Vibrato on the -8 and -9

[scott4]

I am putting more emphasis on these two notes but it is tough for me to equate the other notes. Any suggestions on improve on these two noes would be appreciated. All the others are fine. I listen to the tunes that have these notes and the players seem to lightly hit them relative to the rest or avoid using vibrato on these two. Its not the reeds as I had a great tech set my harps up. The blow notes are fine and I suspect its just tough relative to the lower notes due to the reed size.

[JanDomanski]

Hi, these notes are rarely used. Even I can say that whole third octave (channels: 7, 8, 9, 10) is rarely used because of its specific notes configuration. So it’s good to rise this question.

When You bend notes then You play on both reeds (draw and blow) with one note which is about one semitone higher than lowest note on that channel. You can easly bend and vibrate on direction of higher note. Vibration is fast bending and unbending.

On first two octaves blow notes are lower and draw notes are higher. So in these octaves is easier to bend and vibrate on draw. In third octave its easier to bend and vibrate on blow.

Only vibrato on third octave on draw I can do is diaphragm vibrato. But this vibrato is only volume vibrato, not pitch vibrato. Maybe other can do more.

[Luke]

Yeah @JanDomanski is right. The only type of vibrato you can put on -8 and -9 is “chewing vibrato” aka “embouchure vibrato” and that requires some finesse. Less is more!

3 Types of Vibrato

How to Sound Less Like a Beginner [Little details matter] The difference between the sound of YOUR harmonica playing, and the sound of the GREAT MASTERS all boils down to… tiny. little. details. The details of how they shape their Tone Bending Phrasing Dynamics Note choice and embellishments are what makes the pros sound like…well, pros ! To sound LESS like a beginner, first get the fundamentals down. Then, once you…

[JanDomanski]

Thanks for video and post about vibratos.
After reading I understand that in my previous post I messed things.

I should write: On third octave on draw I can do only diaphragm tremolo.

Im experimenting more consciously with vibratos/tremolos for couple of months and I think that there are much more types.

I think that there are types (counting from bottom of body):

• diaphragm/lungs tremolo
• throat: larynx (?) vibrato
• throat: oropharynx (?) vibrato
• sing vibrato (when You sing to harmonica similar note which You play)
• tongue vibrato (much than one type - depending of part of tongue)
• jaw/chewing vibrato
• hand vibrato

For now I can easly use only tongue, hands, and diaphragm/lungs.
Now i’m practice throat and I feel that there are two parts of body which I can shake. One is deeper (bottom part) - close to Adam’s apple (maybe its larynx) and second part is almost in my mouth - near to tongue (maybe its oropharynx). I don’t know exacty. Many years ago I heard one man in Polish Harmonica festival who plays some strange type of tongue vibrato. He said that he play it of tip of tongue.

[scott4]

Luke/JanDomanski

I spent a about an hour practicing each note. No problem with the first seven and the blow on the higher notes somewhat easier than the draws. If I use my mouth it works to a certain degree but after listening to a tune that has these the player is probably doing the same thing. I default to my diaphragm on longer draws and blows. I do feel the bottom of the throat on others by default. I have decided the notes in question are not going to be played often but what to learn what I cannot hurt.

It seems vibrato is pitch variation. Tremolo a variation in volume with no pitch variation, creating wobble like sound and variation in volume. I use the latter on the high draws if needed but its not loud. I feel these take place in different places i.e. the -8 through -10 being tremolo. When I started my diaphragm was used by default but now I feel the force in the lower throat, diaphragm of mouth on the lower notes. One practice routine is start a note and ocellate the volume as if I were playing a twin engine airplane and the engines not quite in sink. I purposely oculate volume until the note smooths out as if only one engine is running.

Thanks to both of you for your feedback. For now when I have to play the -8 and up it will be using Tremolo and only when necessary as this has the best results. If I make sure the harp is warm and very clean it is easier as are bends and about everything else. I practice running from 1 to 10 playing both draw and blow as a practice riff. From 7 down its seems much easier to make it sound better and go from a faster slower play, constant and faster play. About the only thing I have going for me at the start was good use and control of my diaphragm, not tone deaf and persistence. Knew nothing about music other than its a great medicine and fun.