Hi, anyone have any suggestions how some exercises to improve the strength of the fourth finger for vibrato? I'm currently learning vibrato with exercises my teacher left me with. I can do the first three fingers reasonably ok though not consistent but for my fourth finger, I find that I need to use my arm so that my fourth finger starts rolling. It isn't correct is it? Help!

Not really correct, no. (What instrument do you play, anyway?)
I wouldn't force it - it will come eventually, and most string players find the fourth finger worst to vibrato with. No very helpful advice, I know! Be carefully not to tense it or to strain it, as it's by nature the weakest finger. Good luck!

What instrument?

Ooops, sorry, forgot to mention the instrument. It's the violin. Yea, I know it's by nature the weakest finger but still...so any suggestions?

Using your fourth finger a lot more in general playing will help. Many pupils chicken out of using the fourth finger, even up to as late as approaching about grade 4, but this is not a good thing.

Vibrato on the fourth finger is only really possible once that finger is strong and secure enough to be used alone and has total independance from the others. Try doing some trills with the fourth finger - that generally develops strength and control quite quickly.

Remember, your muscles need time to develop and keep up with increasing technique, so there is no short cut or quick fix solution.

When playing try using 3rd finger with the 4th finger for the vibrato to support it.

I need to learn vibrato soon. When my brother leand it, he moand a lot.
What grade does it come in?

Yeah, and would doing hanon exersaxes on the piano help strenthen the 4th finger for the violin?

I started learning vibrato at during grade 3.

I never took exams but I seriously started violin only in Feb this year. I started learning vibrato in June. I'm around Grade 3 standard so vibrato probably comes around then.

The AB quote that:

"By Grade 5, violin, viola and cello candidates should have acquired some skill in vibrato. Double bass candidates should have acquired some skill in vibrato by Grade 6"

There is nothing preventing you from using vibrato in earlier grades, but, vibrato should never be used in scales and should never be used to mask poor intonation. Concentrate on intonation and good playing technique before rushing into vibrato - your playing needs some maturity of tone before expression can really come through in the use of vibrato.

Many young students use vibrato incorrectly anyway - simply by adding it in the same way to every single note, regardless of style of the piece they are playing or the dynamics. Not only is this incorrect use of the technique, it is also just as boring to listen to a piece played with a repetitive vibrato as it is to listen to a piece with no vibrato at all.

You have been warned!

How long does a person on average, take to learn proper vibrato? I've heard (and now know) in the beginning stages of learning, it doesn't sound nice and often, the player isn't able to keep the vibrato up for long. My teacher told me that vibrato comes from the fingers but mine seems to come from the wrist. It's weird!

Vibrato can either be termed as 'wrist' or 'arm'. If your teacher is implying vibrato comes from the fingers alone, then they aren't explaining it very well. It's a combination of movement in the arm, wrist, hand and fingers. Your fingers do need to be quite strong and the position of the left hand needs to be well up and over the fingerboard. Fingers that are placed flat or collapse at the joints won't be of any use for vibrato.

I was just lucky, I never had to be taught vibrato, it just developed naturally. It was a natural progression in my playing that allowed me to switch vibrato on and off as the mood or style of the music required, vary the speed, width and alternate between arm and wrist vibrato. I would say 75% of pupils aren't so fortunate, they have to be taught it and very often they end up with a very 'one-track' vibrato that doesn't fit all. Ensuring your early attempts are correct will help the development. I believe there are some books out now for string players called Viva Vibrato, which gives helpful advice to those who may be finding vibrato something of an issue.

Complete relaxation in the left shoulder, arm, wrist, hand and fingers is an absolute must. Any tension, however minimal, will inhibit vibrato and create many problems.

Once you've got the knack of it, it ultimately boils down to practice, practice, practice.....

Any excercises specifically designed to strengthen the waeker fingers are best done in short intensive bursts frequently. Try to add a short period of finger strength work to practise every day and stop each day before anything starts to hurt. You won't notice the change immediately but suddenly you'll realise your fingers have got stronger. Don't go to practise one day thinking "today I'm going to make my forth finger really strong" and work until you injure yourself.

Amanda, are there any exercises that you could suggest to prevent the joints from collapsing? I've found that my fourth finger simply will not curve, and I cannot find a way of making it stand upright. My teacher has gone as far as trying to manuver it herself into a standing position but it just won't happen, it locks into position.

Firstly, are your hands double-jointed in any way at all? If your fingers aren't double jointed, how big or small are your hands and more importantly, how long is your little finger compared to the others? ie. looking at the palm side of your hand, does the very tip of the little finger reach up to, or above, the line of the top joint of the third finger, or does it finish below it?

People with "short" little fingers will have a bit of a problem making the finger reach if they are trying to keep it completely rounded at the same time. This is however, not an excuse for a lack of development or better strength and posture of the fourth finger - even short finger posture can be improved with exercise.

Holding and gripping/squeezing a pencil with the fourth finger can help strengthen it. Alternatively, use one of those soft(ish) squeezy stress balls you can buy - squeeze the ball with your entire hand, but make concentrated use of the fourth finger in particular.

I don't think my hand's are double jointed, although saying that, I'm not too sure. My hands are incredibly small, I play a 14 and 1/2 inch viola, as any bigger and I cannot use my fourth finger. And looking at my hands the little finger comes up to just below the third joint.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm sitting here typing with one hand, the little finger on my other hand wrapped round a pencil. Been sitting here for about five minutes doing it

I'm doing the stress ball way!