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- Subject: Re: VIBRATO
- From: "JACK ELY"@mrgate.mec.ohio.gov
- Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 13:40:00 EST
- A1-type: DOCUMENT
- Posting-date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 00:00:00 EST
Dan wrote... > I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THE HARP-L ARCHIVES AND SAW A NUMBER OF > POSTINGS ON THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACHIEVE VIBRATO, <...del...> > I'D LOVE TO HEAR ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ON ACHEIVING GOOD > VIBRATO, <...del...> > -DAN. To Dan and anyone else interested. There has been a lot posted on vibrato and tongue blocking recently. The following is excerpted from my basic chromatic harmonica method, BCH, which I have been working on, piecemeal, for a couple years - trying to put on paper what I've learned from many others - and maybe even a couple revelations of my own - with visions of publishing it someday. je BCH - BASIC CHROMATIC HARMONICA GETTING STARTED ON THE CHROMATIC HARMONICA - by Jack Ely (Also known as - "Slide Harp" or "The One With The Button On It") <...del...> VIBRATO Vibrato, the slight lowering and raising of the pitch of a note, also affects tone. Throat vibrato is what vocalists use. Well controlled, light throat vibrato can produce a very pretty tone. Heavier vibrato can be used for emphasis on a note or passage. Vibrato should not be over done and it probably should not be used at all on some songs. Of course this is a matter of personal taste. Throat vibrato should not be done too fast. (see METHODS/VIBRATO). TONGUE BLOCKING Some say that tongue blocking (See PLAYING A SINGLE NOTE) produces better tone than the pucker method of playing. Tongue blocking sounds better (or at least different). If you are coupled (embouchure) to the instrument differently it is going to sound different. You should learn both methods but as a beginner I suggest you choose the one that works best for you. Record your practice sessions and play them back. You will hear what you sound like. The tape recorder is very non-forgiving, it repeats mistakes right along with the good stuff. Using a recorder will help speed your progress. Save your tapes and compare later ones with your beginning tape so you can hear the improvement. Use an amp, a practice amp may be a good investment. You can hear what your doing and it will give you experience using a microphone. METHODS of PRODUCING VIBRATO HAND VIBRATO (the simplest method, not really a vibrato) This is easy to master yet it can be effective. Many pros use it. The hands form a "cup" or sound chamber around the harmonica. (See HOLDING the HARMONICA). Vibrato is achieved by opening and closing the hands. If your hands form a good seal around the harmonica you can get vibrato by just wavering your bottom two fingers on the left hand. Vibrato should be smooth and not too fast and should not be overdone. You can get vibrato by moving the right hand as well. TONGUE VIBRATO (also simple) This method is also fairly simple to learn but should be used sparingly. Tongue vibrato is achieved by swelling and relaxing the tongue which changes the air flow. Say the words yoy, yoy, yoy. Try it without the harmonica, you can feel your tongue change. Now try it with the harmonica. Vibrato can be used with blow & draw notes. THROAT VIBRATO (most difficult) This is the most difficult method to learn and also the most desirable. This is how good players achieve that beautiful tone. It can be used constantly yet subtly for good tone and emphasized for a pretty or "schmaltzy" effect on certain passages. It can be combined with hand vibrato. Heavy "schmaltzy" vibrato sometimes sounds pretty but should be used sparingly. It too, can be overdone. Throat Vibrato is really controlled by the diaphragm, however, you feel it mostly in your throat. That's where it seems to come from. Here is an exercise you can do daily. It in itself will not give you vibrato but it will exercise your diaphragm, improve your breath control and also improve your speed playing. (1) Take a deep breath. (2) let it all out. (3) Take a deep breath again. (4) Now, while keeping the lungs inflated, exhale and inhale very rapidly as long as you can. You are exhausting and replenishing your air rapidly while maintaining an air reserve in your lungs. (Don't do this too long at first as it will probably make you dizzy - practice this daily and gradually increase the length of time you do it). The rapid exhale and inhale is controlled with your diaphragm. Your chest should not be puffing in and out but you should be able to see and feel your stomach (lower abdomen) moving in and out rapidly. Kind of like a dog panting. In fact, now that I think about it, it's exactly like a dog panting. EXERCISES FOR VIBRATO: Example #1 - Play a single note at a slow tempo while tapping your foot in time, play one note per tap. Now play two notes per tap, (keep the same tempo). Next, while keeping the foot tap constant, play three notes per tap. Finally, smooth out the note so that it becomes a wavering sound instead of three separate notes. To get the vibrato you must flat the note slightly. It is the repeated lowering and raising of pitch which produces vibrato. This exercise should be done in one breath. You can think of it as playing a half note, then two quarter notes, then triplets and finally a constant, smoothed out, wavering tone. Practice the exercise below. VIBRATO EXERCISES #1 Tap-> ........ 1 ........ ........ 2 ........ ........ 3 ........ Play-> Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Taaaaaaa Taaaaaaa Taaaa Taaaa Taaaa Value-> half note 1/4 note 1/4 note tri - pl - et VIBRATO EXERCISES #2 (Without the harmonica) Say AHhhhhhhhhh. Now chop up the AHhhhh with little coughs. AHhAHhAHh etc. Practice this while exhaling and inhaling. This will probably make you choke or gag and cause your eyes to water, especially on the inhale. If it does, you're doing it right. Gradually increase the speed of the "cough" and concentrate on smoothing it out and eliminating the cough sound. (Maybe this is where the term throat vibrato comes from because you can feel it there). As you smooth out and eliminate the cough sound you can feel that it is your diaphragm that is doing the work. Now try this while playing a note on the harmonica. It is easiest in the low register, high notes are harder to get vibrato on, so start out with the low notes and you will see (hear) results quicker. An E (blow 5) and F (draw 5) on a 10 hole are probably the easiest to get vibrato on. Notes lower or higher come with a little more difficulty. Eventually you should be able to get vibrato throughout the range of the harmonica, then you will have good tone. Vibrato should not be too fast, moderate speed gives best results. Experiment with both methods above. Find out which example works best for you and then practice daily. Good luck and good vibrato! SUMMARY This completes the section GETTING STARTED ON CHROMATIC HARMONICA. Many of the techniques you learn through study of this material will be useful on diatonic and other harmonicas. I have attempted here to give you some information not available in most other harmonica methods. This is by no means a complete method in itself. Study from other harmonica methods, listen to recordings and develop your style. I don't think there is any single method and there are no shortcuts to becoming a musician. Remember the three rules of musicianship; practice, PRACTICE, P R A C T I C E ! <...del...> [end excerpts] I hope this material helps someone. If there is enough interest I would be glad to post what I have so far - warning - Although not complete it would be 5 or 6 pages. (I have a similar document on diatonic in progress). Jack Ely ely.j@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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