Double Bass Vibrato

[Bethelbass1]

There is a fairly new vibrato technique utilizing a baroque-type claw grip. The principal bassist for the New York Philharmonic uses it. The technique involves a loose hand and wrist that hold the finger playing the vibrato in place. Does anybody know about this or have ways to learn it.

 

[Johnny L]

Is the principal for the NY Phil Eugene Levinson? If so, I've heard the way he teaches vibrato is by asking folks to pretend they're swinging from a tree like a monkey.

Why would anyone want to walk away from this technique?

 

[Bethelbass1]

Yes, my current teacher was a student of his. The teqnique seems to work well, and it soundsd great.

 

[Johnny L]

Grab a branch and start swinging then!

 

[Bethelbass1]

It's tough to learn. I was told it would take six months to a year to perfect the technique, but impatient as I am I just wondered if there was a good way to practice it. my teacher doesn't seem to have any ideas.

 

[Johnny L]

Sorry, I'm going on over a year now and still working on perfecting mine.

 

[EFischer1]

Who is your teacher?

Is it Brett?

 

[Bethelbass1]

Mark Kausch,
He does a great job.

 

[mike_odonovan]

are you guys talking about the technique where the left hand comes to resemble a hand puppet kind of like a swan? all fingers kind of concentrated towards the finger playing the note? i have the Karr video and he seems to use it and inspired me to start with it and i have found it a big help in the higher positions. kind of completely contradicts the whole Rabbath fingering system that i have been working on as well.

 

[Bethelbass1]

it involves a grip like a violinist. Your thumb sticks out a little bit. Then you make your hand into a baroque "crab grip" with the wrist a little higher than the fingers in the upper registers. The fingers should bend up and down instead of the wrist moving that way. When i can do it, I get very wide and sonorous vibrato, but it's hard to do in context. I don't quite have it mastered.

 

[EFischer1]

This method is quite similar to that taught by Joel Quarrington. It can be quite effective but you have to be very concious of your pitch. When you begin to "hang" down on the instrument it is very, very easy to let your pitch go very, very sharp.

 

[MerryPrankster]

My technique has been passed down from Jeff Bradetitch through my teacher (his student). I am lucky enough to (so i've been told have a very natural vibrato ; but , from what i was told it should feel like the playing finger and thumb are on a joint a rotating (is that the right word??) on a joint , persay.

 

[Bethelbass1]

That, I think, is the traditional way to play vibrato. my teacher is trying to teach me a different style that gets a wider vibrato that is more sonorous (did I spell that right?).
My first teacher was a cellist, so, originally, I had some "really whacked out cello vibrato". It is still a work in progress, but I definetly see the advantage to the technique.