Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 1996/01

From: Michael D Moors - Alpena <mdmoors@-----.US>
Subj: Re: Vibrato/Stoltzman
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 1996 14:34:25 -0500

Everett,

My experience with vibrato has been mostly used with saxophone also. I
have found an easy way to develop a vibrato in students if they are
committed.

1. On quarter notes at a slow tempo bend the pitch by saying "YA"
practice the quarter note pitch bend seriously for at least a week to
develop consistency. I stress "over doing" the bend at first. Increase
the tempo of the quarternote.
2. Progress to bending notes on eight notes. Bending notes of scales
serves 2 purposes.
3. After control is gained on eight notes increase the speed to
triplets, still counting the pulsations.
4. Increase the speed to quintuplets then sextuplets.

After a student gets to sextuplets they have a vibrato that they can control.
The same approach could be used if a teacher prefers diaphram vibrato.

There are certain french pieces that I feel vibrato enhances a piece when
used. Premire Rhapsody is a good example. I used a subtle vibrato on
high extended passages.

Mike Moors

On Mon, 8 Jan 1996, Everett J Austin wrote:

> I have a couple of comments regarding vibrato which may be of interest and
> hopefully useful. These derive mainly from my experience in learning
> saxophone vibrato and encountering various ways to teach it or analyse it,
> but certainly apply to other types of vibrato:
>
> 1. There are two main types of vibrato: intensity vibrato and pitch
> vibrato. Most real vibrato consists of a mixture of the two types. In
> addition, one could think of a color vibrato, consisting of undulations of
> subtle timbral change. The general rule for pitch vibrato is that this
> consists of regular fluctuations in pitch BELOW the fundamental pitch of the
> note (that is the pitch the note would have with a straight tone) starting at
> and always returning to that pitch. Pitch vibrato fluctuations AROUND a
> pitch generally obscure the pitch and sound warbly and unesthetic in most
> situations. A rough or exaggerated intensity vibrato gives rise to the
> "tremelo" or "nanny goat" effect most people find objectionable.
>
> 2.) Another important variable is the speed of the vibrato and, related to
> this, whether it is constant or intermittent, and whether and when the speed
> may vary and to what extent. Similarly, the pitch or intensity variations
> may or may not vary in their amplitudes.
>
> All this can give rise to almost limitless subtle variations of vibrato
> (achieved by various fluctuations in jaw and/or lip pressure, abdominal
> pressure and/or laryngeal and/or oropharyngeal configuration: this excludes
> early attempts at single-reed vibrato by bouncing the instrument on the
> knee!)
>
> Clarinet vibrato remains a controversial subject, but it is interesting to
> pay attention to it at times in people who use it effectively and yet
> individually. On recordings I have, these people come to mind: Harold
> Wright, Walter Boeykens, George Pieterson, Reginald Kell, Paul Meyer, Gervase
> de Peyer, Einar Johannesson, Auguste Perier, Jacques Lancelot, Jonathan
> Cohler, etc., besides Stoltzman, and all quite different. Yet Karl Leister
> with no vibrato at all can often somehow sound just as espressive.
> Chacun a son gout?
>
> Everett Austin
> Fairfax, CA
>