I'm a raw beginner, so forgive a dumb question. I've seen several discussions of vibrato/tremelo. None of them mention what may be the simplest method--shaking the harp while blowing or drawing. I'm sure that everyone discovers this technique pretty much right off the bat, so why is it not listed along with other methods? Jake
Hi Jake, and welcome. I definitely seen it mentioned, maybe it's in Winslow's Book Blues Harmonica for Dummies, I'll have to look. Maybe people don't regard it as one of the orthodox techniques, so it get's passed over.
As a specific example, when I was starting out I asked about Charlie Musselwhite's Christo Redemptor where he plays a long note on a 3 bend with some slow vibrato and it was suggested that moving the harp slightly in an out (shaking if you like) in a controlled way was one approach. Not the only one, but one.
You'll get different effects depending on the note, so a blow note I guess you'll get a tremolo, but on a bent draw note it affects the pitch too, so more a classic vibrato.
EDIT I checked in Winslow's book, it's not in there.
This is what I'm talking about... see at 1m 50s. Clear evidence of shaking -> vibrato on that bent note! Or he may be doing the other orthodox technique of waggling the jaw up and down. I know what I think though.
Hi Jake, good to see another beginner here (most of the active members seem to be modest intermediates if you ask me! ;) )
I think most teaching approaches like to encourage solid fundamentals, such as a good way of holding the harmonica, and steady clean single notes. I guess if they were to advocate 'shaking' it would run counter to that and might encourage sloppiness.
I once found myself alone on a bus journey and tried playing for a while. As the nursery rhyme goes, people on the bus do indeed go up and down and it gave me some sweet (if uncontrollable) vibrato. Alas, Bus Vibrato is an unofficial technique not recognised by any harmonica authority...
:)
As is often the case, you have to try different techniques and see what works for you.
Whats good Jake? Always Good to see some new people in here.
Im not sure if you specifically want this type of vibrato or if your mistaken in thinking that this is the only way to do vibrato.
Personally i use mostly throat vibrato. Its (in my opinion ) the most versatile type of vibrato. You can do it from very soft to very loud. Where as diaphragm vibrato for instance is harder to do at a very low volume.
But there are many ways to get good vibrato.
Anyways hope that helps clear things up, but ive probably just further confused the issue.
Let the questions rip if you ve got em. ---------- "Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Thanks for the great responses. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to get out and try some "bus vibrato." I'm still puzzled though regarding why shake vibrato is never (rarely?) discussed. I don't see why it is inherently sloppier than any other kind of vibrato.
Because its harder to control i guess. Honestly ive never even heard of this type. Seems like a not so good way to go for beginner. Not trying to discourage, but ....
Can you do any other types of vibrato?
If you can't, my suggestion is to try throat v8brato.
---------- "Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Every book or teacher seems to have their own set of preferred techniques, even the terminologies aren't standard - they might be referring to something you're aware of, but they use a different term so you might think the technique is something new.
I think one possible reasoning is that it's considered wise to do as much work to your airstream as possible from the source - inside your body. This would then leave your hands free to further shape the sound if you want to (wah, tremolo etc).
opps... I see it's already been talked to death in the main forum, so I edited/deleted most of my post.
for me Vibrato is often what singers try to eliminate from their voice when singing...sometimes we will say 'dam that person warbles like hell when they sing'. and harp players try to add it...a little bit of it goes along way...
Last Edited by Spderyak on Mar 22, 2016 3:54 PM
