages' and increasing speed and width to

build excitement. Players should learn hand vibrato first because it is the most relaxed,

with an impulse from the back of the hand. Students can begin by setting the hand in third position with the
heel placed against the ribs of the in-

strument so the wrist cannot move

point for many students. As they

learn to shift positions easily and produce a beautiful sound with good intonation, they are motivated to con-

my experience this stage is a turning

the great Baroque performers enhanced the expressive qualities of

compositions by using vibrato as an ornament. In the early part of this century, Jascha Heifetz used a steady'

ln the first half of the 18th century

back and forth. Then they should wave the left hand toward the face without touching the strings. The thumb should remain stationary with the fingers loose and relaxed. Make sure that the base of the first finger moves freely along the neck rather than clamping to it in opposition to
thumb pressure. Clutching the instru' ment between the thumb and base of
the first finger commonly prevents the development of a beautiful vibrato.

tinue studying.
abandon lessons.

lf

frustrarion over-

whelms all efforts to make the instru-

ment sing, they are more likely to

rapid vibrato. More recently lsaac Stern and ltzhak Perlman vary the speed and width of the vibrato for a
wider palette of tone colors. Too often students use vibrato to mask intonation problems instead of for artistic purposes. Some students develop an even vibrato and use it without ever exploring the different tones and tim'

\fhile teaching correct violin and bow positions, many teachers overlook the physical tension that leads to rigid muscles and locked joints. This
problem hinders progress and leads to tendonitis. Teachers should watch

that students do not develop faulty

habits. Teachers should introduce vibrato when a student has the hand strength, coordination, and motivation to learn this skill. Most teachers wait until a child has a well-shaped left-hand position, good intonation in the first posi-

tion, and can play in third position. String methods usually introduce
37
THETNSTRUMENTALTsT/ MAY 1994

bres that can range from luscious warmth to shimmering lustre. \Vhen asked to describe how vibrato should affect a pitch, the majority of young violinists incorrectly reply that it ought to move above and below the pitch. The ear will invariably pick the highest pitch in a vibrato cycle, so if tone goes both above and below the pitch, listeners will perceive

A reflexive, cyclical motion pro' duces good vibrato. Students can begin by simply waving the hand
slowly; when fingers are placed on the string, slow-motion practice will train

muscles correctly. The fingertip should roll evenly and consistently

along the length of the string without

turning or rotating the hand. Because good vibrato begins and ends on the

times before stopping naturally. Ppaitice with the bow after a few initial ex-

desired pitch, the striking finger should land on the note in a curved
position and ro11 backward, flattening the joint nearest the nail and returning to the curved position.

periments. Coordinate

the

vibrato

with the start of the bow stroke, and

do not force a continuing vibrato. Encourage players to feel a quick and easy vibrato impulse. A sustained vibrato will develop as a series of these impulses. Some students begin or end vibrato with a spastic, jerky motion

but can conquer this problem by using a simple etude played with a measured vibrato on alternating notes.
Wohl

fahrt , Op. 43 No. 3l

tion of the index finger,

After establishing the correct

mostudents

D
1

\
I

should practice this rhythmic routine on each finger, even the pinky, begin-

strings.

ning with the more comfortable ln crossing to the lower

t\ 33

strings, the left elbow should move further to the left and under the instrument; the opposite occurs on the higher srrings. This elbow motion is important in maintaining a balanced hand and can only happen if there is

mobility in the left shoulder, rather than a tight grip between shoulder
and jaw. The motion of the left elbow

DN A
faster vibrato can be based on triplet rhythm.
a

Long fingernails make good vibrato technique nearly impossible. Give students the choice of clipping the nails immediately or returning for a lesson when the left hand nails are as short
as possible.

To strengthen muscles and build

vi

when changing strings parallels the lifting and lowering of the right elbow, which should keep the right upper arm on a plane with the bow. The right arm should move higher for the lower strings and relax nearer to the body when approaching the E string. \Vhen students are proficient on this exercise, they should increase the vibrato speed.

n\ 33
11

brato speed, students should begin

with the index finger in third position on D with the finger curved ar both joints, indicated by a[, and Cf with the finger rolled back into a flattenedjoint p-sition, indicated by u N. . Th" other fingers should be in a relaxed playing position. I use rhythms to develop control and to provide repeti-

!N !\

!\

trN

AJ

g -

:
DN

33

tion with variety.

Students should learn to change bow direction without stopping the

trN
As the vibrato gets faster, it will cover
a smaller range, perhaps only a quarter tone below D before returning to

the pitch.

