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Why does vibrato sound good?

6K views 32 replies 20 participants last post by  betelsax 
#1 ·
Why does vibrato sound good to our ears? After all, its just a slight waver in the tone, right? Why is it necessary (for instruments that can produce it) to make beautiful music?
Anyone have any ideas/theories?
thanks
 
#5 ·
zxcvbnm said:
Why does vibrato sound good to our ears? After all, its just a slight waver in the tone, right? Why is it necessary (for instruments that can produce it) to make beautiful music?
Anyone have any ideas/theories?
thanks
I wouldn't say that it IS necessary. There is beautiful sax playing that features little or no vibrato (Coltrane comes to mind, and Parker -- both of course could play vibrato wonderfully, but often eschewed it).

Nevertheless, the question "why do we do often find vibrato beautiful" is an interesting one, to which I have no better answer than the ones offered here. I only add the observation that there is more than one kind of "beauty." (Problematic term, "beauty." In profoudly interesting ways.)

Sic 'em Cujo.
 
#8 ·
I like vibrato. It makes pieces with lots of sustained notes have more character and prevents them from becoming long and tedious. The emotion it adds is a great bonus. Perhaps no vibrato seems inappropriate because it could be conceived as simple, like a young student playing long notes in a piece that just drags on and on. But then there are instances when no vibrato works wonderfully, so who really knows...
 
#9 ·
Like said above, it gives the sax a more human and earthy sound. And the intonation piece is a big one. Vibrato can effectively cover many a sour note. By making the played pitch move up and down past the "correct" pitch, the listener's brain will often automatically hears the correct pitch within the vibrato.

Another less positive use of vibrato is hamming it up while playing in a group. If you put just a little vibrato on the end of your sustained notes, you will stand out over the other players within the same cord. To me, that's bad and sounds terrible if you're playing with other horns on a straight-sounding piece of music. But it's ok and sounds pretty good if you are playing with guitar, piano and maybe even one another wind instrument like a flute or trumpet where the sax is supposed to sound unique.
 
#10 ·
Jolle said:
it's all about emotion. a human voice overpowered by emotion trembles, and our brain is made to pick that up.
This must be right, I think. Our "base line" in terms of listening is the human voice (??). When we hear a singer we associate vibrato with emotional intensity. By analogy, we enjoy the effect on instuments that can produce it. Nevertheless, it is interesting that many listeners feel it is possible for vibrato to be overdone, at which point it starts to suggest fake emotion or "hamming it up". I find it interesting too that the listener's response to vibrato is affected by fashions in music - I doubt even a very great artist could get away with playing with as broad a saxophone vibrato as Sidney Bechet in today's musical climate. By "get away" I mean that the player would be steered away from this kind of sound early in his career.
 
#12 ·
I've played with some vocalists that sing ONLY with continuous cabaret vibrato - not appealing, not sensuous, not good.

Tasteful use of vibrato can be a beautiful thing.

Nannie goats and their vibrato should stay on the farm.
 
#18 ·
If you guys are talking about the vibrato that is done with altered speed for effect here and there, I was told once that it's an American invention. Previously, people used to use the "goat like" continuous vibrato for just about every kind of music. The non-continuous effect-style vibrato is just that, an effect, like false fingerings or slap tonguing or something, and likewise, not using it is an effect. For flavor. And the way it's done is often different from player to player, so it's very individual. All that adds depth to whatever you're doing, but particularly in an improvisational context.
 
#19 ·
Pete Thomas said:
It's better when the vibrato average pitch is the correct pitch. If you play a more relaxed embouchure without vibrato (ie push the mouthpiececon a little more than lip down), the vibrato will be better in tune.
Vibrato is used mainly by string players and singers. String players vibrate from the pitch down. I do the same with mine.

hgiles said:
Listen to a bit of Joe Henderson and tell me how you like his vibrato.
Listen to a bit of John Handy and tell me how you like his vibrato.;)
 
#20 ·
ranma503 said:
If you guys are talking about the vibrato that is done with altered speed for effect here and there, I was told once that it's an American invention. Previously, people used to use the "goat like" continuous vibrato for just about every kind of music.
Let me doubt that very seriously. If you talk about hyperromantism and barok in classical music, then "nannie goat" comes to mind. But there is more to music than that. I dare even say that it is highly improbable that in more than let's say 3000 years of musical history, nobody ever came up with a moderate vibrato here and there.
 
