Vibrato

[Lucy Lawrence]

Recently, I received a Yanagisawa alto sax for my 50th birthday – never too old to start learning an instrument 🙂 I have been a clarinettist for many years, and I am loving the sax.

One question, what is the best way to produce a vibrato? Have I missed it in one of the videos? I have searched on YouTube but am not really sure what is the best method.

All help would be appreciated.

Lucy

[john]

Start by moving jaw up and down making the tone waver flat and then up to pitch again.
Then close the gap on these low points in the sound.
Eventually the gaps come very close together and this is how you control what type of vibrato you want to produce…
Picture a wide sine wave with hills and valleys.

[Lucy Lawrence]

Thanks a lot. I will give it a go.

[Gareth Edwards]

I’m glad there’s a thread on this as it’s something I’ve been thinking about. As a harp player I use throat vibrato a lot and I’ve been experimenting with this on sax and seem to be getting good results. I have read that some sax players use this method, but by far and away the most popular technique is the jaw vibrato you describe. Is there any reasonwhy it’s the preferred method – does it offer more control and better tone, or is it just “horses for courses”. I just wonder whether it’s worth persevering with the jaw technique or continuing to develop what I already use? Perhaps both?!?

[john]

us sax players use the jaw and lip vibrato to get that desired sound.
throat vibrato tends to be known as the old fashioned sound, like they did it in the 20’s and 30’s.
it’s kinda quivery and whinney and so not really what we want.
flute players and other wind players use it still but not so much sax players.

[Gareth Edwards]

Thanks Johnny, that’s great – the throat method does have that 20s, warbly sound – good for the Charleston, but not what I’m after! Jaw and lip it is – I’m away to practice!

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