[lucidreamer]

Hi,

Can someone probably suggest or explain to me how Harry Allen does that nice vibrato at the end of some notes on his tenor? I listen to his recordings for years and years and watched his videos but can never replicate that same technique. I noticed that unlike some other tenor players he does not use the vibrato at the beginning or middle of the notes and just adds that pretty sweet vibrato at the tail of the note. I am not sure if this is a jaw type of vibrato and is probably a fast diaphragm movement causing the air stream to fluctuate or something. Anyway, I would appreciate if someone could point me out to the right direction how to do that one.

Thanks.

 

[turf3]

That's what's called a "terminal vibrato". Those of us who do this typically use a standard jaw vibrato movement.

It's extremely common in jazz saxophone playing. LIsten to a few players like:

Hodges
Parker
Adderley
Coltrane
Hawkins
Webster
Gordon

and you'll hear it all over the place. This by the way is one of the things classical sax players often get pathetically wrong when they try to "play jazzy" - they just slather a big unvarying constant vibrato all over everything.

 

[turf3]

LIsten to "What's New" at about 13:20 and you'll hear loads of terminal vibrato.

 

[lucidreamer]

Thanks for the advice Turf3!

 

[lucidreamer]

Found a pretty good video explaining the technique to the minute level on YouTube, little creepy though:

 

[whaler]

I guess I’ve always approached vibrato and articulation as “hear it, do it”. If I think about it too much, I’m screwed.
I’ve always loved the ”terminal whisper” ending of notes on ballads you hear Ben Webster, Stan Getz and joe Henderson used on ballads.

 

[mmichel]

That's what's called a "terminal vibrato". Those of us who do this typically use a standard jaw vibrato movement.

It's extremely common in jazz saxophone playing.

I agree with this. I certainly do it all the time (as you can hear in this clip I posted for the current TOTM).

As whaler said above, it's a "hear it, do it" sort of thing. I don't really think about it and I never had to try to figure out how to do it. I just developed it over time from listening to and "transcribing" players like those listed by turf3.

 

[turf3]

Actually, after watching the X ray video (where I didn't see hardly any up and down jaw movement) I sat here and simulated a vibrato - it seems to be much more a muscle thing of the embouchure muscles than an actual up and down movement of the jaw bone. Say "wawawawawa" - you're not really jacking your jaw up and down - it's in the muscles. So maybe "mouth" vibrato would be a more accurate term.

 

[JL]

I guess I've always approached vibrato and articulation as "hear it, do it". If I think about it too much, I'm screwed.
I've always loved the "terminal whisper" ending of notes on ballads you hear Ben Webster, Stan Getz and joe Henderson used on ballads.

+1. No real mystery to this. Just apply some vibrato at the end of a held note. I've always done it with a subtle movement of my jaw. And I think this is the most effective use of vibrato (rather than using it for the entire duration of a note).

 

[Dr G]

Hi,

Can someone probably suggest or explain to me how Harry Allen does that nice vibrato at the end of some notes on his SBA tenor? I listen to his recordings for years and years and watched his videos but can never replicate that same technique. I noticed that unlike some other tenor players he does not use the vibrato at the beginning or middle of the notes and just adds that pretty sweet vibrato at the tail of the note. I am not sure if this is a jaw type of vibrato and is probably a fast diaphragm movement causing the air stream to fluctuate or something. Anyway, I would appreciate if someone could point me out to the right direction how to do that one.

Thanks.

Shed your vibrato - whether you choose to use "jaw" or "diaphragm" vibrato, learn to control it. That includes modulating both intensity and speed. Once you learn to control it, then you can learn to use it tastefully.