[Harp-L] Re: vibrato vs, tremolo

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"I repeat that "tremolo" and "vibrato" are not synonyms, and should  
not be used as such.  The former refers to a pulsation in volume (or  
amplitude), the latter to rapid variation in pitch.  "


In some circles, yes, in others no.


"A google search on "define: tremolo" turns up a lot of supporting  
info on this topic. "


A google search?  Always definitive.  I've given a real world example  
of a usage of tremolo referring to pitch variation which goes back to  
the 1600's and is still in use today.  I think that's enough to show  
that the distinction is not particularly clear cut.


" This one seems particularly relevant to the current conversation:
*******************************************************
Amplitude modulation of a tone at a variable frequency; meaning that  
the volume of the tone is increased and decreased at a specific rate.  
Not the same as (vibrato).
www.concertinamusic.com/sbox/glossary.html
*******************************************************"


And that may be the way it's used in Concertina terms.  Notably, in  
accordion terms "tremolo" can also refer to the same effect as in  
harmonicas, ie, reeds tuned to beat against each other.  So again  
there is flexibility where you want it set in stone.


"In response to the idea that it's okay for harmonica players to use  
language that other musicians don't use, so long as the harp players  
know what they're talking about: I disagree completely."


The problem is, other musicians are not at all uniform in this  
instance.  You are starting from a false assumption and then  
attempting to back-fill the harmonica terminology into that space.   
"Tremolo", "vibrato" and other words are flexible, often  
interchangeable and have been used as such historically.  Perhaps  
there is a current consensus, but it's no more than that and will  
most likely change again over the course of time.

The reason that all these terms are amorphous is because they all  
describe similar effects of cyclic variation, which all tend to have  
similar musical outcomes.  Because sound is very difficult to express  
in writing, these words then get mixed up, re-used and re-purposed.


" It won't help anyone, harp players least of all, to take words that  
other musicians understand to mean something in particular, and give  
those words a different meaning where harmonica is concerned. "


In general no, but again, here there really is no universal  
consensus, rather there tends to be intra-instrument (and often intra- 
family) ways of using these terms.  So the strawman argument of  
"we'll be seen as uneducated and cut off from the musical world more  
than we already are" is just that--a strawman with no basis in the  
reality of how these terms are used.




JR Ross