Re: [Harp-L] Vibrato Technique

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tony Renshaw wrote:
<As a three year player who has heard lots about vibrato and the way to
<create a deep, melodious one using my diaphragm, I would like to 
<challenge explanations I have been given with my own conclusions, and 
<wait to get torn apart. Simply, it has been explained to me that the 
<diaphragm is the  key to a deep vibrato. I believe this, but it has 
<historically been  described to me in isolation. I believe, for me 
<anyway, that the only way to get a good diaphragmatic vibrato is to use 
<it to create a "back pressure", or area of "negative pressure", using 
<your epiglotis. In isolation one can argue that it is all about the 
<diaphragm, and to create  such a "negative pressure", it is. The 
<problem I have is that I can use my  diaphragm, that big muscle for 
<prolonged periods, but generally only in one direction or the other. I 
<certainly can't "vibrato" it. To try and do a  deep, rhythmical vibrato 
<from the diaphragm with a completely relaxed throat and mouth is damn 
<near impossible.

I've never been able to do this either.

I hope this doesn't qualify as hijacking the thread, but I'd like to 
point out that there are many ways to get a vibrato, all of which have a 
unique sound.  Larry Adler was a master of vibrato, and he might use 
three or more different vibratos in a single piece, including:
-- hand vibrato (produced by opening and closing the hand not holding 
the instrument, or one or more fingers on that hand)
-- tongue vibrato (produced by making "ya-ya-ya" movements with the tongue)
-- throat vibrato
-- other?

I've been told that Adler rarely or never used a throat vibrato in the 
upper octave, for example, because the sound was too raw.

Back to the main topic, I don't know how one uses a very large muscle 
like the diaphragm to make the small, precise, rapid movements that are 
necessary to do a vibrato, while using the same muscle for the much 
larger, longer movements that are necessary in order to control airflow. 
To put it another way, how can you produce a continuous column of air 
and shake that column with the same muscle simultaneously?  To me, the 
most important use of the diaphragm is to control to column of air, 
which is what produces a big and very personal tone.

But this may just reflect my own lack of technique.  If someone can 
point to a reference, or supply the necessary instructions, I'd be grateful.

Thanks, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
latest mp3s at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter