Tongue Vibrato

["dzeller@xxxxxxxxxxx" <dzeller@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The throat vibrato thread has brought out some very useful dialogue.  I'd
like to hear how many incorporate a true tongue vibrato:  Anyone who has
seen Professor Anataki's  amazing  mouth/ throat ultrasound on Howard
Levy's playing (at the Turboharp website)can appreciate how much of his
vibrato effect is generated in the tongue, and it especially points out
that low note vibrato uses the back of the tongue, the high notes  require
the motion from closer to the tip of the tongue: a movement I find
infinitely harder to master.  Cases in point:  Listen to Kim Wilson's
version of Trust my Baby: that long 10 blow vibrato that tears you up seems
best generated not in the throat or diaphragm, but the variation in pitch
and modulation have to come from the tip of the tongue.  I've asked a
number of pros to  show me how to do it: most tried to use a throat
technique and could only replicate the tremolo effect without the pitch
change that Kim achieves, but Jason Ricci was able to nail it after several
attempts using a combination of tongue and lip motion, as we sat and 
recued the note on CD about 4 or 5 times.  I'm still working on that one!
Another example would be a great cut from the "Got Harp if you Want It" CD
where the late Ralph Shines, on the song "High Temperature" nails to
incredible effect a low 2 draw ( A harp) throat vibrato while
simultaneously doing a hand cupping "Wah".   I like to pull this move out
once a night and it slays the crowd.  
Anyway, I'd like to hear some other harp-L ers thought on this infrequently
discussed technique.
Don  

- --------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .