I thought this video would be helpful for you, but I didn't expect to receive so many good tips and advice to improve my left hand even more. Thanks, everyone! 🎻🧡
when practicing vibrato, try to collapse that first joint to create a wider, warmer vibrato. It's very tedious, but it helps create a warmer, more pronounced vibrato. thanks for some of the exercises provided here!
I loved this video! It's great to see someone else's progress because it's a great reminder that little by little, we get better through practice - nothing happens overnight. I hope you do make more videos like this, it's inspiring!
Something that may help you. (Older adult here) I started with wrist vibrato. I found it very difficult to get my first joints in fingers to move freely, and to get my wrist to move in a smooth rhythmic manner with little/no violin shake. The progress was extremely slow and stagnated after two years. I needed to find another approach, so I tried arm vibrato. With arm vibrato your first finger joints need to flex for it to work. Yes it was hard initially with heaps of violin shake, and slowly over time it was improving. I initially started with a slow and wide arm vibrato with my wrist stiff and with the motion instigated at the elbow joint in order to encourage movement of the finger joints. It worked wonders. It trained those finger joints to move. Of course, with arm vibrato your wrist must not stiff but allowed to move freely while the vibrato movement originates from the elbow. So after some time I did that. This results in teaching the wrist to move as well, without you even trying to. So, with arm vibrato your wrist also moves. After time, you will be able to do wrist vibrato as well as arm vibrato, as types of vibrato, or different positions on the fingerboard, or using different fingers may favour arm or wrist vibrato. (An annoying problem I'm still working on is certain vibrato speeds where the muscles in arm/wrist is uncontrolled and goes into a nervous like spasm, but its improving slowly.) Remember, if something isn't working one needs to try another approach. So, if you are struggling with with wrist vibrato, try arm vibrato. Hope this is of some use to you and others.
@@user-hw4nr7ue9h I did too. I wouldn't say it is wrong, as you will find out later. But start arm arm vibrato to get the joints moving. after some time your wrist will naturally move anyway. BTW, I got rid of that slight 'spasm' I had.
I practice wrist vibrato from beginning and this technique really difficut almost make me give up then its happend instantly by change where l put my left thumb..I think this is schorcut for anyone who have struggled with wrist vibrato..
I am trying to tech myself how to play violin. Lately I was seeing videos on Vibrato, and I am must say that you were one of the most helpful, down to earth teacher :) Keep playing and teaching others to play :)
I feel you so much on the squeezing-the-neck Part! Another awesome Method to ease the thumb is to Put the snail against a cushioned Wall and Play without the thumb touching anything! It's weird in the beginning, but you can play short phrases slowly and then try Putting the thumb Back on, Just barely touching the Neck. It is much better explained in the "Basics" book by Simon Fisher (i think)
Thank you for your transparency and willingness to share your journey. I have been playing for two years and I am wanting to learn vibrato. I have watched A LOT of videos about how to do hand, wrist, and arm vibrato, but your video is the one that made me feel inspired and like I could actually do this. I am going to try. Thanks! I really appreciate it!
Great job, impressive progress! To fix the kink in your wrist for good (and improve your intonation), be sure to swing your elbow back when you go to the E and A strings, just like you learned to swing it forward for D and G. It’s not by a lot - think about dropping your elbow straight down when you’re on the E string, and maybe an inch or less over for the A string. This way your fingers have the same relationship with each string, which helps intonation too. Sounding great! :-)
Thank u for this i am a beginner vioiinists and always love how vibrato sounds so wanting to add it in very early in these phases will save me a lot of time in my journey to playing violin
I already learned vibrato when i progress violin 1year and 2months this stage... Which is early for me to master that kind of technique... BTY love ur progress ❤️
You are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, thank you for the video! I am 54, mom of 2, and have been playing for 10 years, and I am making slow progress with very focused practice. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My vibrato is coming along, but I never thought anything could be so hard in my entire life. Keep the videos coming.
I'm 52 and just learning violin. I've been playing guitar for 40 years, so that helps, but thanks for your instruction. It helps to get the perspective of an older student of the violin. This video in particular has helped a lot.
Another great& informative video! I've seen 3 of yr videos so far (fretted fingerboard, 2 yrs of progress, vibrato challenge ). Highly recommended, as you pass on experience, & provide inspiration to others starting out. You've may only be 4 yrs into playing, but you're doing a fantastic job,& it's expressed in the relaxed tones of yr videos (like a conversation sitting in a room person to person) . Please continue to inspire!
