Ahhh...vibrato. One of the holy grails of violin technique. Vibrato is not something that typically just happens overnight; it is a learning process consisting of four stages. In this post, you'll learn the four stages of violin vibrato and what steps to take to level up.

Stage one

Students in stage one have just begun their vibrato journey. They are not yet doing the vibrato movement correctly-which is super common and understandable! Some common vibrato mistakes I see are students moving their wrist back and forth, moving the wrong direction (ie side to side instead of back and forth), not putting the "airspace" in between their index finger and the instrument, or putting too much "airspace". Students can spend as little as 1-2 weeks or as much as a few months in this stage.

Stage two

Students with stage two vibrato are able to demonstrate a correct vibrato movement; however, it is slow and stiff. I typically have students to practice with the metronome to increase their speed, evenness and consistency. Students at the end of this stage may start vibrating on the last notes of their pieces, but it typically requires them to completely stop to ensure their "airspace" is there. This stage usually takes 3-6 months.

Stage three

This is where I see the most people get stuck. Students in stage three have a faster vibrato than those in stage two, but they may be unhappy with some aspect of it. If you're unhappy with the speed of your vibrato-practice it faster than you feel comfortable. Yes it will be messy and no it won't be perfect. But pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone will eventually lead to a faster vibrato overall. If you're unhappy with the width of your vibrato, go back to practicing it at a slow speed and really focus on the mobility of the first knuckle. Students in this phase typically settle into a "default" vibrato that does the trick but can be evolved further.

Stage four

Students with stage four vibrato are able to use their vibrato to help the musical line. They can alter both the speed and the width depending on the character and effect their going for. Their vibrato also stays consistent, meaning it doesn't stop at the end of the note, on smaller note values, or before a shift.

Which vibrato stage are you?