[Harp-L] vibrato/tremolo

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard Hunter writes:

"  Established practice is as follows:
- tremolo refers to changes in VOLUME <snip>
- vibrato refers to changes in PITCH <snip>

There's nothing tentative about these definitions.  They've been in  
common use by players, instrument and amp manufacturers, and anyone  
else involved in making music with electric instruments for over half  
a century.  "


And for about three centuries organists and organbuilders have  
referred to devices which "shake" the wind going to the pipes  
effecting the pitch as "tremolos".  So time-wise I think that beats  
the last half century.

All types of additions of undulations and beats tend to be instrument  
specific, and the terms "vibrato", "tremolo" and "celeste" are  
similarly instrument specific.  What harmonicas and accordions refer  
to as "tremolo" (ie, two reeds tuned to beat against each other)  
organs term "celeste".

There is no hard and fast rule for these effects, so whatever the  
common usage is for a particular instrument seems to be the best rule  
of thumb--ie, no universality.  So if for effects and synths  
"tremolo" is volume and "vibrato" pitch, then that's fine.  If for  
harmonica it's all vibrato and "tremolo" means the specific type of  
harmonica with beating reeds, that's also fine.  As long as the  
people who play the instrument can understand each other, that's the  
most important thing.



JR Ross