Keep up the great work and thank you so much for sharing your experience and tips! Very inspiring! Best of Luck in your musical journey and Thank You again!
Thank you for such a useful video! I started to learn vibrato after 3 years of learning violin. And now I think, that I'll do the same challenge myself😊
This video has gave me inspiration to practice vibrato more. I really understand the struggle of creating vibrato sound, especially for the long note. Thank you
I remember how I can do vibrato almost make me give up since this technique realy difficult for 8 months learning violin adult beginer and also I cant discuss this technique since my teacher not allow me and said I am not ready to do that.. Finally I can do it by watching youtube and now amongs the other students only me that can do that technique, I am realy happy..
Great....!!! Im an adult beginner Indian classical violinist started 8months back , we play the violin sitting on the floor also our tuning is a little different... We don’t use much vibratto for Indian classical music and our teachers also don’t teach it but instead we use something called gamakas( looks like slides but much more complex ), But I wanted to learn vibratto to play pop songs and theme songs. I found a RU-vid channel called howcast , and also Allison tyle’s channel with great tips for beginners which helped me learn vibratto under a month, You might like it.
I think this is the most helpful resource I have found on the subject, your tips are awesome and it's so useful to see the stages of your progress, this way we all learn together with you, thank you so much for your video!
OMG! I've been practicing violin again after YEARS abandoning the violin (I've been playing for few years). It's been a month back to violin, I will definitely try the challenge like you😍
@@MarijkeViolin I practice around 2-3 hours a day, my one week updates: I think my muscle is already adapting to arm vibrato movement, but my ring finger (3rd finger) hurts so much after practice😔 and my pinky has a slower progress compared to other finger. But it's only the 1st week, 3 weeks to go! :)
Thanks for this video, Marijke. Very timely for me, as I am trying to teach myself vibrato, and my teacher doesn't know what he's doing. I'm going to follow your tips and very sensible advice. Cheers.
Vibrato is a very individual and stylist thing . I was never taught how to do it but with folk and baroque it is more in the form ornamentation to prolong a note in a short bow as you would do on a guitar to prolong the resonance of the note. Adam beanstock
Thank you for this great inspiration to focus on the vibrato for some time. I'll take it to heart. The flexibility of my left hand is something I definitely have to work on.
Nice progress, the violin is so hard to learn as an adult. I started as a teenager, but stopped playing for 15 years before starting lessons again. It’s a tough instrument.
Indeed it is. Sometimes I think if I had played any other instrument with the same intensity of practice I now spend on the violin, I would be pretty advanced at it by now. But then, the violin is just my favourite instrument. 😊
I just saw most of your video, and I was shocked that after 4 1/2 years you still have problems with the tendency of gripping the neck, so I was wondering if you play in all keys and shift into higher positions well. I started playing in a lot of different keys early on because I had other musical instrument experience, so good left hand position and shifting had to follow.. I’m surprised your teacher didn’t nip that left-hand position problem in the bud early on bc that’s a hard habit to break, and makes intonation a tougher goal as well, so good luck with the getting through that; just knowing the faults is half the battle and the beginning of the fix.. practice smarter, as opposed to harder.
I have no idea, I've always found this hard. I play in a few keys and do lots of position shifting during practice. We do pay attention to this during my lessons, but somehow it's a slow learning curve for me. But I'll just keep practicing it.
@@MarijkeViolin I totally understand.. We all have different things that we find difficult or easier in any pursuit, hence, we’re all in tune to a different drummer lol, but all we can do is keep plugging away and putting more emphasis on the snafu’s. I think you have a better chance of getting there than me, as I am far less young, and have too many ‘instrument’al interests and a shortage of time and energy🙏👨🏻
You have my respect. I've been playing the piano for 4 years and I hate working on my technique. When I try, I fall into a piece and play it a lot. Then I think about the technique and I think like I could do that later. In brief never... 😂 I hope it was understandeble what I mean. (Its exactly the same with the cello.😅)
I get you. Working on technique isn't always that exciting. I noticed it helps me to have a certain order of exercises to work through, the same ones every day for a few weeks. But although tedious, I met up with my pianist friend to play music together and that's when I noticed my technique had improved since the last time (which a few months ago). So that's when I saw the "fruits of my labour" and that was very motivating!
While watching your progress, I had indeed forgotten how big a deal is vibrato in modern performances of classical music. I hope will really be a big jump forward for you when you master it. From my understanding, vibrato was not so important before the Victorian era, but I guess artists must role with the times to some extent.
