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Very interesting thread about the technical problems associated with the production of a consistent vibrato.I am also interested in the musical application - when players use vibrato - all the time, in soloisiic passages or whatever.

I suspecy, although am willing to be disproved, that the higher the instrument the more use of judicial vibrato - dependent on the nature of the repertoire

Has anyone else noticed how the British brass bands have gotten away from the exaggerated vibrato all too common 30 years ago? (Sort of makes one queasy if one hears too much of it .

A friend who's been part of that scene for decades opines it's because a lot of the chapionship bands are now recruiting right out of the conservatories and music schools instead of "coming up through the ranks".

Chuck - I, too, have noticed British Brass Bands using a narrower vibrato lately. When I began doubling on euph I looked to these bands for inspiration on developing my sound. I never got quite as "nervous" sounding as those bands, but I did develop the opinion that lots of vibrato is characteristic of a good euph sound. I am slowly using vibrato more sparingly.

To answer the posters query:

On solo type tuba playing I use lots of vibrato... most of the time if the music is lyrical. In large ensembles I try to use vibrato sparingly... although I do use it more than a lot of other tubists. On Euphonium I use it all the time... probably too much. I think your idea that the smaller the instrument, the more vibrato would be accurate for me.

In our trio, 70% of the solos are my tuba solos. I use vibrato sparingly but in emotional passages or novelty tunes there is definitely a place for it.
The Fartman
www.johnreno.com/

I've been working towards a more narrow and quick vibrato lately and using it in more of a taper than right at the beginning of the note (unless its of short duration). I would use slighlty wider vibrato and start it quicker in moments of high emotion and volume.

I tend to use vibrato (euph) in the lyrical passages, solo or not. On occasion I may add a little vibrato if I hear some intonation issues if: I don't have time to pull a slide, or I'm not sure who is out, or I'm not sure which direction.

For orchestral tuba players, application of vibrato is sparing, and almost NEVER should be used when in passages when playing with other instruments. Solo playing, however, is like singing, and should be used approprately!

When I practise, I try to avoid vibrato. It´ll come all by itself in a live audience situation, so I need enough energy to keep it cultivated and won´t try to enhance it.
As to vocals, I thoroughly enjoy people who manage to sing with defined pitch, as needed in choir literature, and who do so even in a solo situation. (Isn´t vibrato an effect of volume rather than pitch, anyways ? Maybe I´m wrong, but I heard both kinds at the opera and prefered the former, for sure.)