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I think I know the usual answer but am going to ask anyway. As a violinist I of course learned vibrato at a young age; I do remember the process, and it took a while. There are two basic "types" of vibrato out there for violin/viola: one is a wrist vibrato (which I share with Perlman, ahem) and the other is an arm vibrato, coming from the elbow instead of the wrist. Both seem equally effective.

On oboe, I finally managed to develop what I'll call a chest/cough vibrato, which I guess is one of the correct ways to do it. It has a way to go but has replaced the "air vibrato from the gut" that my teacher did not like but was unable to tell me how to do it differently (which I got off the internet, interestingly enough.)

As a horn player, the emphasis here in the US is to get a tone with zero vibrato, in most instances. Tuba and euph, which appeared in my 50s, seem to want vibrato under some circumstances but not all. I have not put much time into it and don't really have a brass vibrato. I remember on horn for a while working on what I'll call a "lip vibrato" which would be in the same, but much gentler, ballpark as a lip trill. (And many horn player use the jaw for a "lip" trill, anyway.) It sounded really neat, right up there with a string vibrato, but I didn't want to mess with my chops that much.

So....does "everyone" use a jaw vibrato, or are there other ways that work?

Jaw vibrato is what I learned.
Allows one to control application, width and frequency.
Usage in orchestral playing and band playing are VERY different...

Considering vibrato as an ornamente, I generally prefer a jaw vibrato, as simply put, I do not like messing with the air stream at its source. However, that being said, in carefully analysis, I find that I do sport a very subtle air vibrato (if you must call it that) that comes from a very open throat and very deep respiration. Perhaps its more of a shimmer than a true vibrato, but it does create a form of "humanesque" modulation of some sort when I am playing in a cantabile style. It is more or less coming from the elasticity of the lungs and chest anatomy. I do not try to produce it, but rather relax and just let the breath do its "stuff." I can play without it as well and usually try to deliver the air column in as strong and smooth of a flow as possible. The air (actually wind) drives the tongue, facilitates lip slurs, enhances the clarity and beauty of the tone, fuels crescendos and supports range in both extremes. The contour of the wind is essentially the phrase and shaping and it is not necessarily an easy task.

Most of the time I'll use a air or diaphragm vibrato. It came very natural to me. Although it's comfortable, I don't like how it comes accross. Some registers will sound fine and others sound airy. So whenever I'm asked to use vibrato it'll be a more forced/ridged jaw vibrato. My trumpet player friend likes my jaw vibrato much more than air vibrato.

nworbekim wrote: i can never make a trumpet vibrato like i see done with the valves.

In the trumpet world, Harry James style hand vibrato has long fallen out of favor, but there are old-timers who still use it (and it can be effective).

Hup

Revisited from way back in 2009:

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Jaw vibrato is the best method for tuba mainly due to how the air is used and the opening of your face while playing. It's a very bad habit to get into especially while playing in ensambles as this will distort your pitch in and out.

On some solo works it can be very useful if used correctly. My suggestion is to listen carefully to other instruments especially lower strings and emulate them. The type of piece your playing will dictate the type of vibrato you will use, fast slow or a combination of both.

Here is the violin solo from Schindler's List done on tuba using jaw vibrato in very select areas. Using the jaw on tuba vibrato allows for greater control. Although this can be used to enhance your line, if used or done poorly can make you look like you have no idea what your doing so recording yourself is a must. Also, sing what your playing and double check that it makes sense.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zIPnTNTJKM0" target="_blank

Again, I wouldn't do this on carnival of Venice, we'll maybe in the second to last variation, but you get the point.

I don't have the coordination to do the jaw, but the diaphragm seems instinctive (no need to think about it).

swillafew wrote:I don't have the coordination to do the jaw, but the diaphragm seems instinctive (no need to think about it).

Just the opposite for me. Doing it with the diaphragm exacerbates all my air-supply problems. But doing it with the jaw can interfere with flexibility, so I sometimes find it difficult to carry the vibrato through a phrase with a lot of note changes, or very high in the register.

Essential tremor has given me a diaphragm vibrato, however. If only I could control it!

Rick "lots of problems with fundamentals that get in the way" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:

swillafew wrote:I don't have the coordination to do the jaw, but the diaphragm seems instinctive (no need to think about it).

Essential tremor has given me a diaphragm vibrato, however. If only I could control it!

I am a member of the same "essential tremor club". It's a real mastication of the gluteus maximus.

I use a jaw vibrato - it's just what works for me. When I teach vibrato, the one thing I tell all my students is:

"Using vibrato is like zipping your pants in public - you do it discretely - not all over the place".

When learning violin to the level I learned it, the use of vibrato is much discussed, and is an essential part of how the musicality of the piece manifests, along with all the other stuff. I just want to be *able* to do it, as opposed to doing it all the time helter-skelter. I have a trumpet playing friend who uses a hand vibrato on trumpet, and it sounds just fine, but I can't imagine even trying to do that on my tuba. And I don't want an "airstream vibrato" either.....so jaw it is, if I can make it work. I have occasional solos in our British style brass band, and you know the vibrato *those* people use.....so I figured learning the best way to go at it may come in useful at some point. Thanks all.

davidgilbreath wrote:...mastication of the gluteus maximus.

Not a juxtaposition of words designed to create a positive visual.

Rick "yes, it sucks" Denney

I was a singer for years before I ever touched an instrument, which is probably why I find air vibrato to be quite natural. My undergrad teacher was rather old-school, and encouraged me to try to emulate great operatic basses when I played. Vibrato is like cooking spices - a little can be wonderful, but too much can be dreadful, and the genius in it all is finding just the right amount. At a lesson about 15 years ago with Mr. Moore in Atlanta, I started warming-up by playing the intro to a solo piece I was working on, a Strauss Horn Concerto. Mr. Moore was in the next room, and remarked that my vibrato was very old-fashioned sounding, just like Arnold Jacobs played it. Mt first thought was that there are much worse things than sounding like Mr. Jacobs, but I did try to not over-do it.

bloke wrote:

better than some images you could have picked to illustrate the term...

I recommend;