Saxophone Vibrato One Technique Two Worlds Futterer... · • Vibrato is a psychoacousFc musical eﬀect which is created by a periodic change of intonaon on a single pitch. • There

SaxophoneVibratoOneTechniqueTwoWorlds©

ADiscussionAndGuideto

LearningandUsingSaxophoneVibratoby

KenFuCerer

SaxophoneVibrato©,KenFuCerer 1

AWarning•  ThispresentaFondealswithalotmorethanSaxophonevibrato.

•  WewillcovertheWhy,What,Who,Where,When,andHowofVibrato.

•  PracFcalsideeffectsofVibrato.•  HistoryandDesignoftheSaxophone•  SoundcreaFonontheSax,and“NeckAlone”•  Embouchure–ThinV/SThick•  TendencyTones,Andthen…….•  SaxVibratoConfusion,ClarificaFon&Conquered.


WhyVibrato?•  VibratoisapsychoacousFcmusicaleffectwhichiscreatedbyaperiodicchangeofintonaFononasinglepitch.

•  Thereisalotofphilosophicaldebateastowhywelikeit,butthefactremainsthatvibratoispleasingtohumankind.

•  Mypettheoryisthathumanspeechdoesnotphonateonasinglepitch.Sohearinga“straight”tonedoesnotsoundasnaturalasatonewithvibrato.

•  Justimaginebeinginchurchwherethepreacherintonesonasinglepitch.ItwouldbesouninteresFng.Goodthingitneverhappens!


WhatIsandIsNotVibrato?•  VibratoiscreatedbyaperiodicchangeoftheintonaFonofasingle

pitch,somewherebetweena¼stepanda½step,whichishappeningfasterthan3-4pulsesasecond.

•  Anythingslowerthanthisspeed,thebrainresolvesthepitchchangesintoindividualnotes,andnoFcesthe“outoftune-ness”thatisbeingcreated.

•  Atthisspeedandfaster,thebrainresolvesthepitchchangesintoa“wider”pitchcenter.ThepitchissFllchanging¼to½step,andbecausetheseareactualpitches,vibratoiseffecFveanywheretheinstrumentcanbeheard.

•  VolumechangesarecalledTremolo.•  Tonal/colorchangesarecalledTimbrechange.•  BothTremoloandTimberchangesarepresentinVibrato,butare

muchsocersideeffects,and,assuch,donothavethephysicalstrengthtotravelveryfar.

•  (LawofinverseproporFons.Doublethedistance–6db)

SaxophoneVibrato©,KenFuCerer

Who,WhereandWhenVibrato?•  Almosteveryinstrumentand/orensembleusesvibratotosomeextent.

•  StyleandtradiFondictatesthatonsomeinstruments,suchastheHornandtheClarinet,vibratoisusedsparingly.

•  CertainmusicalstylesusevibratoconFnuously,othersuseitselecFvelyasaphrasingeffect.(Classicalv/sJazz)

•  But,itisalmostalwaysused.


HowisVibratoCreated?

•  Voice:Vocalfoldschangephysicalshape,andcangosharp(+)andflat(-).

•  Strings:Changephysicallengthofthestring.Violinfamilycango(+)&(-).Instrumentswithfretscanonlygo(+).

•  Windinstruments:Widevarietyoftechniques.•  Airpressure,jawmoFon,slideposiFoncanallprovide(+)&(-),buteachtechniqueisveryinstrumentspecific.

•  Saxophoneislimitedonthe(+)side,butisveryeffecFveinchangingpitchonthe(-)side


PracFcalsideeffectsofVibrato•  ThereareverypracFcalsideeffectstovibratobesidesthe“beauty”

and“style”itaddstomusic.•  TwoinstrumentsplayingunisonmusthaveperfectintonaFon.•  Withvibratothepitchischanginganywherebetween¼to½step,

creaFngawider“pitchwindow”,whichmakesiteasiertotune2performers,asunisonnotesnowdon’thavetobepreciselyunison.

•  A-440.¼stepsharp(+50¢)=A-450ish.¼stepflat(-50¢)=A-430ish•  VibratoassistswiththepsychoacousFc“ChorusingEffect”.When

threeormoreinstrumentsplayinunison,thebrainhastroubleresolvingtheslightout-of-tunenessofthosepitches,alsocreaFngawider“pitchwindow”,whichcreatesthesameeffectasvibrato.

•  Combinethemboth,andyoursecFonwillsoundmoreintunefaster.(alotcloseranyways.)


