[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 114, Issue 17

[imanonimous@xxxxxxx]

Listen to the video at 2:17 when he breaks into that vibrato again, you can hear his throat working at that point (or at least it sounds like that to me). If I'm right, he's certainly doing a great job of concealing it most of the time, something I'm always trying to do but not as effectively.

Regards,
Harry

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From: David Fairweather <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>Â
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 1:53 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson's timed vibrato

I'm about half way though reading Rebecca Winters' biography of Alan
Wilson, "Blind Owl Blues".ï I've just finished a chapter devoted to his
harmonica playing.ï Although it contains some new, to me information - like
his doing the bullfrog thing with his cheeks when he played a la Dizzy
Gillespie, so far I'm disappointed to find no mention of his superb timed
vibrato.ï To me that vibrato is unique and I've been trying to emulate it
ever since I picked up a harp, with only limited success.

So I think its time once again to turn to the experts here on Harp-L.ï How
do you think he did it?ï Listen, for example, to Canned Heat's "Goin' Down
Slow".ïÂhttp://youtu.be/lRPcxbagJ-U

How do you think he's doing it?ï I always thought it was a diaphragm or
throat vibrato or a combination of the two, but Jason Ricci told me that he
thinks its tongue vibrato!ï The tongue would certainly allow for the
perfect timing, but I can't get that fullness of tone with just my tongue.
Can you? On the other hand, even after years of practice I can't quite get
that perfect timing with my diaphragm or throat..