AboutDavid Expertise I mainly aim to answer questions about playing techniques--intonation,
vibrato, bowing etc. I am somewhat familiar with Baroque and Classical music, though not as much with Romantic. I am unable to answer questions about advanced music theory, violin crafters/brands or the monetary value of a violin.
Experience I have played the violin about nine discontinuous years. Most of my work has been orchestral, with some soloing throughout. I was principal 2nd violinist of the Disney Honors Orchestra in 1998, a six-time All-State Orchestra violinist, a two-time assistant concertmaster and two-time concertmaster of my All-County Orchestra. I also have perfect pitch, which I believe can be learned (though I do not claim to know how to teach it).
Since starting medical school in 2004, I have had fewer chances to play, but I hope to someday resume on a regular basis.
Question I've been playing violin for about 4 years and I'm still not good at vibrato! (especially on fast notes) What are some good exercises I could do? And whenever I try to relax and leave a space between my palm and the violin neck, I feel really uncomfortable playing fast music while relaxing so my hand automatically grips onto the neck. What are some good methods of relaxing...better? Thank you!
Answer Hi Hope,
A lot of violinists don't feel very comfortable with their vibrato techniques, so don't despair because you are certainly not alone. I'll try to give you some pointers that worked well for me; hopefully they will clarify the process.
Contrary to what many violinists will say if asked, vibrato is not an oscillation above and below the actual pitch. Rather, it is an oscillation below the actual pitch only, never above! Therefore, the left hand moves only backwards from the original position, and never forwards from it, when performing the vibrato. A good exercise to establish this is to take a small (small enough to be enclosed by your hand) noisemaker--I recommend a plastic egg filled with raw rice--hold it in your left hand, raise your left arm to approximate violin-playing position, and shake the egg vigorously back and forth with emphasis on the backward motion of the hand. With your right hand, grasp your left arm tightly just below the wrist joint, preventing the forearm from shaking but allowing free movement of the hand. Not only will this help establish the motion but it will also loosen up your left hand.
You may also want to try this exercise: Place your left hand on the fingerboard in playing position, then choose the finger and note you wish to exercise for vibrato. Position the finger properly for that note, then slide your finger up and down the fingerboard while bowing (I'm serious!). Don't worry about the sound, it's not supposed to be pretty. Rather, this will help loosen up your left hand/wrist while gradually getting you used to bowing while using vibrato. This isn't real vibrato, as you know, but just a way of getting your fingers used to the flexibility required for it. You don't even need the violin for this...you could just as easily do the same motion on a pencil, sans bowing of course. Be especially careful that your left wrist is serving as a stationary joint for your left hand--many, many players make the mistake of bending the WRIST in and out while keeping the HAND stationary!
A subsequent exercise would be meant to develop/enhance the actual vibrato. For this, place the finger in the proper position for the note you want to exercise, and then let your left hand move backwards somewhat. The finger should partially collapse and the pitch become slightly flatter. Then move the hand back to the ORIGINAL position--the pitch should never rise above the true pitch, only fall below it. Gradually increase the speed of this motion, but start out slowly. Once again, be very careful that your wrist serves only as a stationary joint and does not bend in and out. A mirror may work wonders here.
When using vibrato in practicing your pieces, first work on the longer/slower notes before the faster ones. Find a speed of vibrato that sounds good to you...too low an oscillation speed may give a "wah-wah" sound, while too fast a speed will make your playing sound nervous. Faster vibrato would be required for faster notes, but don't sweat it for the fastest notes as it may be more trouble than benefit.
You also mentioned discomfort while playing fast music, causing you to grip the neck tightly. First, make sure that the violin is entirely supported by your chin and left shoulder. Drop your left arm completely and try to hold the instrument up without it. If you feel like you're going to drop the violin, you may want to change shoulder rests or chin rests--if you're playing without a shoulder rest, by all means get one because the violin is most likely slipping on your shoulder. Too high or too low a shoulder rest may also hinder the right grip. The point is that your left arm cannot be relied on to support the violin because it is too busy with its primary task of making the notes! All support needs to come from the chin and shoulder.
Another possibility is that your hand is cramping up when you play fast notes. This often happens because you don't have enough potassium in your body at that moment...eat a banana, and your hand will likely feel more flexible within 20 minutes. Is the room too cold? That can cause cramping too. Raise the thermostat, or even immerse your left hand in a warm water bath for more relaxation. Or perhaps your hand is too slippery and your fingers slip on the fingerboard? Put some baby powder on your hands and rub them together. Seriously. It will improve your grip.
I hope these suggestions will be of some assistance. If you have any further questions, please ask away. Good luck with all your musical endeavors!
Sincerely,
David