Wow, that's a wonderful video idea ! Congrats for your big progress, your hand and fingers are way more relaxed at the end for sure. I'm wondering if you ever considered to give a try to arm vibrato. I was taught that one and I like it. Out of curiosty I once tried the wrist one to compare both of them and my conclusion was arm vibrato makes large vibrato easier and it is way way less tiring, I feel now very confortable with it (I started to use it about a year ago) and I feel the pain whenever I see a violinist performing mostly with wrist vibrato. edit : one more thing 😊 You said, the difference isn't huge at end of the video, you can be reassured, there's a big difference, but what you could keep focusing on too, to achieve even more is not only wrist relaxation but also fingers relaxation, they should be very loose when vibrating (whenever my finger is tense, I picture in my mind that the tip is "glue" on the string and the fingerboard, as if it's stuck on a buble gum, it helps me to get rid of the tension pressing on the string brings, and I also picture my whole finger as "a kite rope" flailing back and forh because of the wind as if there is no muscles and bones inside and the movement come from an external force, which actually is my arm, not the wind, those images helped me lot to build my vibrato).
@@MarijkeViolin You're welcome ! (I tried wrist vibrato again for fun : it is so hard 😂Ok, maybe it's just because I've only seriously trained arm vibrato but still...)
Thank you for the sharing. I saw your finger is moving moves left to right on the string. someone says the finger shall move parallely to the string. I'm a beginner, feel confused.
This was pretty helpful really. I’ve been playing electric guitar and bass for 30 years, and the vibrato technique is a side to side motion. Violin’s later vibrato does NOT come naturally to me 😎
Hello Marijke! I loved your tips, but the links you mentioned and placed in the description are not opening. I really wanted these files. Can you make them available again, please?
Did you consider trying arm vibrato? It‘s much easier, much stronger and it helped me personally to just have that „nice violin tone“ (or at least a fraction of it :‘D). I still don‘t really get the point of wrist vibrato, it‘s uncomfortable and unnatural. But it helps to relax the left hand, so I guess that‘s why people are doing it. Just wanted to let you know that if it‘s so hard to „wrist vibrate“, you could try the other method and see if it works better for you :) I love the idea of the video (the „30 day XY challenge“)!!
i do arm vibrato for wider, slower, fuller, and stronger vibrato, but most of the time i do wrist vibrato😩 i still have to control my left hand on arm vibrato bc it sometimes makes my violin shakin' so bad
Your thumb is positioned right underneath the violin , The contra power of the fingers should come from the friction of the thumb and the upper neck (close to the g string ) Once you understand the friction thing , the vibrato would be wider and your hand will be less stiff . Have fate that the friction from the thumb can contra the finger trust me it’ll be worth it
It's a lot easier to master these techniques as a child even though a child may only be learning violin because their parents want them to. As an adult when you know you really want to play violin it's much, much harder. I'm a lot older than you but am taking up the vibrato challenge this year, if I get anywhere near as good as you I'll be very very happy.
I understand what you mean about it being easier as child and you do pick up vibrato better when you are younger actually. Well, some people do and I did. I'm 18 and going onto my grade 7 this year and I do remember vibrato was not easy to pick up straight away aha. Hope you do well though
Get this shoulder rest, set it up for maximal support and relaxation and improve your vibrato by 20% instantly. I'm absolutely serious. "Viva la Musica VLM Diamond" All other shoulder rests aren't adjustable enough for my body type. But with this it's so easy to set it up so that you never feel like your violin slips away and you have to squeeze with your neck or thumb to not drop it thus making you more tense then you should be.
@@MarijkeViolin I saw it and recognized it as i used one too when i was younger. But i never got a good posture going with it. For me the VLM D... is muuuch better. Just as an inspiration if you ever see one in a store when they are back open (in like 10 years or so x'D) then maybe try one. :)
Already one year struggling with my violin...I'm practicing third position and vibrato a well. I realized that my hand frame was wrong, specially with A and E string, and because of that I used to squeeze the neck. Sevcik (easy) exercises are a tip but Viva la Musica shoulder rest was a great upgrade, I lose the slipping down violin filing and I can relax all my body better. Great video as always!
People who have played mandolin and guitar tend to press the violin neck with the thumb. That's necessary on fretted instruments. But the thumb position on a violin is free floating and shouldn't press the neck at all, from what I've seen. That's still a habit I fall into when I play my violin.
