How To Produce Fast Vibrato - And Practice It Properly

[@ruebentkaa7492]

Thank you so much ❤❤

[@DavidMester-n9z]

Mary V you are spot on I'm 72 and a beginner violinist. Your tutorial makes sense and my vibrato has improved the first minute when I tried your method.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello David! I'm delighted you've improved your vibrato - very well done! (Lovely that you're a beginner at 72) Mary❤

[@annferry4427]

Excellent I love your advice

[@davidthomas1424]

You have such a beautiful voice. There is something very helpfully accepting about this video. Thank you 😊

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! Thank you very much for your kind words, I appreciate them very much. Mary

[@krishiyer3990]

Wow thank you. This is very different from so many vibrato tutorials I have seen on KZbin. Your method makes a lot of sense.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! I'm delighted you liked the video and I hope you found it useful. Mary❤

[@melissamansfield7961]

Hi Mary. Thank you so much for making your videos. This lesson actually gave me hope. I have watched dozens of vibrato videos and practiced only to end up quite discouraged. I am going to try again using your method.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Melissa! Thank you for saying you've got hope - it's incredibly important to have faith, stay calm, get into the spirit of experimentation and never give up! Most of us end up using a variety of methods to produce vibrato. But the most important thing at the beginning is understanding the mechanics of what moves in the hand, wrist and arm. Later we can concentrate on 'feel' and developing a semi automatic action that we're aware of but don't always have to think about directly. Stay open and enjoy your experiments. Always associate hope, enjoyment and calmness with your violin learning for the best results. Mary❤

[@MsKatherineJo]

A year+ into violin. Have watched every vibrato video I can find. Practice hard everyday and was never able speed up beyond a certain point. Finally trying arm vibrato and have a little more success. But with your tips here I can’t wait to try wrist again. Thanks so much.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! I love your enthusiasm and determination! Just a thought - I wonder how hard you're pressing on the fingerboard? Lightening the touch can often be the key to unlocking the speed, but remember, it does take time to develop a reliable speedier vibrato and it's quite early days yet. It's a great thing if you're able to perform both arm and wrist vibrato - congratulations! I hope that as well as working as hard as you do, that you're also enjoying your playing...please let us know how you get on and if there's anything you want help with , let me know and I'll do my best to help. Thank you and take care. Mary

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@violinstudiowithmaryv. Hello Mary , thank you for this video. My late friend grew up next door to Mr Hidersine, the Hidersine , and was taught as a boy by his wife. I met him on violin making courses and as well as being a marvellous craftsman , was a fine violinist too. He was very patient with my self taught efforts when we played traditional tunes together which is my main area of interest. His playing was rooted in classical. However he used vibrato , to my taste excessively, almost out of control, and if we played at any pace, I felt it impeded the feel of the music, because I feel it’s use should be deliberate, or more subtle. My vibrato is not good, but I’ve discovered that it’s easy if I place my thumb exactly where you show in your left hand side close up , as if my thumb was a pivot point. It will take me quite a long time to slowly move towards this position , as old habits die hard !! Thanks again.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

@@californiadreamin8423 Hello there! What wonderful stories of a very generous and creative man Hidersine rosin especially is so much part of all our lives and has become an essential part of violin history. Your observations about excessive vibrato are very interesting. It reminds me of when a classical opera singer tries to sing a popular song, the results are often marred by operatic vibrato getting in the way... At the same time, you're right that theoretically, vibrato should be deliberate, subtle and appropriate. But vibrato becoming automatic is almost inevitable because of the amount of work we all put in to speed it up and make it continuous...we can however mitigate this by working to make it less wide, maybe less operatic...☺ My personal favourite violinist for vibrato and cushioned sound is David Oistrakh who was remarkable for using different speeds and types of vibrato, to absolutely beautiful effect. Also I love Heifitz, who had an extremely fast vibrato that is so beautiful. Back to us mere mortals. It's exciting to discover something that helps us to explore, isn't it? Take care, Mary❤

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@violinstudiowithmaryv Hello again. The music I follow should be close to your Scottish heart 😊. Highland Shortbread by Muriel Johnson and Keith Smith….Charles J.P.S.McHardy Esq.,Of Invergordon /Douglas’s March/ELSPETH GRAY/ The Berwick Braveheart. Edit: and the playing of Pete Clark and his compositions.

[@chandraprakashadhikari8417]

Madam, You have really taught very useful technique. Thanks so much.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! Thank you very much, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Mary❤

[@danmozartino2864]

Madame, you are fantastic, thank you.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Thank you for your kind words! Mary

[@chrisquinones7970]

Thank you very much. I have been able to produce my first decent vibrato following your theaching. You are an excellent teacher. I recieved my brand new violin as a Christmas present. I aim to be able to play a nice Christmas song next December, without spoiling the moment! Thanks again.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Chris! What a wonderful Christmas present! Congratulations, how wonderful to have achieved a good vibrato - feels good? I love your ambition about playing for next Christmas. Very well done and keep going! Mary❤️

[@chantillyviolin]

Mary, thank you for such great advice. I am a violinist 56 years now, I started when I was 10. I have always strived most of all for a beautiful tone and vibrato. I learned the wrist vibrato and started out playing it to a metronome. It has never felt natural to me. I still feel like I struggle to make it natural even though it sounds good, I still know it should sound better. You are a revelation to me! Playing a smaller vibrato has never even entered my mind and I too have searched every tutorial I could find on the internet! I'm on break now, resting my aging painful hands but when I go back in about a month I will be applying this tutorial! Bless you in all you do!

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! Thank you so much for your wonderful words which are so close to my own heart...Ever since i started violin at age 7 I have always yearned painfully and with all my might for a beautiful tone and a gorgeous vibrato. Smaller vibrato was a great revelation to me too - perhaps you are like me, tending to try harder and harder with vibrato, with everything slowing down and the fingers becoming stiff etc etc Have you watched Kirill Troussov on KZbin? He rather unusually among modern soloists has a beautiful wrist vibrato and makes a most wonderful sound. I'm 66, so you have 10 years on me to explore and come ever closer to that holy grail of beauty... I hope your poor hands are feeling good when you start up again, but gently does it, don't do too much all at once! I hope you enjoy your practice and thanks again for your wonderful words. Take care. Mary💗

[@chantillyviolin]

I will find Kirill Troussov. Thank you so much! I am 67 and started playing when I was 10, so we are basically the same age! So glad I found you!@@violinstudiowithmaryv

[@chantillyviolin]

I also meant to say, yes, I am very much like you, in my great efforts towards a beautiful vibrato, I tried harder and harder and got more and more tense! @@violinstudiowithmaryv

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

@@chantillyviolin 💗

[@iggyzorro2406]

YES! Yes, Mary V. So many tutorials teach that method of flattening the finger at the first knuckle. I've tried that and it's very difficult and I see what you mean about the change in tone being too broad. Also using the fingertip pad not too close to the nail is a great help. As always, thank you.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello iggy! I'm delighted if this was helpful! The flattening finger method is all over KZbin and it makes me mad to think how useless and misleading it is... You know, slow vibrato is difficult to do because there's no freedom in the mechanical movement. When it's fast there's a pleasurable light feeling in the hand and when people experience that lightness, even very fleetingly, it's encouraging... Take care iggy! Mary

[@aliceackerman7451]

you are the best teacher , I can feel your magnetism, the way to demonstrate the violin method, hit the nail right on the head, thank you so much Mary my question is how to not let left hand interupt the right bowing rolling the finger is not a problem, once add the bow my sound is crocky

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Alice! Thank you very much for your kind words! Learning how to make the left hand and bowing arm independent of each other is something we all encounter, especially with the added element of vibrato or shifting... There are really effective, easy exercises that help our minds get used to doing these things together. I'm editing a video all about this subject at the moment that will come out very soon and I really hope you will find it helpful. Thanks again for contacting me and have a Happy New Year! Mary💗

[@TNungesser]

