Before we start exploring the vibrato and it’s technical aspects we have to look at some terms that are used to describe certain vibrato techniques.
Dealing with waves we stumble upon three main physical terms:
Frequency, wave length and amplitude.
The frequency of a tone is directly related to the tone pitch. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch. The term frequency means the number of oscillations within a certain timeframe, usually a second. If you have a frequency of 440Hz it means there are 440 oscillations within one second.
The wave length is not interesting for us. It’s related to the frequency. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wave length. Just for the sake of completeness…
The amplitude describes the size of the oscillations in our wave. In other words: How big the waves are.
For a tone you could explain the amplitude as the sound pressure. The larger the amplitude the louder the tone.
When we look at the vibrato those terms become a different meaning because we describe a movement, not a steady tone.
The frequency of our vibrato means the number of oscillations of our vibrato movement. The faster we vibrate the higher is our vibrato frequency. The vibrato amplitude is the “size” of our vibrato. If we increase our movements we also increase the vibrato amplitude.
The result is:
If we change our vibrato frequency the tone doesn’t change as well. Our mean tone remains on the same tone frequency.
When we change the vibrato amplitude we don’t change the sound pressure as well. We get a bigger change in tone frequency instead since we increase our vibrato movements.
You see, frequency and amplitude have totally different effects or meanings depending on what we try to describe.
In this series I will mainly refer to the description of movements, not tones and their physical explanation.
I won’t finish this physical crash course for musicians without an outlook what’s coming next.
A vibrato is a controlled movement that results in a consistent oscillation of the tone. Those oscillations are performed with the finger that plays the tone. But the finger must not leave the position. It remains in the same position!
How do we manage that?
Well, that’s the topic of the following post. So stay tuned!
Technorati Tags:
Vibrato
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I am just now finding your website . . . it is excellent! I am not a professional violinist but I play for a hobby after taking lessons in middle and high school. I am now 56 and I love to play for pleasure in small ensembles. Your teaching techniques are even better than some “in person” lessons that I’ve had over the years. Thanks for having a vision to post all your exemplary techniques and photos on the web !!
Hi Linda,
thank you very much for your kind comment! I’ve been working as a violin teacher for almost 25 years when I had the idea of sharing my experience via the world wide web.
So when there is anybody out there whom I can help just a little with my posts I’m happy.
If you have any questions or comments – don’t hesitate, just write!
Cheers
Steve
I have just found your website… It is very interesting,, I have been in a violin course for four months… I do that as a past-time.
The techniques presented in your website are really easily explained and useful to follow the guides available.
Great to hear that! Hopefully we’ll have a pretty complete compendium after a few more months.
Stay tuned, and have fun!
Hi
My english is not very good.But understand that you have a site with a useful.I play the violin.Turkish classical music.Music ranges from the west a little bit differant. Vibrato met while working. Was a useful site. I hope I have understood me
good day.
Never mind your english. it’s much better than my turkish…
One of my former students came from Ankara. He used to play both, Turkish and western classical music. It was quite an experience for me as well, because I learned a lot about Turkish music and the scale system myself.
Hi,
Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
I really liked this post. Can I copy it to my site? Thank you in advance.
If it’s useful for you – sure. Would be nice to have a link to my site though…
The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you
Hi, interest post. I’ll write you later about few questions!