Generally speaking, I agree with Leonardo da Vinci that, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” But sometimes a note just needs a little something-something, that je ne said quoi to highlight its function in the musical line. Love it or loathe it, vibrato is often the tool for the job.
Interested Student: “What is vibrato?”
Teacher Points Down: “A slight lowering of the pitch at even intervals.”
Sharp Student: “Playing out-of-tune?”
Teacher Lets Air Escape From Lips: “Weeeeel, yes. No. Yes. Gosh, you are both fast and smart.”
Blushing and Secretly Pleased Student: “I try.”
Teacher Makes Ocean Wave Motions With Hand: “You are not wrong. The note should start and end in-tune. But at regular intervals the sound should be out-of-tune as it gets lowered and then brought back up to pitch.”
Frowning Student: “Isn’t playing out-of-tune bad?”
Alert Teacher: “Yes—if it’s unplanned. But changing the pitch through vibrato in a controlled and regular pattern can help energize some notes and make others drift away. Besides, a good player never lets the central core of the pitch escape. The mini fluctuations don’t change the need for excellent intonation.”
Student Processes the Information: “I see. Or, more accurately, I hear.”
Teacher and Student Trade Smiles.
Vibrato DO’S and DON’T S
DO put excellent tone quality and intonation before vibrato.
DO add vibrato to long notes either to push the sound forward or to wind it down.
DO allow yourself to change the speed of the undulation. Speed up to build. Slow down to relax.
DO plan out where you are going to use vibrato. (At least until you’ve built up some experience with the technique.)
DO practise with the metronome to ensure your vibrato waves are even.
DON’T use vibrato on short notes: pick-ups, eights, sixteenths or thirty-seconds.
And with the greatest respect to Marcel Mule and Rudy Wiedoeft, DON’T emulate their vibrato-on-every-note style unless you are trying to recreate an old-fashioned sound.
Student Looks Sideways: “I thought Marcel Mule and Rudy Wiedoeft were fantastic saxophonists.”
Teacher Jumps In: “Oh they are! They are! Or, they were, rather. But just like we can, they got caught up in a trend. Lots of instrumentalists in the mid-to-late 20th century used a continuous vibrato.”
Questioning Student: “But not before?”
Teacher Shakes Head: “No—in the 18th and 19th centuries vibrato was used selectively. Actually, more like how I’m suggesting we use it today.”
Student Grins: “So everything old is new again.”
Teacher’s Eyes Sparkle: “Il y a rien de nouveau sous le soleil!”
For more ideas on how to play expressively, check out my book, Saxophone Technique.
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