# Details of musical vibrato **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 28, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012 "2004-08-28T23:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/41 "2004-08-30T21:41:35Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Do you use a wrist vibrato, by any chance? But of course. If you’re an arm-vibrato-er, I guess that could account for your viewpoint. > [@](#): > > It did feel that I was forcing myself to not use half the muscles in my hand, though… Eh? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/42 "2004-08-30T21:57:40Z")
> [@Jpeg Jones](#): > > Eh? I worked damn hard to get the flexibility and strength in my hand for wrist vibrato that I could vary and control - and just now I had to stop myself using half of it! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/43 "2004-08-30T22:34:39Z")
I can get a one-way vibrato easy enough with a guitar just by bending a string up and down (perpendicular to the length of the string). However, with wrist vibrato (where the finger is rocked back and forth parallel with the length of the string, though the tip barely moves), I have a hard time not oscillating up and down in pitch above and below the fretted note. ---
**Author:** ![dangermouse1956](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@dangermouse1956](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermouse1956)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/44 "2004-08-31T01:33:59Z")
Looks like the issue of the nature of vibrato (variations in _pitch_ for the purposes of this discussion) is neither as simple nor as predictable as I had hoped. It may be unilateral or bilateral, apparently. Someone proposed experimentation to help determine this, and while that was one step in development I had hoped to avoid by doing this kind of research, it looks like it will indeed be necessary. I have to say this: I expected some replies, but I sure didn’t expect this level of interest and participation on such a subject as this! Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/45 "2004-08-31T03:06:47Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > I can get a one-way vibrato easy enough with a guitar just by bending a string up and down (perpendicular to the length of the string). Good point. This is the standard rock vibrato technique, and since it is produced by bending the string, it is only possible for the oscillation to go _above_ the “true” pitch. The other technique you mention is a more subtle effect: it does both raise and lower the pitch, but only by a rather small amount. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/46 "2004-08-31T03:43:56Z")
I’ve spent a bit of time slowing down samples, and here’s my ever-so-scientific results: Violinists (Kreisler, Menuhin, Heifitz), and Janis Joplin: All go above and below. Maria Callas, Elvis and Sinatra - both go below, and also _slightly_ above. Pablo Casals - below only. **Jpeg Jones** may have a point there. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/47 "2004-08-31T19:08:09Z")
I wonder if ‘below only’ is an American thing? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/48 "2004-09-02T23:51:48Z")
I randomly stumlbed across this piece of Linux software, which may be useful: [http://pitchtune.sourceforge.net/](http://pitchtune.sourceforge.net/) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/49 "2004-09-02T23:53:07Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I wonder if ‘below only’ is an American thing? Geographical differences are certainly plausible - but ‘American-only’ wouldn’t explain Casals. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012/50 "2004-09-03T02:44:36Z")
Further listening (damn, i had to listen to 3 hours of Wagner, such a shame 😉 )… opera singers definitly go ‘below’, but the timbral change of the more open mouth and throat is easily as significant as any pitch change. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/details-of-musical-vibrato/262012.md?page=2)