Double Bass Vibrato with Fourth Finger

[gerry grable]

Thank you, David, for your reply. I was fearful that you would think that my question was irrelevant and silly. (And thank you, too, Les Fret, for showing me that I was not alone in using this "tool.")
One other thing, David.
Because the flesh on my thumb between the base of the nail and the first joint is getting thinner as I age, I use a spot at the lower half of the thumb joint as the pivot point for stopping the strings; this gives me a harder, more precise fulcrum from which to vibrate.
Thanks again.
Gerry
P.S.
I got a chuckle out of your image of a one-winged bird

 

[David Potts]

LesFret,

Decide on which note line of the double stop(s) is most important and practice that in tune alone without vibrato then with that in your ears practice the second line. After that put them together confidently in tune before attempting any vibrato. Rely first on artistry with the bow to produce beauty of double stops IMO.

Our colleagues might all agree that vibrato never solves intonation problems, only confuses them.

DP

 

[Don Higdon]

Our colleagues might all agree that vibrato never solves intonation problems, only confuses them.

DP

Also, what's your position on vibrato in the dark?
Sorry folks; you had to be there.

 

[Les Fret]

LesFret,

Decide on which note line of the double stop(s) is most important and practice that in tune alone without vibrato then with that in your ears practice the second line. After that put them together confidently in tune before attempting any vibrato. Rely first on artistry with the bow to produce beauty of double stops IMO.

Our colleagues might all agree that vibrato never solves intonation problems, only confuses them.

DP

Agreed and I practice like that already. But I think we all have to admit that getting those double stops (especially in TP) exactly in tune is not an easy task. I also try to apply vibrato on double because it sounds nice. Although I think vibrato on double stops is more difficult because there is more friction vibrating two fingers at the same time.

 

[David Potts]

I'm completely in the dark about that one, Don!! The heightened awareness might encourage you to listen more carefully (for a change?).

DP

 

[Thelowestoflow]

Try putting down your third and fourth fingers next to each other, and when you do vibrato rock off your fourth finger a little. This adds strength the the fourth finger and makes for a nice wide vibrato.

 

[ThumpPlunkJunk]

I put my third finger on top of my fourth, and it works pretty well.