\uhen students master these motions with all fingers and strings, they are ready for another approach to the
reflexive vibrato. Starting with the fingertip touching the string without
pressure,

vibrato and maintain a continuous flowing vibrato while switching fingers. A helpful exercise is to repeat each note of a scale, slurring to the next note, and listening carefully for continuity in the vibrato. Keeping the next finger close to the string helps solve difficulties when moving to the
next pitch.

they should depress the

string to initiate vibrato. Allow the finger to rock back and forth a few
34
THE INSTRUMENTALTsT

/ MAY

1994

ought to be well-balanced in"reiatiori to th" thumb so that the hand and arm can swing smoothlY. Even minor adjustments in left elbow position can significantly alter hand balance. Place the elbow where the relationship between the finger and thumb allows for the most relaxed movement of the fingertips. It may be necessary for some ,trrd".ttt to abandon vibrato entirely

to practice some corrective exercises' Ultimately, achieving a beautiful vibrato is a challenge for violinists and

Students should learn to transfer these skills to first position and then to al1 positions. 'When moving the hand to the first Position, PlaYers relinquish contact with the body of
the instrument and use the thumb
as

violists, particularly because these instruments demand an unnatural playing position. However, the laborious ,t"pt will produce great strides "uily tolvards advanced PlaYing and maY give students the motivation to con' n iinue their studies.

a pivot point from which the hand swings like a pendulum.

Sight,Reading Book Ardsley House Publishers released Learning to Sight'Read Jazz, Rock, Latin, and Classical Sryles by \7i11ie L'
touch the neck of the instrument during this practice. The downward pressure should coincide with the forward
ro11

Hill and Bob MontgomerY. The book

of the finger, and the slight release

addresses concepts of subdivision, awareness of time in measures, anticipation of correct stylistic articulation, u.rd a..rl.ut" placement of notes and

should coincide with the backward motion and flattening of the joint. When combined with hand-and-arm

rhythm.

New Violin
Meisel Stringed lnstruments added
a new student violin, model 6107, to its line. This violin features a flamed

vibrato, this motion enhances the sound without applying great pressure. The alternating pressure and release should not squeeze the string un-

necessarily, and the slight release of pressure coincides with the backward

maple back, closely grained spruce top, and ebony hardware. The student outfit, available in 1/B to full
size, includes a Glasser bow and ther-

rolling motion and the flattening of the joint. The part of the fingertip that lands on the string also affects timbre. At the fingertips skin tends to be thin, with little flesh between it and the
bone. Calluses are likely to form there

moplastic case with valance.

Violin Competition
The Foundation of Lower SaxonY is presenting the Second Hannover lniernational Competition, October 30 to November 12' 1994. The comPeti-

This technique involves a slight push

At this point students should add arm movement to the hand vibrato'
of the forearm from the eibow to coincide with the forward roll of the fingertip to add intensity to the sound' tnir is essential for high-position playing, where the thumb and fingeriip ut" often the only contact points' Another less common factor in vibrato is pressing the stiing to the fingerboard and releasing the pressure without losing contact with the string.

in direct relation to the time spent

tion is dedicated to

practicing. A vibrato produced at that

point may have a brilliant but thin sound; vibrato on the fleshY Part of the finger tends to have a warmer'
richer quality. Some students deveiop a good vibrato simply by imitating the teacher' yet others fall into bad habits because

they do not observe the techniques involved. A student once had some vibrato problems that were explained by the way he iearned to play with vibrato. His high school orchestra director had simply told him to Put a finger on the string and shake it. Many vibrato problems stem from
excessive tension.

Joseph Joachim, concertmaster and concert director in Hannover from 1853 to 1866. FortY artists, ages 16 to 30, will compete for cash awards totaling 140,00 German marks. The first prize winner will receive 50,000 marks, a C.D. Production, and concert appearances in Ger' many and abroad. The first three rounds of competition will be held at the Hannover AcademY of Music and

The base of the finger should not

thelJniuersity of Southern Mississrppi, is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of MuSouth Carolina.

Jerrie Lucktenberg, professor of uiolin at

Theater Arts with the final round at

the Lower Saxony Broadcasting Center of the North German Broadcasting Corporation in Hannover' A 30-

sil and tlrc L/niuersities of lllinois and

member international honors com-

ln

addressing these

difficulties teachers should identify the sources of tension. The finger

mittee, including Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim' Yehudi Menuhin, and Pinchas Zukerman, advises the competition.

1992 slrc receit'ed a citation for exceptional Leadersl'tip and merit from the American StringTeachers Association. Her manual and companion videotaPe, The Joy of Shifting and Double Stops, are publish'edby tlrclJniu

In

er

sitl of

'W

isconsin-Madison.