This is probably another newbie question but I was wondering about the pros and cons of using breath control versus fingers to accomplish vibrato. I have been working on both ways and I see the following:
Breath pros: You can do it on any note. It takes some of the “load” off your fingers.
cons: It can make some notes in the higher register a bit more troublesome. It takes more breath.
Fingers pros: It sounds different from the breath method. It sounds more like Irish pipes so it must be more authentic right?
cons: It is hard to do on some notes (like low “D”).
Now I will sit back and await elucidation by the experts.
I could use a bit of that elucidation myself…I find it so much easier right now to use a tongue flutter (of course, I use tongue flutter to purr to my cat, so it does come naturally). Eventally, I do want to learn the proper way to do it.
One advantage of breath vibrato is that, in oscillating either side of the center of the tone, one can more easily find that center.
IMHO, Finger vibrato has the advantages of a more traditional sound, and less chance of applying it haphazardly.
I use long, slow, air vibrato for warming up on long tones, but I’m working on finger vibrato for airs, and no vibrato for anything else. I thought curing IBVS (indiscriminate breath vibrato syndrome) would be difficult, but progress is happening. The first step was admitting I am a vibratoholic - eleven steps to go.
Right. If one moves to flute, getting breath vibrato out of
one’s playing is a major task, at least for me. So finger vibrato on the
whistle begins to control for that problem.
Breath vibrato is done in the throat, not with the diaphragm, and takes no more wind than playing without it does.
I have to disagree totally, vibrato must originate from the diaphragm to give it a firm push. I don’t think many traditional whistle players use this form of vibrato anyway. It’s used more in classical flute playing.
I know one fellow who does throat vibrato on his low whistle, and I don’t care for it. It just sounds like a rapid-fire spastic glottal condition, not a vibrato as I think of it.
I dont like vibrato that much either, sometimes I use it for slow airs, but usually I use breath, because its less heard then with fingers, but I think that vibrato with fingers is the more traditional way for whistles. And when using breath, its supposed to be from your diaphram, and not your throat. I think, I can never remember, but I’m pretty sure thats the proper way to do that.
I was trained vocally, and when I use vibrato, it always comes from the throat. When I have played whistle with vibrato, I also use my throat, but not nearly as much as when I sing.
As for using my fingers, I have to admit that I just can’t seem to do it. Not that I’ve tried too many times…I’m still trying to get my rolls down properly.
I would guess that the finger vibrato style derives from pipe playing as an invention of necessity because one cannot do breath vibrato on the pipes because of the nature of the instrument. I see no reason why breath vibrato should be frowned upon as improper. It seems to work fine for me.
I think that there is a place for both finger vibrato and breath vibrato according to the tune that is being played. It is probably good to learn both methods. I really dislike throat vibrato especially when it sounds like a goat, but that is just personal preference.
Finger vibrato must be practiced methodically, that’s for sure.
Up and down the scale, slow tones,
with finger vibrato. It’s one of those easy appearing
things that actually takes practice.
Again, my problem with breath vibrato, which does
come from the diaphragm according to most books/
teachers I’m aware of, is that it may not be so easy
to stop. For many (not all) of us whistle leads to
flute (and more whistle), sooner or later, and one of the chief
problems for new Irish flautists is getting
the vibrato out of their breath.
I think finger vibrato, while not essential, can be
very expressive. But it’s difficult to master, IMO.
Again, my problem with breath vibrato, which does
come from the diaphragm according to most books/
teachers I’m aware of, is that it may not be so easy
to stop. For many (not all) of us whistle leads to
flute (and more whistle), sooner or later, and one of the chief
problems for new Irish flautists is getting
the vibrato out of their breath.
I learn’t flute in the classical manner and do find it difficult to stop breath vibrato. To my mind it just doesn’t fit with Irish traditional playing. When I play whistle it is often commented that I sound like a classical player which to me isn’t particularly a good thing.
All that said as long as I don’t presume to sound like a traditional player then I can just get on with sounding like I do without too many musical hang ups.
I seem to use breath vibrato only on the high and low D. It just seems to come naturally that way. Otherwise I always opt for the finger vibrato. It just seems to sound better in my oppinion. I thinks the key is not to use vibrato too much.
Ps. to Izzarina, I’m still waiting to see those wooden whistle’s of yours. Perhaps a digital picture?
