Vibratos, Etc.



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Obviously, I have nothing better to do than net-play while awaiting the
hurricane to come through Tallahassee!

After reading all the descriptions of the various effects to be made on
the harmonica, it occurs to me that most are not truly vibrato at all.
Unless the pitch is wavering somewhat, it's not a vibrato.  In fact, I
guess most single note effects on the harp are more accurately called
tremolos, caused by rythymic changes in air pressure, and thus, volume.
Even the use of the muscular mechanisms in the throat, which are used to 
create a vibrato while singing, really only deliver a pulsing of the note
played on the harp because the air pressure in the voice tract is fluctu-
ating.

It seems the only true vibrato on harp is achieved by BENDING the note in
a rythymic manner.  I have to say this does have a distinctly different
sound than the other ways I wiggle a note.  Since I don't overblow (yet!),
the pitch shifts lower than the note played.  If you're already bending
the note, I guess you can also make the pitch go higher than the note 
played, but this seems pretty difficult to me.  Does anyone do this?  I 
think I'll experiment with it a little, but I don't think I'll like it as 
much as the vibrato with the note flatting.

BTW, one technique I enjoy when playing is to add bending while doing a 
headshake (trill, warble, quaver, whatever it's called.)  Another is using 
vibrato (or tremolo) while bending a note.  The thing about developing 
various note wavering techniques is the variety of pulsating speeds and 
tonal qualities you can create. 

Is making a vibrato by rhythmic note-bending a common method used by others?


Till next,                              
....Bobbie                                          *Harp Vibrating Here*

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