[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Vibrato

To: <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Vibrato
From: "Kevin" <KPetersen@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 12:50:43 -0800
References: <3AB1C71D.D202697F@technologist.com>

re: Vibrato

There are 3 basic kinds of vib.:  Pitch, intensity and timbre.  Pitch is
what fiddles use, and that's also what you get using your chops or a
trombone slide.  Intensity (loudness for those in the States) is the
diaphragm kind favored by lower brass and just about your only choice if
you're a flute.  Timbre is much less common, but an example is using a
Harmon mute doing a wah-wah with your hand.

Which to use?  String sections in orchestras get their sound by everyone
using it all the time.  Brassbands suck when this happens; the less the
better for the most part.  Solo passages (like the 2nd mvt of Year of the
Dragon) only really cook when the note starts off straight and then you
'warm it up.'  Opera singers, of course, should simply be shot on sight.
But if you must know, that style of 'vibrato 'till you die' originated to
let them fill up halls full of noisy people.

Best advice is to find an 'old-timer' whose sound you think is perfect and
just try as hard as you can to sound like them in every way.  As a tuba
player, I've been trying for 35 years to sound like Doc Severinsen and the
only two compliments I've ever gotten is that I have a great sound and that
I play too loud.

k
--

Follow-Ups:
- Re: Vibrato
  - From: Marc Robbins

References:
- Vibrato
  - From: Steve Larwood

Prev by Date: Re: Vibrato
Next by Date: Re: Ceasing from receiving correspondence
Previous by thread: Re: Vibrato
Next by thread: Re: Vibrato
Index(es):
- Date
- Thread