Saxophone,ALiCleHistory•  TheBelgianmusicalinstrumentmakerandinventor,Adolphe

Sax(1814-1894),wastheoriginatorofthesaxophoneaswellasothermusicalinstruments,includingthepredecessorofthemodernflugelhornandeuphonium,theSaxhorn;andtheSaxtuba,anearlySousaphone.

•  Sax,thesonofmusicalinstrumentmakingparents,setouttocreateawoodwindinstrumentthathadthetechnicalflexibilityawoodwindinstrument,therichovertonesoftheconicalboreandthepowerofabrassinstrument.

•  SaxhopedthisuniquecombinaFonwouldprovideanacousFcalbridgebetweenthedifferentinstrumentalsecFonsoftheorchestraandiniFallyhopeditwouldbeusedtoreinforcethecellos.

•  In1842,thesaxophonewaspresentedtoHectorBerlioz,whobecameachampionofthisinstrument.ThesaxophonefamilyrapidlybecamepopularinEuropeanmilitarybands,andwasintroducedtotheUnitedStatesaround1880.

•  In1889militarysaxophonebandsmenreturningfromtheSpanish-AmericanWar,especiallytoNewOrleans,popularizedthesax.TherestisJazzhistory!


SaxophoneDesignConsideraFons•  SaxblendedthepracFcaladvantagesfromallthewindinstrumentsofhisday;•  Theconicalboreandmodifiedfingeringsystemfromtheoboe.(thereisastory

thatSax1stofferedhissimplerfingeringsystemandsinglereedideatotheoboeworld,whoweretootruetoformtoaccepthisinnova>ons.)

•  Fromtheclarinet,aneasytouse,singlereedmouthpiecewhich,onaconicalbore,providesgreaterpitchstabilityandsimplerreedreplacements.

•  Fromtheflute,theadjustabletubulartuningsystem(headjoint)which,importantly,heplacedinsidethemouthpiece.

•  NomaBerhowliBleorhowmuchthesaxophoneisinsertedintothemouthpiece,thelengthoftheconeisneveraltered,makingtuningtheoveralllengthofthesaxophonesimpleandeffec>vewithoutchangingthebore.

•  TorealizethevolumeSaxhadinmind,heincreasedthesizeoftheboreandespeciallytheflareofthebell,considerablylargerthananywoodwind.ItismoreinkeepingwiththeflareofhisSaxtuba.

•  Saxwaswildlysuccessful.Thesaxophone,alongwiththeguitar,isrelaFvelyeasyforbeginnerstostartandtoachievecharacterisFctoneandtechnicalsuccess.


SOUNDCREATIONSoundiscreatedbyblowingairintothereed/mouthpiece.TheairforcestheFpofthereedtoclose,thenthenaturalspringacFonofthecane(plusafewotheracousFcforces)causestheFptopopopenagain.TherepeFFonofthiscycleofopeningandclosingcreatesthesound.Themouthpiece/reedcomboisanindependentmusicalinstrument,anddependingwhereandhowtheembouchureisplaced,willcreatepredictableresults.Learningtocontrolthemouthpiece’srangewillmakeplayingthesaxinit’svariousrangesmuchsimpler.IftheFp“miss-fires”anddoesnotcloseeachcycle,thenexcessairenterstheinstrument,creaFnga“fuzzy”tone.Thiscanhappenifthereedistoohard,thereedischipped,orifthemouthpiecehassomesortofavoidontheplateau.Ifthereediscracked,itcreatesasqueak,whichisasmallporFonofthereedacFngasanindependentandannoyingmusicalinstrument.


FULLSPECTRUMSOUND•  Afullspectrumsoundfromasaxophonewillhaveafundamentalpitchthatisconsiderablystrongerthanit'sovertones,generaFngasoundfromtheinstrumentthatis"darker"andeasiertoblend.

•  Unfortunately,this"darker"soundisnotautomaFcallyproduced.Instead,asoundisocenproducedthatisoverabundantwithhigherparFalovertones,creaFngatonethatisincapableofblending.

•  Thisisaproblemofbothreedandembouchureplacement.Tooweak(thin)ofareedwillnotprovideastrongfundamental,andareedthatistoofarinthemouth,althoughprovidingafundamental,alsoprovidesanoverabundanceofhighparFals,whichareoutoftunewiththeirneighboringovertones.