Hi Marijke, thanks for the practice material! I started around the same time that you started and came across your channel right around that time as well, and even though I don't really follow all of your stuff it has been fun to watch your progress along with mine every now and then for the past few years. I've gotto say that the last half year or so my violin playing has become a lot better, something clicked I guess! I wonder if you had something like that too? I'm currently trying to improve my vibrato like you are. I didn't really care for vibrato for a long long time, just focused on other techniques, playing in tune and trying real hard to not sound like a dying cat ;) Btw, this is a bit random, but I was in the Efteling like a yearish ago and you were behind me with your husband/partner in the line for Symbolica haha! Should have said hi but I thought you'd might find that a bit awkward so decided not to :') Anyway, thanks again for the practice material, I bet it'll help me as well!
Wat leuk, bedankt! En ja, ik merkte die "klik" ook het afgelopen jaar, dat je ineens denkt: hee, dit doe ik nu gewoon en het zit eindelijk goed "ingebakken". Leuk dat jij dat ook had. 🙂👌 En wat geinig dat je toen ook in de Efteling was! (Heb je ons charmante maar lompe Urker dialect vast ook gehoord. 😛) Hoi zeggen mag van mij altijd, vind ik leuk hoor. M'n man en ik gaan elk jaar in december naar de Winter Efteling, dat is inmiddels een gezellige traditie geworden. Ik hoop dat je wat aan de oefeningen hebt, succes ermee! 🙂🎻
You really improved a lot in those 30 days! Very good! As to suggesting possible 30 day challenges. It would probably help knowing what you are comfortable with already. Without further knowledge, how about tenths? :)
Thank you! ✨ I am working on 3 octave scales now, shifting a lot between first, third and since recently second position and I started with sautillé bowing.
I’ve been playing for two years, and I still have problems with both hands LoL, but, I’m a senior, so this is a bucket list thing..😉 Seriously, the vibrato, and some of the bowing techniques are the biggest challenges for me. Shifting and playing in higher positions are even less problematic for me than that.
I totally get that, I find those things really hard too. I'm learning more bowing techniques now, like sautillé and such, but it's really hard to make it sound even remotely to what it's supposed to sound like. But ah well, we'll just continue practicing. 😉
@@MarijkeViolin Yes, that pretty much sums it up.. 🥳 Some days I find it hard to get motivated, so I go for minor victories in leu of winning major milestones. Maybe some day before I wake up dead! 😮
👏👍 Ja, oefenen, oefenen en nog eens oefenen. Het lijkt altijd zo simpel die vibrato maar dat is het niet hè, tenminste als je het juist wil doen maar ieder klein stapje is een vooruitgang 😁💝
Het is zeker niet makkelijk, nee. Alle begin lijkt wel te doen, maar het fijne werk onder de knie krijgen duurt gewoon lang. Maar we oefenen vrolijk verder! 😊🎻
i've been playing violin for 2 years and 3 months now. i've been able to do vribato since the first year of my violin playing, but i really don't remember how did i start that. i have a video of my 3rd month of violin playin' and i've done vibrato at that time, but not a good and full vibrato😀. i mean yeah it was too early ig.
Most adults start too early on with vibrato because they're eager to learn fast. Only we had no clue back then that it was too early, and that it takes years to develop. But we'll get there eventually. 😉
👏 Hi Marijke - After playing the violin now for four and a half years, I can only do a so-called finger vibrato...does that count? 😥 🎻♫ But I do make up for vibrato with my woodwind and brass instruments. 👍 😉
@@MarijkeViolin Hey Marijke - I was being facetious. 😲 It is you who have me beat. Any violin player can do a finger vibrato. It only requires that you move the tip of your finger on the string. In fact, a finger vibrato is nothing more than a fake vibrato. There are only two true vibratos for the violin: arm and wrist. I’m sure you knew that. It must’ve been an oversight on your part. Keep practicing! You're doing great. 😊 🎻♫
Being a bassist/ guitarist, & used to the up/down version of vibrato- one time,picked up a singers electric violin (she was trying it thru my larger amp w distortion,hers was a small keyboard amp) . After getting some bow harmonics,attempted to draw out notes/natural to vibrato/ scared the h#ll outta her!(an lol moment- she was afraid I'd rip it apart/hand strength ). No harm,no foul,no damage!
Marijke, laten wij een s samen spelen. Because i'm the sweetest!LOLO! Gewoon eens lekker samen spelen. Orgel, Piano of accordeon maakt mij niet uit! Groetjes vanuit Ibiza!
