Hello! I was asked to teach some of the younger students vibrato, and would like some advice from more experienced players before I go in and attempt to help them. Does anybody have any methods that are really effective, or does anybody have an idea as to how to keep a group of seventh graders' interest? Thanks a bundle!

~Emily

Since you mentioned asking more experienced players, what level of student are you being asked to teach? Because in my opinion, vibrato is a technique that should be reserved until the player reaches a relatively advanced stage (which almost no one would have reached by the 7th grade). It can help a lot with expressiveness, but if the player is still struggling to create a good, reproducible tone, or working on basic technique, or struggling with intonation, then vibrato is just another thing they don't need to be worrying about (and probably aren't ready for). I didn't begin to learn vibrato until I had already been playing for about 5 years. I do have a couple different methods that seem to work pretty well, but even when the basics are learned, they'll need to keep working to really learn how to use vibrato well, and if they're not going to do this, they'll likely develop some bad habits with it that will be very difficult to reverse later. It's not something that can be taught in just a couple sessions, especially if you're not sure you'll have their attention all the way through your time there.

hi, please check out this link, james galway does a section on learning vibrato, click on the link bottom left hand corner :-)
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/chatfile/chatfile.htm

They might have a point. I have been playin the flute for 3 years now and i have never even heard of vibrato on a flute. i have it on my keyboard but like i said i have never even heard of vibrato on a flute.

Vibrato is extremely common on the flute (and in my mind, belongs on a flute more than a keyboard). If you've ever listened to a professional flutist, you've probably heard it. But as I said, it is something that should be reserved for the more advanced stages of playing, as it is a very intricate topic and poor vibrato can do much more harm than good.

Vibrato on flute can be truly lovely, but also can sound like an angry goat if not done well.
I second Flutist06. Do not try to teach vibrato until basics of technique, tone, and intonation are very strong. It is possible that a 7th grader would be ready, but unlikely.
Schoolbandgeek, I would suggest going to your library and getting a CD of James Galway (lots and lots of vibrato) to listen to. One of my favorite recordings is Paula Robison (NOT RobiNson!) doing the Carmen Fantasie- gorgeous. It is amazing what a flute can do. It speaks well of your (is it 3 years on flute?) education, SBG, that you have not been asked yet to add vibrato to your playing.

I just got back from judging this competition in Taiwan. Vibrato often hurt the chances of many contestants because of the way they used it, usually it was too constant, or always one speed or too fast and "angry" sounding...those who won did not have a vibrato that stood out, it was just very natural...