FULLSPECTRUMSOUND,cont.•  Differingstylesofmouthpiecescancontourthefrequencycontent.ThatisnotwhatIamdescribing.Iamdescribingadistorted,harshtonecausedbynocontrolofthereed.TheoboedescripFonforthisisa“crow”.Thereisnoequivalentsaxname,soI’mcallingitacrowtoo.

•  ThesoluFontothistoneproblemisstraighworward;dampingthereedbycoveringmoreoftheFpofthereedandallowingthestudenttoblowfairlyhardwillproduceamorecharacterisFcandblendingtone.


THEEMBOUCHURE,THINorTHICK?•  TheEmbouchure'sprimarypurposeistocreateanairsealaroundthe

mouthpiece/reed,andtocreateaminimallyflexiblelippad/palletthatdampensreedvibraFons.

•  Therearetwolippadstyles.THINandTHICK.•  THINisidenFcaltoaClarinetEmbouchure,withlipcornersstretchedbackinto

thesmileposiFon.ThiscreatesaTHINfirmlipandskincoveringofthefrontandtopoftheteeth.

•  AtfirstconsideraFons,thiswouldseemcorrect.Acerall,Saxborrowedthemouthpiece/reedideafromtheClarinet.HOWEVER,theClarinetmouthpieceDOESNOTgostraightintothemouth.Thereedlaysacrossthefrontoftheteeth,soalargeporFonoftheclarinetreedisdampedbyskinaswellaslip.

•  TheSaxophonemouthpiece/reeddoesnotlayacrossthefrontoftheteeth,ratheritgoesalmostdirectlyintothemouth.

•  IftheTHINpalletisused,asizableporFonofthereedwillnotbecontrolledbytheembouchure.Exposingthismuchreedwithoutlipdampingcreatesatonethatisveryrichinhighfrequencyovertones.Translatethatinto“BrightSound”.

•  Addi>onally,thereisthepoten>alforcausingmajornervedamagetotheboBomlip,asthisembouchureusesskinratherthanmuscle.IfastudenthasgrovesinsidetheirboBomlip,theyarewellonthewaytodamage.


THEEMBOUCHURE,THICK!•  TheTHICKembouchureplacesthelipsixngontopofandslightlyforward

oftheteeth,NOTBEHINDTHETEETH/WITHINTHEMOUTH.Toallowthemouthpieceandliptofitbetweentheteeththejawwillbequiteopen.ThisembouchureisidenFcaltothedoublereedembouchure,butweareuFlizingonlytheboCom½.

•  Athick,firm(bunched)lippadisusedtoGRIPthereedwiththecornersofthemouthpushingINWARDandthelipsthrusFngFORWARD,asifaCempFngtopushthereedoutofthemouth,asthereedisaCempFngtopushthelipintothemouth.

•  Ashumans,wetendtomirrorourtopandboComlips.AlthoughonlytheboComliphasanyeffectonthereed,allowingthetopliptogripthemouthpiece(hardlyanyteethpressure)willassisttheboComlip’sformaFon.

•  NOTE:Ihaverequiredsaxstudentstoplaywithatruedoubleembouchure,toplipovertheteethtoo,usuallytocorrectbiFngissues.SomehavefounditsocomfortabletheyuseitalltheFme.Bewarned,marchingwithatruedoubleembouchurecanbedangerous.


MOUTHPIECE/REEDPLACEMENTANDTHE“NECKALONE”.

•BEFOREANEMBOUCHUREISMADE,theTIPofthereedshouldbelocatedinthecenterandmiddleoftheboComlip,onthe"wet"line.•  Themouthpieceisthenrolledintothemouth,keepingtheFpofthereed

onthewetline.Thenthetoplip/teethclosedownonthemouthpiece.DuringtheformaFonoftheembouchureandduringplaying,themouthpieceshouldbeGRIPEDfirmlybythelipsandnotbeallowedtoslipbetweenthelips.Studentsoccasionallyneedtodrytheirlipsandreed.

•  NOTE:Thecenteroftheembouchureisnotplacedwherethereedjoinsthemouthpiece,itisabout½waybetweentheFpandthetouchingspot.

•  NOTE:Theteethcanlightlyrestonthemouthpiece,butshouldnotdigintothemouthpiece.

•  Forbeginners,playingthemouthpiecealonecanbequiteunstable,soIrecommendplayingitonthemouthpiece/neckcombo.

•  CorrectplacementshouldcreateanAb(--)(veryflat)ontheAltoneck.•  Icallthistechnique“NeckAlone”,althoughitisreallytheMouthpiece/

Reed/Neckcombo.


