1. SUPPLENESS
There is an incredible amount of free movement in each finger as it relates to the palm of the hand.
PHOTO. 1 HAND
2 GRACE & TENACITY
We all have one hand that is ‘virgin’ to vibrato whether we’re right-handed, left-handed, or even ambidextrous. If we place our bowing hand on the table of the instrument and pretend to vibrate on an imaginary note, the ‘innocence’ of this hand will bring out many aspect of the natural character of vibrato.
VIDEO No. 5
PHOTO. 2 Finger tip pulp
This is the moment to point out how important a factor for tone quality is the way we press down the string with our fingertip.
As a matter of fact the pulp of our fingertips and the skin over it are our most precious assets in the quest for a rich, enchanting tone – perhaps even more than the quality of the instrument itself, which explains why good players always sound like themselves, no matter what instrument they’re playing on. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to discover the different tone colors that result from making micro-adjustments as our fingertip presses down the string.
2. BALANCE & PRECISION
We have now arrived at the core of this essay, which is the close study of vibrato in practice.
In order to “revisit” vibrato on double base, we have to consider three types of vibrato, closely related to : Neck, Intermediate and Thumb positions on the ngerboard. That means…
A. Neck Position Vibrato
Step 1
We go back to (diagram A on D string) and start with the middle finger (then A string, then G string) and then continue with the 4th, 3rd, 1st finger and thumb.
Let’s use a metronome set to approximately 72 bpm for all exercises. This should be felt as a pulse rather than a given tempo, and we use a separate bow for each pulse.
Across the duration of the first pulse we pull the finger from the original pitch towards the lowest extreme allowed by the flexibility of the finger joints. During the second pulse, we bring the finger back to the original pitch. This is actually the vibrato movement in slow motion. We shouldn’t worry if the effect sounds exaggerated.
We start with the middle finger, then the 4th and 1st fingers.
The purpose of this exercise is the detailed observation of the movement of our fingers, the metronome simply assist in the movements regularity.
VIDEO No. 6
Step 2
This step consists of performing a complete oscillation within a single metronome pulse. This means that the frequency of the motion described in Step 1 is now doubled, resembling a very slow vibrato.
Step 3
As a natural continuation of Step 2, the speed of oscillation is doubled again.
Step 4
…and consequently in with three oscillations per pulse.
Step 5
Getting closer…
On reaching four, five or six oscillations per pulse, a recognizable vibrato effect can be heard.
There is a general consensus among fine musicians that vibrato functions and sounds best if the original pitch always appears on the beat a should be the highest extreme of the oscillation. In other words, the vibrato starts ‘on the note’ and moves backwards. This is the basic principle on which the exercises are devised.
In order to develop a richer palette of vibrato effects, we can also experiment with oscillations going above the original pitch.
ANIMATION 6
Step 6
Koussevitsky
- Intermediate Position Vibrato
This is a very important approach because it not only covers the area between the 4th and 7th positions, but it can also be used over the entire range of the instrument, helping to produce the typically rich, radiant vibrato that come as an essential complement to what we call the ‘great string playing tradition’. This helps the double bass to keep up in terms of richness, quality and finesse with the other members of the string family.
In Intermediate position vibrato, we need to explore the freedom of movement of the first joint of the fingers
This subject is systematically covered in violin methods so extra advice and information can always be found there.
Carl Flesch: The Art Of Violin Playing
Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (Mozart, Leopold)
Ivan Galamian: Basics and methods of violin playing
Roger Norrington writing on vibrato – from a conductor’s perspective David Hurwitz: Vibrato in the Classical Orchestra
To mention but a few.
Our fingers are no longer vertical to the string, but rather positioned backwards at a slight angle in a way that enables them to approach the string with equal ease.
We are going to follow the same procedure as with Neck Position Vibrato, by producing slow motion, single and multiple oscillations per pulse, for each finger.
But there is more to do with Transition Position vibrato.
We go back to the original exercise but with a difference.
Firstly, we move the finger backwards, away from the original pitch at normal speed. according to the metronome, then wait, and only at the last moment with a brief movement we come back to the original pitch.
- Thumb Position Vibrato
Thumb Position vibrato ca be applied from 4th position up to the highest. Many details about thumb position playing is covered in my book Rule of Thumb. However, it would be a good idea to recall that there are four sub-positions included in the general concept of ‘thumb position’.
A. We will start by exercising the thumb itself on vibrato.
Not only is the thumb fully capable of vibrating but it is also the very part of the hand in reference to which all vibrato movement is produced, thus fully functional in lyrical passages, contributing to the continuity of the musical phrase, in other words, whatever finger is producing the tone, the thumb stays on the string providing the basic oscillation (in fact it is the palm that oscillates, but this is the way musicians like to describe it).
Step 1
It may feel a little awkward at the beginning but the thumb can execute a perfectly satisfactory vibrato if we keep in mind that is actually the palm of the hand that produces the movement. We should remember to position the remaining fingers in an approximately regular ‘thumb position‘ posture, that is close to the string and in a line. The exact point of contact of the thumb is determined mainly by the anatomy of the individual’s hand, but preferably the thumb should press the string with the second phalanx close to the first joint (PHOTO No. 1). Now is the time to experiment a little in order to find the the thumb’s optimal point of contact for vibrato, because this point will also be the best for producing a clear, distinct and detailed tone, irrespectively of whether or not vibrato is actually used. Let’s start by stopping the octave on the D string with the thumb.
We notice that it’s actually the palm that vibrates (always parallel to the string). The thumb has only to provide a positive grip on the string and its natural resilience. If it occasionally begins to feel stiff, turning into a rocking motion, we can always go back to the trick of firstly vibrating on the octave harmonic (Fig), and then gradually pressing down the string until a full tone is achieved.
Step 2
We can repeat the exercise by now using the thumb simultaneously.
This will further help us locate the optimal point of contact and will poise the thumb more effectively for double-stops.
Step 3
Next come the exercises for fingers 1, 2, 3 and (why not?) 4. Here we shall follow the familiar pattern but with the thumb now kept at a precise interval (half-step, whole-step and occasionally minor third) from the playing finger. In other words, when playing in thumb position it is very important that:
1) the thumb always presses down the string no matter which finger in playing the note,
2) the thumb always rests no more than a minor third apart form the playing nger in the interest of producing a physically and aesthetically consistent vibrato.
The first joint of every finger remains flexible, just like in the Intermediate Vibrato Position, providing us with a much desired rich tone.
This similarity allows these two positions (Thumb and Intermediate) to become fully interchangeable, as we will see later.
Step 4
A small variation of the previous vibrato technique is the following: the position and movement of fingers 1, 2 and 3 remain the same as in previous exercises, but the thumb no longer presses down the string. While the distances between the thumb and the playing finger remain the same as in Step 3, the thumb merely follows the motion of the palm. Now, of course, the weight of the whole arm is transferred directly to the vibrating finger, thus giving the opportunity for a broader oscillation, in turn offering a wider selection of colors and shades.
In my opinion, we can experiment in every direction in order to achieve a rich palette of vibrato effects, from the subtle and refined which is perceived as depth of tone, up to the expressive and even exaggerated, if and when needed. My sole remark would be, that in every case we should keep clear and distinct in our minds the variable elements (frequency, depth, style, physiology, imagination, etc.) so that it is we, the players, who decide: what, how, when and how much!
3 INTELLIGENCE AND BEAUTY