[Harp-L] Vibrato Technique

[Wolf Kristiansen <wolfkristiansen@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello Richard Hunter and any other list members still interested in this perennial topic.

Richard, you said something in March 2007 in harp-l that I meant to respond to.  It's been three years, but I finally got around to it.  Here's what you said:

"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 the 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"

Maybe you don't have the same view on this issue, three years later.  But, if you or anyone else is still interested...

I use my diaphragm for both vibrato (a pitch change) and tremolo (a volume change).  The vibrato, done my way, is simply a diaphragm tremolo with the addition of pitch oscillation produced from the throat, and, to some extent, the mouth.  The throat and mouth are working lock step with the diaphragm.  In other words, the oscillation, such as it is, is done at the same rate in each of these organs.

Where Richard and I differ, I think, is that my vibrato would probably not be characterized as being made by small, precise, rapid movements, or sound that way.  We are probably striving to produce two different vibratos as we look for that ideal vibrato.

Enough talk.  Here are samples I played and sent to two Australian list members a long time ago, but now want the whole list to hear.  They demonstrate what I am awkwardly trying to describe.  Sound is always better to describe sound than words are.

The first sample is one note, done straight, then with tremolo, then with vibrato.  Have a listen:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9632368/Tremolo%20-%20Vibrato%20Example%201.mp3

The second sample is a short song, again done straight, then with tremolo only, then with vibrato.  Have a listen:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9632368/Tremolo%20-%20Vibrato%20Example%202.mp3

In both samples, the diaphragm is oscillating (hope that's the right word) at the same rate whether it be tremolo or vibrato.  I hope they are demonstrative, though I do not set them up as the ideal or only way to produce tremolo or vibrato. (Many use their hands to produce tremolo, for example). As an aside, I have noticed that many harp sounds that people describe as vibrato are really only tremolo.  Volume change alone does not vibrato make.

Cheers,

wolf kristiansen