TONEOnTHENECK

•  TheidealtoneandthesonicgoalforbeginnersisaPURETONEonaSINGLEPITCH.IniFally,veryfirmairpressurewillbeneededtoremove"fuzz"fromthetone.Ifadoubleortriplepitchedtone(theCROW)isencountered,thereistoomuchreedinthemouth.(YES,saxophonesdoCrow,thesameasaDR!)

•  Withanovice,thesoundoftheNeckAlonewillbefairlyloudandmayhaveabrightquality.Thisiswhatwewanttohear!AsthelipmusclesgetstrongerandareabletoexertgreatercontrollingforcesovertheREED,thetonewillbecomeprogressivelymore"mellow"andlessairpressurewillbeneeded.


NECKALONE:RANGEANDINTONATION

•TherangeoftheNeckAloneisvariableandshouldbepracFced.Tomakethepitchhigher,thereedismovedintothemouth,tolowerthepitchthereedmustbemovedoutofthemouth.OntheAltoneck/mouthpiececombo,thepitchvariesbetweenaGandanAb.•DuringthisenFreprocess,THETIPOFTHEREEDMUSTSTAYINCONTACTWITHTHESAMEPORTIONOFTHEEMBOUCHURE,andmustnotbeallowedtoslidebetweentheLips.Whenthereedismovedintothemouththelipwillbestretchedthinner,andthereisanaturaltendencytopullthecornersbackduringthisexercise.ThestudentmustberemindedtosFllfocusthelipsinwardandresistthis"smiling"effect.


RANGEANDINTONATION,cont.•  RANGE:ThelowerthepitchontheNeckAlonecorrespondsto

lowernotesontheSax.Playinghighnotesistheinverse.Fortheveryhighpalmkeynotes,theembouchureisnowoverthereed/mouthpiecejoiningposiFon.Thereisabout½”ofmoFonontheAltomouthpiecebetweenthepracFcalextremesofG-Ab.

•  NOTE:Thiscanbedoneonthemouthpiecealone,andarangeofoveranoctavewillbeproduced.However,themouthpiecebyitselfisveryunstable,andforabeginneritwillonlyproducemassivesqueaks.Veryfrustra>ngandannoying.

•  INTONATION:IntonaFonisadjustedbytheconservaFveapplicaFonofthissamemoFon.AslightinwardmoFonwillraisethepitch,andanequallyslightoutwardmoFonwilllowerthepitch.


TENDENCYTONES

•  IftheThickembouchuretechniqueisused,thethroattonesontheSaxophonewillbepredictablyflat.AtoContheSaxophone,especiallyinthesecondoctave.

•  Typically,thehigheryoufingerapitchinthethroatarea,theflaCerthatpitchwillbe.ThesoluFonistorollincrementallyinforthroattones,andprogressivelyinforhigheroctaves.

•  NOTE:Beawarethatifastudentisconsistentlysharponthesenotes,especiallyinthemiddleregister,theyareusingtheThinembouchureandarebi>ngonthereed.Thereisnoeasysolu>ontothissharpness.


TONGUING•  ThebasictechniqueoftonguingisidenFcalforstarFngand

stoppingasound.•  ThetongueactsasaplugandshouldtouchboththeFpsofthe

mouthpieceandthereed.Thefirststepistoplugthemouthpiecewiththetongue,thenairpressureisapplied.FinallythetongueisremovedfromtheFp,whichreleasesthereedtostartvibraFng.StoppingthesoundisachievedbyplugginguptheFpofthereedwiththelengthofthenotebeingvariedbyhowlongthetongueislecoffofthereed.

•  DURINGTHISENTIREPROCEDURE,AIRPRESSURE,MOUTHPIECEPLACEMENTANDEMBOSURECONTROLARENOTVARIED.

•  TherearemanyarFsFctonguingvariaFonsavailable,suchasanairaCack,anairstopandthelegatotongue,buttheseshouldbeconsideredmusicaleffectsandbetaughtlater,acerthebasictechniqueisfuncFonal.


SaxophoneVibratoConfusion!•  Teachingbeginnersthesaxophonevibratoisjumbledmess,dueto

theseeminglycontradictorymusicalworldsthesaxophoneparFcipatesin.DowewantClassicalvibrato,French,BelgiumorAmerican(Rascher,Rousseau,PiCel)

•  RockorJazz?(20’s,30’s,40’s,50’s,contemporarybigband)orDesmond,Coltrane,BootsorLennyPickeC,or???!!!!

