My favorite device for training violin vibrato

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0:00 Introduction
2:04 The finger joints
2:57 The straight finger
4:12 Collapsing pinky
5:21 What is vibrato?
6:00 The sliding finger
6:59 Rocking the arm

[@ashleyrego3115]

There is also another finger trainer from Daddario which you can adjust the tension of the spring, this way you don’t need to buy many devices. Thank you for the helpful video, I have been using the finger trainer for articulation off left hand but now I have a new purpose for it.😊

[@natesviolin]

Nice, I didn’t know about that!

[@charlenenagel7962]

The Daddario (Varigrip) trainers are also available in various strengths in addition to the adjustable springs for fined tuned differences between finger strength. They also come with an added molding which helps it to rest comfortably in the crook between your thumb and finger. I am glad to see these exercises! I have used these devices following spiral fracture of my left third finger in 2021. (Violinist's nightmare with lengthy recovery!) They were great for retraining finger strength and flexibility which was impacted in the whole hand. Vibrato has been the slowest thing to recover reliably, but i can really feel the activation of this. I am glad to have another use!

[@jerendonb]

I gave it a try and would sincerely recommend to use lighter models such as the ones from Prohands (or other brands). Even at its lightest, the D'addario one is pretty demanding to the fingers, and you really don't want to be over pressing on the fingerboard. As Nathan always says: MVP.

[@Enahse]

Thank you, Nathen .. as always very helpful ! 🙂

[@davidburke3378]

Thank you Nathan, very helpful.

[@paulpeele8387]

Thank you for a great video!

[@MichaelBegelspacher]

Thanks a lot for this great video!

[@TNungesser]

Thanks for helping us. I need all the help I can get on vibrato and this makes perfect sense to me.

[@yl1487]

Yes. I undertook an associate fellowship a few years ago with the APO in NZ, this included a number programme engagements as well as lessons with principal cellist (who has since departed back overseas after serving there for a few years) was an exceptional musician and teacher, and also held the thought that some skeletal muscle tissue operating finger movement resided within the fingers themselves ... contradicting that claim seemed counterproductive at the time, I was glad to have the chance to work with him.

[@SF-ru3lp]

Marvellous teaching here, Narhan! I have the blue Gripmaster! But your exercise is a new one for me. Delighted to see this video. Drlighted to subscribe. G Ire (adult student).

[@valdagoncalvesrochaleite]

THANK'S 🙋‍♀️🤣🤣❤

[@user-do5hd7zb4x]

I used to own a gripmaster. I havent been able to find one in my area. I will keep my.eyes open for one though. This has been most helpful,thank you!😅😅

[@SF-ru3lp]

I got mine on Amazon. G Ire

[@JosephMusgrove]

Hello Nathan! Enjoy your channel. I am an adult student and have been playing violin for a year and three months, (on-line violin course), and have just started to learn vibrato. The way I have been learning is to “roll” the finger toward the scroll using a sideways “hello wave” motion. Am I correct the vibrato movement you are demonstrating is a quick collapse and recovery of the finger joint closest to the end of the finger? Your vibrato demonstration seems like a cleaner movement and less stressful on the wrist and hand then the method I am using now.

[@janeeleanor4849]

The device comes in difference tensions. Which one do you recommend? Ah, I heard the answer later int he video. Thank you! I enjoyed the video very much. I needed this.

[@debriley9366]

This is my biggest issue! I’m going to try, I’ll let you know .

[@miguelmavil4924]

Hi, Maestro! What kind of pegs do you have in your violin? Are they witnner fine-tuners?

[@grigcuciuc1956]

Hi Nathan, I’m curious what is the instrument you play?! Lovely fiddle

[@natesviolin]

It’s a 1729 Stradivari owned by my orchestra, the LA Phil!

[@wakingtheworld]

Tbh, I couldn't even hold a Sharpie the way you did... and I tried!! when balancing it across the tops of my 2nd/3rd/4th fingers, it stuck up at an angle and I couldn't bring it to horizontal without the aid of my thumb! I haven't started vibrato yet but it'll be on the horizon soon enough. Will order a couple of these devices and try out what you suggest thank you. Will get chance to practice on public transport!

[@natesviolin]

Great! You’ll see progress when you get started with it.

[@wakingtheworld]

@@natesviolin Ordered this evening... Thank you.

[@arielle9945]

​@@wakingtheworld Haha literally I'm on a train right now doing the "sharpie" or pencil exercise 🤣🤣

[@ElsweyrDiego]

the fingers have no muscles, but when vibrating (at least wrist vibrato) we are using some muscles from the arm, because that spot start to hurt after a while.. so my question is: if we train, for example, some muscle exercices specifically for the lower arm we can improve on vibrato too?

