Re: [Harp-L] vibrato vs, tremolo

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Both vibrato and tremolo refer too ways of putting a recurring undulation (or pulsation or wave) in the sound of a sustained note. There are three ways to do this:
- Changes in volume (loudness)- changes in tone color- changes in pitch
Historically all three have been referred to as vibrato, but some people nowadays insist that only pitch change is true tremolo and that changes in loudness should be called tremolo. They usually don't address the matter of changes in tone color.
I think a more comprehensive approach is to call all three vibrato, then specify which kind. 
- Changes in amplitude are accomplished with the diaphragm, and is often referred to as diaphragm vibrato by woodwind players.
- Changes in pitch are accomplished near the back of the mouth, and often called throat vibrato.
- Changes in tone color and accomplished by closing and opening the hands around the harmonica, and this technique is often referred to as hand vibrato.
Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

Resident expert at bluesharmonica.com

Harmonica instructor, jazzschool.com

Columnist, harmonicasessions.com

--- On Thu, 8/19/10, John Dekker <jdekker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: John Dekker <jdekker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] vibrato vs, tremolo
To: "harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 10:51 AM

Can some please explain the difference between vibrato and tremolo? Which is more commonly used, and how does one attain each? Thanks.

John
Newbie in Sacramento