Vibrato and Cello Playing

Vibrato and cello playing is a technical aspect that comes with some debate, both in terms of execution and musicality. Here, I address some issues dealing with vibrato, including its stylistic necessity, how to achieve a controlled effortless vibrato, and how to work on getting more color and options from it.

When it comes to vibrato, the best place that most instrumentalists should look to, in my mind, is a singer. The best singers (for cellists, listen to someone like Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau) have the natural ability to shape the speed and width of their vibrato to match the intensity of, or lack thereof, a given phrase. I'll often have my students sing their lines before playing during their cello lessons for that reason.

Further, it is a technique that adds to, rather than detracts from, an already well-shaped phrase. The danger for string players tends to be to have a left-hand oriented sound, one that is driven by a wide unvaried vibrato that is applied on the surface, with no regard for the shape of the phrase.

Remember: the left hand cannot create sound, only the right arm can. That being said, try to be absolutely certain in your idea of the shape of the phrase with no vibrato at all.

Then ask yourself: How can my vibrato add to the effect that I’m trying to create?

This will lead to a more organic approach to finding a suitable vibrato for a given passage, driven by the music instead of by the technique itself.

As with many aspects of cello technique, bigger muscles are to be used in order to garner more control and less fatigue.

Think of the vibrato happening as a result of the left arm opening a closing at the elbow, controlled by the muscles in the lower back and shoulder. This motion can be controlled easily in all places along the fingerboard, including high thumb position. Further, having more than one rate of vibrato is absolutely imperative in being musically convincing, so experiment with keeping the vibrato constantly changing speed in scale work.

Finally, try to achieve a uniform vibrato strength with each finger. To work on this, find a comfortable rate and width on a strong finger, and then try to find the same level of comfort on a weaker finger by experimenting with hand angle, elbow level, and thumb position.

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