•  Thisinstrumentcanbeandhasbeensoindividualizedthatthesonicchoicesareendless!

•  Theseunlimitedstyle/personalityusesseeminglysuggeststhatthereshouldalsobeunlimitedanddifferingtechniquesforvibrato.

•  AlsoconfusingtheprocessisanincompleteunderstandingofthephysicaloperaFngprocessrequiredtocreateavibrato;isitJAWorAIRorBOTH!


SaxophoneVibratoClarified!•Vibratoisanintegralpartofthetoneandshouldbetaughtrightaway.Saxophonevibratoistypicallyajawvibrato,withthepitchdroppinganywherefroma1/4steptoa1/2step.Infact,thepitchcandropconsiderablymorethana½step,makingitidealfordramaFcjazzandpopmusicaleffects.•ThemoFonofthejawislikechewing,onlywearePULLINGthejawawayfromthereed,causingthepitchtodrop.•Chewingisapoordescrip>on,aswhenwechew,webiteInwardtocrushourlunch.Saxophonevibratoisan“openjaw,returntonormal,openjaw,returntonormal”mo>on.Thedistancetraveledisclosetonothing.•Ifaplayerbitesinward,closingthereed,therecanonlybeaslightpitchchange,asthereedwillquitequicklyclampshut.TherewillalsobeslighttremoloandFmbraleffects,andthismightseemlikevibratotoayoungplayer,butthoseeffectwillnottravelmuchfurtherthantheinstrumentalist’sears,andthetoneprojectedtoanaudiencewillbecarrynonoFceablevibrato.•Warning!Thereisadownsidetodroppingthejaw!Asthejawdrops,lipcontrolisremovedfromthereed,changingthetone.Thisisacceptable,evendesirable,asaneffectforJazzandPop,butisnotidealforclassicalsounds.


SaxophoneVibratoConquered!•ThenisthesoluFonforclassicalsaxophonevibratoanairvibrato?Airvibratoisusedonflute,thedoublereedsandsomebrassinstruments,astheabdomenmuscles,graduallyfluctuaFngthesupportgeneratesanunderpressure,overpressurevibrato.•Unfortunately,THISWILLNOTWORK!RememberthatSaxchosethesinglereedconcept,whichfeaturesaninherentlymorestabletonegenerator.Under/overpressurewillchangethedynamics(tremolo)considerablywithouteffecFngthepitchatall.•SO,WHATTODO?USEBOTH!!•Forclassicalvibrato,acombinaFonofairandjawworksveryeffecFvely.Asthejawdrops,changingthepitchandtone,youblowaliCleharder,whichrestoresthetone.•Thecombiningofairandjawamplifieseachother’seffect,makingthenecessarymoFonsquitesmall.•Thismightseemachallenge,butisquitenaturaltochangeairpressureasyoumoveyourjaw.Somethingtodowithyawning.And,unlikehighpressureinstruments,itisquiteeasytoincreasethespeedofyourairvibratoonthesaxophone.•WARNING:Atfasterspeeds,thevibratomightcausethelarynxareatovibratesympathe>cally,butthisac>onshouldonlybeintandemwithandcausedbythemo>onoftheabdomen.Thetermthroatvibratoshouldneverbesuggestedtoastudent,astheywillmightaBempttoproducea"nannygoat"sound,whichiscausedbygloBalstops.


SaxophoneVibratoSummarized•  1.Saxophonevibratoisajawdroppingvibrato,atleasta1/4tone,

forALLstylesofsaxophoneperformance.•  2.However,jawvibratochangesthetone,andthisisunacceptable

forclassicaltone.•  3.Increasingairpressureintandemwithjawvibratofixesthetonal

issuesforclassicalsaxophonists.•  4.Classicalvibratoisconstantandbetween5-6pulsespersecond.

Thehigherthenote,thefasterthevibrato.Occasionallyacomposermightwishaclassicalsaxophonisttoplayadifferingstyle.“SenzaVibrato”or“InaJazzstyle”aresomeofthecuesprovided.

•  5.Jazz/Pop/Whateverusesvibratoasamusicalphrasingeffect.Thereisnostandardspeedorusageforvibratoinpopularmusic.ItcanbepreCymuchwheneverandwhereveryouwish,exceptconFnuous,whichwillsuddenlysoundclassical,nomaCerhowbigandboldyourtonemightbe.


Documents

Saxophone Vibrato One Technique Two Worlds Futterer... · • Vibrato is a psychoacousFc musical eﬀect which is created by a periodic change of intonaon on a single pitch. • There