All Vibrato DO NOT USE articles
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Blogs
Vibrato: three reminders from our online editor Davina Shum
Don’t overdo it and avoid slipping into auto-pilot mode, writes the cellist
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Focus
Why can't players get vibrato right?
Vibrating need not compromise purity of tone if it's done tastefully, says Tully Potter, who takes to task those who overplay, misplay or completely disown it. From October 2009
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Focus
Replacing shifts with a stretch: Daniil Shafran’s left-hand technique
Oskar Falta examines Soviet cellist Daniil Shafran’s unique left-hand technique and vibrato in this extract from the September 2021 issue
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Article
Nine steps to mastering violin vibrato
Dr Rebecca McLeod, associate professor of music education at the University of North Carolina, gives a guide to achieving a good vibrato - from establishing a relaxed position to mastering a smooth, even motion
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Article
Cellist Paul Katz on creating your ideal sound with vibrato
The New England Conservatory cello professor describes how to vary hand position to produce your desired vibrato sound
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Premium ❘ Feature
Technique: Sound and phrase
The importance of developing a refined, balanced technique to communicate a nuanced musical line on the double bass
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Article
How I interpret Bach: Tomás Cotik on strings, intonation and vibrato
Ahead of his 2020 album release of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, the violinist continues his blog series, in which he discusses the contradictions between the opposing trends and traditions in Bach interpretation, and his personal solutions to them
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Feature
Ask the Experts: should players separate technique and musicality in practice?
A violinist asks if players should separate technique and musicality when preparing a piece for a performance, and if there is a strategy that can help combat performance nerves
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Focus
8 ways to vary your vibrato
Tips from The Strad’s archive for varying vibrato speed, width, pressure and direction to produce an infinite range of colour contrasts
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Feature
7 mental techniques to boost your practice
Effective practice without the frustration and drudgery? Piet Koornhot looks at ways to direct your imagination.
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Premium ❘ Debate
Early vibrato was one aspect of a vastly different sound world
A response to Beverly Jerold’s article 'Did early string players use continuous vibrato?' by Kevin Class
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Premium ❘ Feature
None of my teachers were any good at explaining technique - Ruggiero Ricci
Celebrating his 90th birthday in July 2008, the legendary violinist looked back at his teaching influences and revealed that he was largely self-taught
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Blogs
Yuri Zhislin on the 6 pillars of violin playing
The violinist and violist boils down a career’s worth of experience as soloist, chamber musician and teacher
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Video
‘With Nicky’ 9: Recap – vibrato in Massenet’s Méditation
A recap from Nicola Benedetti’s vibrato video, using the first two bars of Massenet’s Meditation as a vibrato exercise. ‘It’s important to remember that with all exercises, in the end, use your ears – they will tell you exactly how you want to sound and send messages to your hands ...
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Video
‘With Nicky’ 4: Vibrato Part II
Following on from last week’s episode in her series of video tutorials, Nicola Benedetti is on to Vibrato Part 2, in which she progresses from easier to slightly harder vibrato exercises. She focuses on how to put some of last week’s exercises into practice with one of the most popular ...
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Video
'With Nicky’ 3: Vibrato Part I
This week on Nicola Benedetti’s series of video tutorials, she talks about a much requested subject…vibrato. It’s not surprising there have been so many questions and comments about it as vibrato is one of the most tricky things for string players to develop. Learning and building the fundamentals of this ...
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Focus
10 ways to avoid tension in your playing
Advice on how to be flexible and relaxed as a string player from 120 years of The Strad
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Debate
With vibrato the question isn't just about more or less, but also about variety of sound
It is a wonderfully expressive tool when used sensitively, but soloists especially should take greater advantage of the various vibrato possibilities, writes violist Hartmut Rohde
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Focus
Technique: Viola vibrato, and how flexible joints and a keen ear can enhance your expressive range
Roger Tapping, violist of the Juilliard Quartet, on the faculty of the Juilliard School, and formerly New England Conservatory, gives a lesson on improving vibrato, particularly for violists