Thank you so very much. I have been trying vibrato the wrong way and have had the worst outcome so far. I am still fairly new to this wonderful beautiful instrument called the violin and it is so important to me to do things correctly. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for teaching the correct way. One of my problems is I don't press down very hard on the strings and so as I'm playing I have a very light touch, and so when I try vibrato I slide a little too much on the string. I have not yet solved this issue which I'm sure you already have the solution to.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! Thank you for a very interesting post! Thanks for saying the violin is a 'wonderful beautiful instrument.' I agree with you! May I ask how long you've been learning violin? The reason I ask is that we would normally establish a really good finger action before we start vibrato, so I'm wondering if you're trying it too soon. When you say you've been trying vibrato 'the wrong way,' can you describe what you've been doing at all? Your light touch is the opposite of the issue most people have, which is to press too hard and tightening up... I like very much that you have a very light touch and wouldn't like you to change to a heavy touch as it can introduce rigidity. We don't want to lose the advantage of lightness you have. There are also a few things that spring to mind; If your bridge is too high it can make it difficult and painful to press on the strings. If you are playing on your fingertips rather than on the more fleshy pads of the fingers, that can be painful and you avoid pressing. If you have small hands (like me,) you don't employ 'strength' to put the fingers down, it's more a case of building up mechanical dexterity. As you see, there may be more than one issue, or it could be as simple as training yourself to get used to gradually pressing a tiny bit more with each finger without tensing up before trying vibrato again. I say 'simple,' but it takes a great deal of self awareness and targeted concentration to manage something so delicate as this small adjustment. Take care of and spend plenty of time on your fundamentals; it's gold in your bank. I don't know if this reply is helpful not having seen you play; I hope so. Please let me know how you get on and take care to enjoy your practice, ok? Mary💗

[@TNungesser]

@@violinstudiowithmaryv Hi Mary, my bridge height is correct to common professional standards. My violins are not the inexpensive type. They were set up professionally. Not bragging. I'm just letting you know where I am coming from. My fingers are probably a little longer than most males' fingers. I press lightly the strings behind the nails between the tip and pad of the fingers. I have been playing for about three months now. I realize many teachers don't want to teach vibrato to a student who has not been playing for at least a year but I have always been the type that tries to forge on in spite of these things. It's just that when I hear people like you playing with beautiful vibrato and then I play without vibrato my playing just sounds bland to me.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

@@TNungesser Thank you very much for your kind words about my vibrato... I'm delighted to know you you have a good violin and that it's been properly set up. Maybe I'm a tiny bit envious of your long fingers...☺ The answer is to gradually slightly increase your finger pressure without tensing up and reduce your impatience!😀😂☺ You have a great 'can do' attitude! Take care, Mary💗

[@lolamas3042]

Hola Mary! Mil gracias por estos consejos para practicar el vibrato. En mis clases estoy estudiando vibrato de brazo y poco a poco voy mejorando... Hace unos días estaba pensando en intentar el vibrato que tú estás practicando y tu vídeo es ideal para mí👏👏👏👏👏 Cuídate mucho Mary! Qué suerte tenemos los que seguimos tus enseñanzas! 😊💜🎶💜🎻

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Lola! Thank you very much! I think you'll agree that being able to do both arm and wrist vibrato and switch between them is a really great thing. Our hands are constantly changing shape when we play different things and arm vibrato certainly helps the 4th finger out of awkward spots! Personally I find my arm seizing up too much with arm vibrato and it's much more tiring generally, but then keeping stiffness away is something I'm always thinking about...perhaps being 65 may have something to do with it...sigh🤔☺ Anyway, the finger action is exactly the same whether it's arm or wrist and the basic finger action does need to be small and light, so we can practice that and get it nice and fast whatever else we decide, right? I'm very glad to hear you're making progress! It's so important to feel we're getting better because it makes us better, so keep up the good work, dearest Lola! Mary💗

[@lolamas3042]

​@@violinstudiowithmaryv Gracias de nuevo Mary! Yo tengo 62 años y solo hace 7 años que estudio 🎻 y me gustaría tener la flexibilidad que tuve hace muchos, muchos años😅 Tardaré más tiempo en tener un bonito vibrato...pero lo conseguiré 😊 💜🎶💜🎻

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

I know you'll get there Lola! 💪💗🎻

[@SamiraBispoArts]

Hello, dear Mary! I have a question...When we do vibrato, do we use the wrist only, or the wrist and also the arm?

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello there! Vibrato can be wrist vibrato or arm vibrato, whatever suits you best, so you really need to experiment with both to see which works better and is more comfortable for you. These two forms of vibrato make no difference to the finger movement - it's exactly the same rolling action in the first joint. Some violinists use a mixture of vibratos, for example using arm vibrato to help boost the fourth finger... So try things out and whatever vibrato your choose as your main one, make sure your hand and arm stay nice and comfortable. Take care. Mary❤

[@iammir8365]

Mary, do you have any tip to avoid getting string marks on fingertips.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello! Hmmm, please ask yourself whether you're pressing down a little too much...are your fingers, or is just one finger, sore after practicing? Take it seriously if the answer is 'yes' and set about learning how to play as lightly as possible. Some makes of strings leave very strong marks, but otherwise those string marks are unavoidable. so I hope you don't mind them too much!☺ Take care, Mary💗

