Introduction to Vibrato – Violin Lessons – by Paul Huppert

Learning vibrato is no easy task, considering there are still those who treat this endeavor more as an innate gift than an acquired skill. Just as shifting, bow stroke vocabulary, and tone quality are within the player’s intellectual pursuit, so too is the mastery of a satisfying use of vibrato.
In this lesson, the concept of shifting practice as a form of relaxation to proceed the practice of vibrato is introduced, and will be a mainstay throughout the three lesson vibrato series. Shaping the finger, angle, and structural integrity of the left hand in general are discussed. To better make this lesson accessible to those players that do not shift, I included exercises that do not involve shifting, and are in the first position only.

Violin Lessons – Practice Tip #2

Relaxation is a concept often bandied about as an essential element in the pursuit of optimal instrumental performance. The interesting paradox is that while relaxation can be seen as an essentially static endeavor, that is, the state of “being relaxed” a way of achieving this state can be through movement. Shifting exercises, when done smoothly and with a certain economy of movement can induce a state of relaxation in the left hand. These exercises can vary extensively, and there are many published approaches available, a good example is the Sevcik Violin Study Op. 8.

Violin Lessons – Practice Tip #1

Violin Lessons | Paul Huppert

Sometimes I think the very phrase “I am practicing the violin” leads us to an erroneous assumption that by fixating on the left hand, we are engaged in a complete study of the instrument. My practice tip of the day is to divide warm-up time equally between the left and right hands. Awareness is key, and merely a starting point from which one evolves, gradually developing practice techniques and applications…make it fun!

Violin Lessons Online – www.OnlineLessonVideos.com

Violin Lessons Online – Learn How To Play Danny Boy

Paul Huppert teaches Violin Lessons Online on the website:
www.OnlineLessonVideos.com.