Klarinet Archive - Posting 000126.txt from 2004/05

From: "Bryan Crumpler" <crumpletox@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] RE: What is "Natural Vibrato"??
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004 18:06:22 -0400

>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: Thu, 06 May 2004 04:46:55 +0700
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>From: "Sooksan Ratanapol" <yiw1@-----.com>
>Subject: What is "Natural Vibrato"??
>
>What is "Natural Vibrato"?? and How to use is??
>
>Thank you

--------

Natural vibrato? Hmmmz... I would guess based on my own interpretation of
that juxtaposition is that it's vibrato that doesn't sound mechanical,
forced, and "sheepish" (like a "baa-aa-aa-aa").

Vibrato that is forced is normally caused by clenching the diaphram and
having slight contractions in the throat where you vocal chords are. Singers
and flautists have trouble with this most often where the vibrato wavers
with some sort of constancy - i.e. their vibrato sounds like someone is
repeatedly beating their chest to create the "waver" in the sound... hence
the sheep sound. Flautists achieve the best vibrato from rhythmic
contractions of the diaphram to alter the airflow. For clarinetists,
however, contracting the diaphram makes the vibrato sound forced, like
you're huffing, and it can be somewhat robotic-sounding - hence, unnatural.
Using the embouchure on clarinet achieves a more natural sounding vibrato
because the airflow is still supported by the diaphram, so the sound is
still supported as well, and the vibration in the sound isn't caused
anywhere else except at the reed.

Vibrato that also appears more natural is one that colors a phrase. Note:
"A" phrase... not "every" phrase. For example, If you've every heard Benny
Goodman's Bartok Contrasts... his vibrato wavers at a constant tempo no
matter the note or the passage. It's just kinda there... It's like he hit
the ON button for vibrator and off it goes vibrating like crazy on every
note. If you've ever heard the singer Josh Groban, his vibrato wavers at a
constant tempo too.

Wild vibrato is also unnatural in my opinion... can be equated with tone
spreading. By "wild", I mean the difference in the intensity of sound
between the beats in the vibration is uncomfortably wide. Vibrato of this
form is most likely caused by loosening the embouchure too much to create
the vibration. Next time you see Whitney Houston sing, note how her bottom
lip wavers up and down when she adds vibrato. Sounds good, right? Now
imagine her doing the same thing with a clarinet in her mouth. Wavering of
the embouchure like that is what's going to cause the "wild" and "unnatural"
character to the vibrato.

In terms of how to use vibrato that seems more natural or tasteful... that's
tough. Many clarinetists and critics will bawk at the words "vibrato" and
"clarinet" in the same sentence. But just to sum it up if you're careful not
to use it all the time on every note, to avoid the sheep sound, to use the
embouchure as opposed to the diaphram, and to somewhat equalize the dropoff
in intensity of the sound, it can make for a more natural sounding and
naturally feeling vibrato.

HTH

Bryan

http://www.whosthatguy.com

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