#21 ·
I think a lot of people here are on the right track. My personal take on the matter is that for fundamental and instinctive reasons, the human voice is the yardstick by which all other attempts at lyricism are measured, and so it is the goal of every other instrument, to certain extent, to imitate the innate singing quality of the human voice. To this end, though, I would contend that neither the inclusion nor the omission of vibrato is definitively right or wrong, especially considering that many vocalists use it selectively and some, not at all. Instead, it is my belief that vibrato is a matter of stylistic taste, musical sense, and personal preference. For instance, I will alter my vibrato or just not use it depending on the mood of the song, what emotion I'm trying to convey, and how I'm feeling at the moment. The whole thing is entirely subjective - except in some styles, where certain rules regarding style have been established - and that's part of what makes music so expressive and individualistic.
 
#22 ·
renaissance_man said:
I think a lot of people here are on the right track. My personal take on the matter is that for fundamental and instinctive reasons, the human voice is the yardstick by which all other attempts at lyricism are measured, and so it is the goal of every other instrument, to certain extent, to imitate the innate singing quality of the human voice. To this end, though, I would contend that neither the inclusion nor the omission of vibrato is definitively right or wrong, especially considering that many vocalists use it selectively and some, not at all. Instead, it is my belief that vibrato is a matter of stylistic taste, musical sense, and personal preference. For instance, I will alter my vibrato or just not use it depending on the mood of the song, what emotion I'm trying to convey, and how I'm feeling at the moment. The whole thing is entirely subjective - except in some styles, where certain rules regarding style have been established - and that's part of what makes music so expressive and individualistic.
Context is all. No technique is "beautiful" (or "ugly") in and of itself. Multiphonics is (are?) a good case in point: to some folks, multiphonics are inherently ugly, but used in the right way in the right place in the right music, the effect can be astonishing, and densely emotive.
 
#23 ·
hakukani said:
Vibrato is used mainly by string players and singers. String players vibrate from the pitch down. I do the same with mine.

Listen to a bit of John Handy and tell me how you like his vibrato.;)
I was told to vibrate from the pitch up by a well known (and I mean well known) saxophone teacher who is known for both jazz and classical, but mostly jazz. However, my main instructor just always told me to listen and emulate, and Rousseau (who has the best vibrato IMO) goes up (I think).

But hey, whatever works...

Anybody up for some Sydney Bechett vibrato:twisted:? There was this clarinet player at my school who absolutely hated vibrato, so my friend gave him a Bechett CD:twisted:
 
#25 ·
Martinman said:
I was told to vibrate from the pitch up by a well known (and I mean well known) saxophone teacher who is known for both jazz and classical, but mostly jazz. However, my main instructor just always told me to listen and emulate, and Rousseau (who has the best vibrato IMO) goes up (I think).

But hey, whatever works...

Anybody up for some Sydney Bechett vibrato:twisted:? There was this clarinet player at my school who absolutely hated vibrato, so my friend gave him a Bechett CD:twisted:
Sorry.
I have it from the horse's mouth. Dr. Rousseau, Shell Lake Wisconsin Summer Workshop 1980. Also, my teachers John Sampen, and Yoshi Maezawa. --Not to mention numerous master classes with various string players.

Vibrato from the pitch, down.

Then, of course there's the vibrato page:

http://www.standingstones.com/vibrtopg.html
 
#24 ·
Martinman said:
I was told to vibrate from the pitch up by a well known (and I mean well known) saxophone teacher who is known for both jazz and classical, but mostly jazz. However, my main instructor just always told me to listen and emulate, and Rousseau (who has the best vibrato IMO) goes up (I think).

But hey, whatever works...

Anybody up for some Sydney Bechett vibrato:twisted:? There was this clarinet player at my school who absolutely hated vibrato, so my friend gave him a Bechett CD:twisted:
"Hey man, track 4 is a killer." Heheh. literally.
 
#26 ·
hakukani said:
Sorry.
I have it from the horse's mouth. Dr. Rousseau, Shell Lake Wisconsin Summer Workshop 1980. Also, my teachers John Sampen, and Yoshi Maezawa. --Not to mention numerous master classes with various string players.

Vibrato from the pitch, down.

Then, of course there's the vibrato page:

http://www.standingstones.com/vibrtopg.html
Funny, the guy who told me was a Rousseau student. But anyway, I guess Rousseau trumps all...
 
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