Does anyone know how to play virbrado on a flute?

Question

-I just got into symponic band and according to my teacher I play very well but I can't have a solo because I don't know how to play with a virbrado. Help please!!

Answer 1

No one here fully answered your question so I will  :]  .  First try playing a whole note preferably a B flat, with a nice big, warm sound. Then try "accenting" on every beat. It's almost like breathing the word "hah" into your instrument. This requires alot more air, so you may get dizzy. but then once you have mastered this try eighth notes, then triplets, then sixteenth. Eventually it should become like second nature.  I hope I helped and good luck on your "vibrato" :]:]

Answer 2

I use my diaphram on my sax and clarinet and my lips on bassoon and oboe. I guess it is quite difficult to learn. My high school director taught me vibrato for my first bassoon lesson. I think there are very many ways one can do it. I use these two ways because they are comfortable for me. I think the most common one is using your lips. I only use my diaphram on sax and clarinet because my lips tighten so much from going back and forth between double reeds and single reeded instruments.

Answer 3

Vibrato is a very useful thing to make your sound better! I taught myself how to do it when I was in 7th grade because i didn't have a private lesson teacher to teach me. It was easy to pick up the general idea, but eventually i figured out that it wasn't the best way to do vibrato. So the "GOOD" way to do vibrato is this...

Play a hole note (I would recomend A, F, or Bb)

Beat 1:   Play really soft, as soft as you possibly can

Beat 2:   Play REALLY loud and strong on the second beat

Beat 3:   Play really soft on the third beat

Beat 4:   And finally, Play REALLY loud on the last beat

Next try doing that same thing a little faster!

Then a little faster...

And a little faster....

And FASTER!!!!

...Until finally your lower chest (not your throat) is doing all the work!

(In a nut shell, just use more air/faster air on the "pulses" in vibrato.)

AND TADA!!!

(P.S. I would reccomend taking private lessons if you are serious about playing flute...which you should be because flute is the most funnest instrument to play in the whole wide universe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Hope this helped!!!!!!!! And Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO FLUTE!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Just like jordan said above me, you start out with a whole note and you accent the note but you have to push up with your diaphragm to make the accent, not with your throat. I guess you could think of it as a thrust upward  from your toes if that makes it easier. :) As you get better, start speeding it up. Also, try going up to your teacher after school and have her help you. You'll be amazed at the progress you make and the difference in your tone!

Answer 5

HI Ifsad45.    Easy question...   Hard thing to try to explain over the computer.   Vibrato is a skill used by singers and by some instrument players... flute being one of them.   If your Teacher has told you cannot have a solo because you cannot play with vibrato,  you  realize just how important it is for your playing.    It is a process that must be learned but it takes time, patience and practice.  You cannot learn it in 15 minutes...  and to be more specific,  you must practice the exercises for months before your vibrato is really nice.  It is hard for some people to ever get the idea.    I have a student who is in the 10th grade this year...  been taking lessons with me for 3 years...  still cannot do vibrato.   She is the ONLY student I have had that is 100% unable to understand it or do it.    Do you take private lessons?  Is there anyone you know that can explain the process of learning how to play with vibrato?    Perhaps another flute player in your band class?   Well,  I don't think anything anyone can type out on here will explain how to do vibrato.  It is a process that someone has to tell you...    If you are really serious about learning it,  I will be glad to help you.   Send an email to me at my Yahoo email address and I will see what I can do.   I can give you the exercises and the way to practice every day.   Thanks for reading.

Answer 6

My band director taught me to do it slowly first.  Pulse your notes from your stomach muscles once every few seconds while playing a long note.  Once you've got that down, go a little faster until you are on several beats per whole note.  Remember, it doesn't come from your throat or your tongue, it comes from your stomach.  It gets easier once you've been doing it for awhile!!