[@katiemartin2428]

I think this is really going to help me , thanks Mary

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Katie! Thank you, I hope the video helps. Your latest video, 'First Ever Duet' is very enjoyable to watch - your smiles and enjoyment are heartwarming and very engaging. I see that your left hand is coming on really well. The notes and tuning are clear and the hand itself is gaining in strength - congratulations. Now you could benefit from fast scales up and down, G major 2 octaves and d and a major 1 octave to further strengthen the left hand and coordinate with the bow. About the bow, I see you coming too close to the bridge every time you play in the upper half (towards the point) and it spoils the sound every time. Correct this by playing long bows sideways to a mirror and work on correcting the direction of your bow - it will make a lovely big difference to your sound. By the way, your sound is lovely - you've got a nice violin there. With all your weight being on your right leg, your posture could be a lot better, and believe me, it's very important for muscle and back safety as well as sound production, so have a think about equalising your weight on both legs or shifting a bit from leg to leg if that's more comfortable for you... The vibrato videos are very exciting!! You're starting to get it! Hope this is helpful. Take care and keep going Katie. Mary💗

[@katiemartin2428]

That’s amazing advice thanks Mary. I really appreciate it and I will start working on these.. things I hadn’t even thought of and I can see where you are coming from completely! Thanks again and PLEASE carry on with the videos they are way beyond helpful.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Thank you very much Katie. 💗

[@katiemartin2428]

Mary , I’ve had a mini breakthrough because of your fab video !! Only when my hand is against the violin but it’s still progress! Thank you

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Katie, how wonderful! How exciting! You know, you previously mentioned that trills were helping and now it helps when you rest your hand against the violin and in your videos you are already making a very nice vibrato movement. Being able to do vibrato from different sources leads to great skills...just don't overdo it! Ha ha😄 Congratulations Katie! Mary💗

[@sarahtulla]

Hi Mary, I have been playing the violin for most of my life now. When I try to play vibrato my violin shakes. How do I stop this from happening?

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Sarah! Thank you very much for your question. Well, there are number of reasons for the shake but the main one is that during the rolling action of the pad of the finger there is a change of weight. The finger lightens on the string at some point of the roll, causing the violin to shake. So play your vibrato in very slow motion and see if you can spot if your finger keeps going lighter on the string at some point in the roll. Then with that awareness, gently try to develop a very even vibrato action with even weight on the string as you roll. Remember, your fingers don't need to be incredibly heavy, they just need to be even. There may also be a bit of 'up and down' movement in your fingers during vibrato. If you spot that, then try these vibrato exercises in these videos; kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZqXaKtvaqytick kzbin.info/www/bejne/emXcdYOBdpKkrsU kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIi0nHqkhNCLm7c I do hope you get on well. Let me know how you get on and if I can help more. A life-long violinist should be congratulated and encouraged! Mary❤

[@martatessi]

Great! I am with tenosinovitis. 😢. My third finger . I need rest and then continue. ❤

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Marta! I'm sorry to hear you have tendonitis. Please promise that you will rest properly! You HAVE to wait before you play again. Can you describe how it happened; were you playing too much, or were you pressing too hard? Mary💗

[@martatessi]

@@violinstudiowithmaryvHello Mary. I think it was trying to stretch the 3rd finger too much. And despite the discomfort I continued playing. It's very difficult for me to stop playing. I'm worried about losing the skills I've gained😔.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

@@martatessi Thank you for that Marta - I know it's very difficult not to play, believe me, but the finger will not get better unless you stop. I've known players who made it much worse by keeping going; don't be one of those people. You're not used to pausing on your violin journey because you have made such fast progress, but a break from playing is always a benefit if you happily allow your body mind and heart to simmer and fully absorb the wonderful experience you've gained. Remember, you already know you cannot possibly lose any of the skills you've gained. No one could. Some skills will be rusty, waiting to be revived. Most will be well rested, raring to go again! Take care Marta! Mary☺💗

[@martatessi]

@@violinstudiowithmaryv 🫤❤️

[@marcyueda49]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Thank you. Mary☺

[@stanjohnson591]

Vibrato is an ornament not the tree. Sorry, I'm old school. Also, I find more beauty in using lower notes, not 3 inches of the E string.

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Hello Stan! Long may you continue to find joy in your violin playing. Mary❤

[@larapalanjian7529]

Do you take new students?

[@violinstudiowithmaryv]

Yes, would you like to contact me at my email? It's [e-mail]