Vibrato in Fiddle Music

Vibrato in Fiddle Musicbow, place a finger on the string. Do the same kind
In American fiddle styles you don't hear vibrato onof move with the large muscles of the upper arm.
fast tunes. Break downs, hoe downs, rags, and otherKeep the movement small and tight. Your hand
fast tunes have rapid notes that give a player noshould rock slightly over your finger tip. Don't worry if
time to do vibrato. Only on waltzes and ballads areit's spastic. It's a start.
you likely to hear vibrato.3. Now do the arm oscillation with finger down and
This is not necessarily the case with Irish fiddling.rocking while you pull the bow evenly across the
There you might hear a quick vibrato just as yousame string. This is where it gets tricky. The
might hear a quick roll or bow rattle. Vibrato seemstendency is to also oscillate the bow. Oops. Then,
to be an ornament in jigs and reels. But, it is not usedyou stop the bow and your left arm stops also.
often.Truly, this is much harder than walking and chewing
The question is, "How do you do vibrato in fiddlegum.
music?"If you persist in your efforts along these lines, you
In a short essay like this, it's easier to say how notwill have the experience of rocking your hand over
to do vibrato than how to do it well. (And, really youthe finger tip while pulling, or pushing, the bow for a
need a good coach to learn this.) If your wrist ismoment. This will produce the wavering sound of
moving in and out through the center line of yourvibrato.
forearm and hand, you are doing it wrong. If yourThe last stage is not numbered. It's where the
finger is moving but not the rest of your hand orprocess "clicks." There is a mysterious feedback loop
arm, you are doing it wrong. There! That was easy.in the arm that sets up a repeated motion. Once it
Three Steps to Vibrato Masteryclicks in, you need not think about keeping it going.
The way I teach vibrato is simple, although difficultYou need only feed the process strength and
to learn. It's a three step formula.energy.
1. Pretend you are driving in Rome, Italy. A rudeMaking it Lazy
driver starts to cut you off. You put your arm outConsider the question of speed of vibrato oscillation.
the window and make a fist. Moving it quickly backClassical violin vibrato is very fast, passionate and
and forth, you yell, "Hey! What'sa matta you?"dramatic. Fiddle music invites a slower, more relaxed
You are using your biceps and triceps, large musclessound. You want to warm the sound, not make it
of the upper arm, to rapidly oscillate your fist backsizzle.
and forth. Your wrist is tense, not floppy, becauseThis warm, lazy sound works well for southern
you are powerful.country waltzes and for ballads, too. It pleases the
2. Now pick up your fiddle and, without using thelistener and the fiddler. Enjoy it!