Double Bass Vibrato in thumb position?

[Andrew McGregor]

Thanks guys. So it is strictly a rotational motion? The bicep and tricep aren't involved at all?
My non-TP-vibrato is kind of guitar-vibrato like, using the bicep and tricep, but it's relaxed and sounds good.

My fingerboard IS probably a bit slippier than most, it's all smooth and shiny (plastic-like), because I had it shaved down a while ago but it wasn't the usual kind of wood, so they put some shiny stuff on it.
That's no excuse, of course =p. I'll work on my technique.

I can feel my bicep working when I do the motion... but I feel like it's driven from the wrist rotators.

 

[geoffbassist]

Great thread, well explained. I've been really struggling with this and think I know why.
I think that I have been rotating my wrist and forearm, like turning a door knob.
Will go and re read thread with bass

 

[KyleLSRU]

I found that the easiest way to eliminate the "donkey" vibrato in thumb position is to not try to hard when moving the hand back and forth, to create excellent vibrato in the thumb position you dont have to pivot your fingers parallel to the grain of the fingerboard such as in positions I-V(simandl) you can actually pivot your fingers to a slight left angle(more comfortable too) and just simple practice that slight off-skew motion very slowly so that your for-arm loosens up then work up to a speed of vibrato to your liking(golden rule being the higher the note, the faster the vibrato)

i know this might sound confusing, but in practice it will make sense when you try it