[Harp-L] Re tremolo harmonica

[Cathal Johnson <cathaljohnson@xxxxxxxxx>]

Please allow me to comment on the above thread.
Richard Hunter wrote:
> In most musical contexts, "tremolo" refers to a pulsation in volume, as opposed to the pulsation produced by two tones that are very close (but not identical) in pitch.  However, be that as it may--a tremolo harmonica pulses according to the difference between two reeds that are close to, but not identical in, pitch, as opposed to anything to do with volume.

The word tremolo is somewhat confusing getting mixed up with vibrato and used to describe 3 different sounds.  In orchestral situations to describe or direct for example a violinist to use tremolo or vibrato on a note. Introduced to cover up a note that maybe out of pitch by moving the finger back and forth. Thus giving the illusion of in pitch, as perfect pitch was hard to achieve on a fret less instrument such as the violin. Only one frequency used in this context.
Secondly, we've heard it used to describe two pitches  as with tremolo harmonicas. And thirdly as Richard rightly points out above and i think dictionaries to define it in volume, though I never really heard it used in this context very much. This context may suit to describe Wah wah harmonica or throat vibrato it breath..

Richard Hunter wrote:

> Anyway, the detune effect does the job when you don't have a tremolo harp around.  As with any electronic effect, the results are similar but not identical to the "real" thing.  (They're both actually "real", but not the same kind of real.)

To digitize an acoustic sound the computer takes samples or records tiny segments and strings them together. There continuity becomes broken up into millions of samples. Though technology improves, it cannot replicate the sound of acoustic instruments or records and tapes. 
Computers utterly fail to replicate or compete with a record that is just cut and played for the first time. The records sounds quality degrades thereafter each time it is played. A computer finds it impossible to draw a continuous circle for example. It creates the illusion by drawing a circle using tiny lines or pixels.
The ongoing battle between Real physical continuos acoustical  sounds vs digitized or newly created or sampled sounds I find intriguing.  
Die hards out there faithful to film use the above arguments to verify their beliefs in old ways of doing things and using film as opposed to using digital.
As technology improves these arguments begin to merge but never completely for at least, a very long time.

Regards,

Cathal Johnson 
BA Applied Music 2010
Cathal Johnson Harmonicas
Www.cathaljohnson.com
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