| Author |
Comment |
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
Posts: 1260
(5/11/01 1:16:40 pm)
Reply
 |
which
finger?
Well, ok...
I know that Vibrato should sound consistent
regardless of which finger you are using, but do you have a favorite
vibrato finger?
For me, anthing from 1st-4th position - 1,2
and 4 are my faves. Anything from 5th/thumb position up would be 2
and 3.
How about you?
I noticed when I listened to
Rose's Grieg this morning that some notes he plays have an
absolutely GORGEOUS vibrato and others were not quite as
beautiful.
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
Free Cello
Music!
|
drcello
Registered
User
Posts: 365
(5/11/01 2:28:05
pm)
Reply
| Edit
|
you left one
out...
How about vibrato on your thumb? Hard to do, but sometimes comes in
handy!
Marshall C. St. John
drcello@vei.net
Cello
Heaven
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Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
Posts: 1261
(5/11/01 3:18:08 pm)
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|
Re: you left one
out...
true, but I left (no pun intended) it out because it wasn't one of
my favorites. 
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
Free Cello
Music!
|
Anna
List
Registered User
Posts: 21
(5/11/01 6:52:00 pm)
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|
4th
finger???
Well,
the 2nd finger is my favourite, too (it`s the easiest
one...) but I always have to struggle with my "weak" 4th finger.
Generally I think that vibrato is most easy and free in the thumb
positions, as the hand is in a natural position there.
Maybe you
have some hints for me about the 4th finger???
Good luck for your
recital (I adore the Shostakovitch sonata!!! But it`s far too far to
come for me...),
Anna.
|
cellochris99
Registered
User
Posts: 163
(5/11/01 6:56:58
pm)
Reply
|
Re: which
finger?
My favorite vibrato sound is acheived on a 1st position low Bb with
2nd finger. That's about it, downhill from there!
Chris
|
G
M Stucka
Registered User
Posts: 559
(5/11/01 7:08:05 pm)
Reply
|
Re: which
finger?
My favorite vibrato finger, when not extended upright in the air at
the all-too-many lousy maestri that grace our podium, is the 2nd
finger.
|
Ponticello
Registered User
Posts: 104
(5/12/01 4:37:42 am)
Reply
|
I'm a first
finger type
It's funny that I'm different from everyone but I love my first
finger vibrato the best in ALL positions, especially in high "thumb"
positions, like on notes between like the D above the A harmonic on
up.
The reason I put "thumb" in quotes is because I only like
the sound of the vibrato if I'm not actually holding the thumb down
on the string. I'm playing the Kodaly 1st movement, and I luuuuuv
the vibrato I make on the high Eb on the second line of the second
main section. Of course at that point, my thumb is way up in the
air, not on the fingerboard
|
mcello
Registered
User
Posts: 86
(5/12/01 6:05:41
pm)
Reply
|
definately 2nd
finger--I know I favor it too much!
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered User
Posts: 304
(5/13/01 10:31:18 am)
Reply
|
Which finger?
Rock, roll, or shake??
I tried this - and find that I feel almost equally comfortable with
vibrato on any finger (although I do feel 1st and 4th take a little
more control for me in the thumb positions. (A few shakes of an
aging man even impart "vibrato" to the lone thumb on the
string.)
But, I'm not sure I do the vibrato the same on each
finger in positions 1-4, and there is also the difference in what I
do with my thumb. My thumb is definitely off the neck for a 4th
finger vibrato (otherwise, my hand seems to need to "cramp" to have
the same amount of motion as my 1-3 finger vibratos). For some
fingers (1st) my vibrato is more of a roll; for others a controlled
"shake." But the finger tip always rocks (or rolls) on the string
and the speed I want, and this avoids a difference in sound for the
different fingers. (The little bit of "shake" my hands (or fingers)
have acquired (not from a physical disability) - and that seem
enough to give a bit of constant vibrato sound to violin playing is
not enough to give such a sound to a cello.)
I have found for
cello, violin, or viola - vibrato is best if the balance of the
hand's motion is centered on the finger that is on the string. This
would normally be easiest with the 2nd and 3rd fingers about which
the rest of the hand balances naturally. For any other fingers the
balance has to be adjusted by angling the hand appropriately - or
working very hard to fight against the natural balance. It is easier
to balance the hand on the cello by letting the thumb carry 'part of
the variation in load." (Actually, on the "chin instruments" the
thumb will move about also, but in different ways.)
Whatever
any teachers say, it has to be about balance - left hand or right,
otherwise one could never make it through whole-day sessions of
orchestra practice or chamber-music workshops. (They are hard enough
on cellist's butts as it is. How about some balance for that!) For
every pedagogical certainty, there is a virtuoso performer who does
it completely differently (except for balance!).
Andy
Edited by: Andrew
Victor at: 5/13/01 10:39:48 am
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Martine
M 
Registered User
Posts: 97
(5/13/01 10:48:39 am)
Reply
|
I'm
weird......
I surprised my celloteacher a lot by showing how much better my 4th
finger-vibrato is as all the others.... 
In
my opinion, it's the most easy finger for all sorts of vibrato.
Love, Martine.
|
Laura
Wichers
Moderator
Posts: 960
(5/13/01 9:36:46 pm)
Reply
|
Re: third
finger
THIRD FINGER?!?!? Yup. It's easier for me to vibrato on 1st/2nd
fingers, though much harder to control the speed, width and nuance.
The last joint on my 4th finger tends to collapse in during vibrato,
so it's out. But third finger! Maybe I'm alone on this one, but I
find it much easier to control vibrato with third finger and,
perhaps because it takes a bit more concentration to produce a good
vibrato, it tends to be easier to play musical vibrato (the vibrato
isn't on autopilot).
Laura
|
SW
Registered User
Posts: 25
(5/14/01 12:49:33 pm)
Reply
|
Re: which
finger?
My kid's teacher just complimented her vibrato recently...(a
compliment, one of those rare occurances). He also happened to
mention that her second finger was the best.
|
JanJan2
Registered
User
Posts: 141
(5/14/01 1:50:17
pm)
Reply
|
Re: which
finger?
I'm partial to 3 just about everywhere. It tends to be my most
relaxed, and the one that I can get a nice floppy, wide vibrato on.
My second favorite is 2.
Janet |
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
Posts: 1266
(5/14/01 2:20:42 pm)
Reply
|
Re: 4th
finger???
I'm not sure why I like the 4th finger for vibrato so much. The
thing is, I don't really use strength in my fingers to hold the
string down or for vibrato. I use the muscles to find a good
equilibrium of weight and angle. I think the 4th finger works well
because there are no other fingers after it and it swings easier.
You just have to hang on to the fingerboard and not fall
off.
Thanks for the good wishes for my recital, Anna. This
will be the second time I've played Shostakovich and Grieg and the
first time I've ever performed Miaskovsky's Sonata #2 in A minor.
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
Free Cello
Music!
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