[@natesviolin]

I imagine that’s true although I couldn’t give you specifics! I do feel that when I train the upper body with weights generally, my vibrato feels better.

[@ElsweyrDiego]

@@natesviolin that's great. there's an exercise i'm doing that is great for this: you sit on a chair with armrests, rest you arms on it (arm straight, lower arm parallel to the armrest) and put just your wrist outside the armrest. you lift the weight (2kg, 3kg some days later and so on) just with the hand, not moving the arm. this is actually a good exercise for developing muscles in the lower arm.. the exactly same muscles (and movements) the wrist vibrato uses.

[@MrArchibald7]

Of course fingers have muscles! Do your homework! 😅

[@ElsweyrDiego]

@@MrArchibald7 have you at least tried to be smart before saying that? a quick search on google returns many, many answers about this. just check it and come back later, please.

[@Judith9D]

NataliaSK Fingers do not have muscles, only tendons and ligaments. There are muscles in the palm of the hand and arms that control the fingers.

[@seanmcghee2373]

I'll try anything. My left arm is somewhat spastic and doesn't move as fluidly as my right arm. Not sure why but that's the way it is. It makes me feel sad to think I'd never be able to do it.

[@SF-ru3lp]

Would it be tension in the centre/palm of your hand? That was a realisation that helped me. Once my teacher said it, it 'clicked'. I just thought " empty" your hand(plam). Professor Grigor Kalanofsky does great teaching (KZbin) on all aspects of tension. Very best regards. (Could be arm tension..? Be encouraged. You will get the solution... There is someone out there who can spot the problem. Had you thought of doing an online consultation with some good KZbin teacher. It is discouraging to start thinking that one has to settle for 'never getting it'. G Ire (adult student... I'm a solution nerd😊)

[@seanmcghee2373]

@@SF-ru3lp Thanks for the encouragement! I've been trying something like the visualization but haven't thought to try an online consult - might do. It's getting a little better. I kinda wish I'd picked cello because THAT vibrato is dead easy - same as guitar which I play as well

[@SF-ru3lp]

@@seanmcghee2373 I know what you mean - its the 'twist' in the arm the makes it awkward. Tobiah if Murphy Music Academy does a good demo of the 'knocking' action of the hand (Professor Grigory also). All the best with the investigations, Sean. G Ire

[@seanmcghee2373]

@@SF-ru3lp Thanks and much appreciated!

[@nskimharris]

Vibrato is so boring to try to learn. It is a good thing it sounds amazing. I need the finger device.

[@user-po5uc8te7f]

i was today years old when i learned my fingers don't have muscles! lol

[@singtatsucgc3247]

Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that violin vibrato is not just the tip of the finger rolling on the string. Yeah a lot of people do it that way, but it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right. Vibrato involves the arm starting from the elbow to the fingertips. All the parts involved must stay relaxed. For faster vibrato of smaller amplitudes, sometimes rolling the fingertips might be enough. For vibrato of larger amplitudes, the elbow joint must initiate a knocking motion, while the left wrist and hand and its fingers must stay relaxed. The key is not to press the fingers too hard on the string, so that the elbow motion initiating the knocking movement can bring about a small amount of sliding on the string. Personally, I think it’s wrong if one presses the string so hard that the finger can only roll but no longer slide on the string in a vibrato.

[@TheJensenInterceptor]

as a ex clarinet player, vibrato is quite normal. but as a horn player, there is NO vibrato.

[@51394547]

This man may well be the most boring individual ever to raise a violin to his chin. If my teacher had been like this, I'd have thrown in the towel after my first lesson.

[@zoubizou5439]

That's just your (rude) opinion. Plenty of people, like me and his thousands of followers, like his teaching style and appreciate all this great, detailed instruction he is handing out for free.

[@51394547]

@@zoubizou5439 I wish you every success with your career.

[@Forestgump12able]

Do you have videos that I could make a judgement on, fine sir. The law of the boomerang says, WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND. JUST HAVING FUN, AT SOMEONES ELSES EXPENSES. JUST LAUGH, PLEASE SIR.

[@marcchenault7119]

You know this guy graduated from Curtis and is a concertmaster for the LA philharmonic right? He can drone as much as he wants. We would have to pay a lot of money to get lessons from a teacher with his knowledge. Discipline yourself to listen to him, this is legit hundreds of dollars worth of education for free.

[@TNungesser]

​@@marcchenault7119 nice post.