ABSTRACT
In string music education “when to introduce vibrato” is a valid question. Even after vibrato and shifting are introduced, both pre-shifting and pre-vibrato exercises may continue concurrently with regular exercises. Pre-shifting and pre-vibrato exercises can precede the actual implementation of the techniques by an extended period of time, as a matter of fact; many successful string teachers introduce these exercises quite early in their curriculum. Since both the vibrato and shifting motions share the same attribute of shortening or lengthening the playable span of the string, they can be introduced concurrently in a heterogeneous string class. Much like the shifting exercises, it is preferable to optimize class time with heterogeneous vibrato exercises. Borrowing practice strategies from vibrato exercises, starting trills slowly and building speed and the number of turns and repeating on all fingers and strings is an effective way to build trills.
