What is vibrato? What does it sound like? Why you should I learn it?
The Flute Coach - on vibrato
Six EASY Steps to Developing Your Flute Vibrato
Mark Sparks Flute Talk Sept. 2013
Vibrato was part of the musical evolutionary process away from liturgical accompaniment into more personal and secular idioms. It was a popular device among the Italian castrati and has remained firmly established in vocal tradition.
Pop and jazz singers rely on the vibrato-less attack, partially because of their subject matter. Delaying the release of vibrato in the tone pulls at the heart-strings and heightens that sense of romantic yearning which is the lifeblood of popular music.
Starting a note without vibrato is an annoying affectation and a cheap trick when used irresponsibly. It can also be an effective tool in capable hands. Constantly starting a phrase without vibrato implies a lack of awareness.
With some types of attack (articulation) it is possible to begin with vibrato, but not with others.
The throat should be open and relaxed from the start of the note. Starting the phrase without vibrato implies that there is harmonic or other action which is to come which will inspire the release of vibrato into the tone. Differentiate between those phrases that warrant a clear release of energy at some point during the first note and those that deserve immediate inflection with vibrato or more sober treatment.
Sir James Galway on Teaching Vibrato
In 1982, the National Flute Association Annual Convention was in Seattle, Washington and one of the prominent guest artists was Sir James Galway. As an attendee, I offer my summation of his method of learning vibrato taken from one of his talks. If this process seems slow to you, remember who structured this and realise the need to internalize this process. You are only going to learn vibrato once.
Step 1: Huh
Week One: Make this sound into your flute multiple times in a row. Do not tongue and do not try to make a beautiful sound. Only concentrate on how it feels to create this puff of air from deep inside your body. Feel like you were huffing to clean your glasses or to fog up a spot on a window. Do this as you walk around during a week. You do not want to rush this process. Learn how it feels.
Step 2: Hah
Week Two: Now change the shape inside you to produce “Hah” rather than “Huh”. This week play four pulses on each step of a scale to become familiar with the physical feeling of a puff of air and open throat and of using this to create a sound. Make four separate puffs on each note. Do not try to vibrato. Still don’t tongue and although you are making your flute sound, do not worry about how beautiful it is or isn’t.
Step 3: Ha ~ Ha ~ Ha ~ Ha
Week Three: Play your scale with the “Ha” sound and feeling, only connect it to the next one. Play four pulses on each note of the your chosen scale. Don’t rush. Keep the pulses even and smoothly connected. To get the “sound” of vibrato your air will feel, and sound, like it is coming and going. Think of the sound of a train. Blow into the flute and then back off you air until the tone almost stops, then blow out again. Try this at a quarter note = 60 BPM.
Step 4: Tempo
Week Four: Now you are ready to use your understanding of this feeling to learn to control the speed of your vibrato. Start slowly remembering the feeling of the air stream being strong and then weak. Start with your scale and this week move to a simple melody, maybe one that you know. Over this week, feel free to let vibrato come into your playing.
Vibrato will eventually be a natural, yet controlled, component of your sound and will enhance the musicality of your performance.
Things to remember about vibrato:
- Today we do not use a nasal or “nanny goat” vibrato. That was popular with singers and flutists in the early 20th century.
- The speed of your vibrato should vary with the tempo of the piece. Slow piece, slow vibrato. Fast piece, faster vibrato.
- Practice playing melodies with and without vibrato. You will need to be able to do both.
- Practice starting a melody without vibrato and then adding it in and then taking it back out.
- Vibrato is not usually appropriate on a fast run. Don’t try to put it in.