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Topic: Vibrato Analysis |
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 3:18 pm |
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Edit note: To view the sonograms and audio discussed in this thread ...
SCROLL DOWN
I didn't want to "Hijack" Ray's post ... so here's a fresh one ... to respond to Gerald Ross' request for some audio/visual samples which led to this "essay" on ...
SCROLL DOWN
First a few "ground rules" ...
1) If you make fun of my samples ... which are from a CD I made for my daughter Ellie's first Christmas ...
2) If you make fun of my analytical ways in regard to "Art" ...
Its NO SOUP FOR YOU
Now ...
In order to see a "vibrato pattern" on a sonogram ... you need to sample a very small section of the piece ... a single note ...
Then you must run the sonogram in the upper harmonic range ... where small deviations of pitch equals large changes in frequency.
If you run the sonogram for the entire clip ... across the audible range ... you can't see squat.
So the audio clip is a small section of a song ... then I sampled a held note ... then focused in the 1kHz to 3 kHz range ... to see the vibrato pattern.
The X- axis is time in seconds ... the Y-axis is frequency in Hz.
First up ...
Dick McIntire from a recording of Akaka Falls w/Lena M.
Dick's rate is about 5.5 Hz ... on this note ... the first held note in the opening phrase.
Next is Mel Torme from "Christmas Waltz".
Mel's rate here is about 6 Hz on "on" (a tree) ...
Now ... Ella Fitzgerald's "Let it Snow"
A very fast rate above 7 Hz on "fire" .
And here's a classic ... Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters' "12 Days of Christmas"
Bings rate is about 5 Hz on "tree" ...
Patty Andrews ...
I think its Patty ... at about 7 Hz on "me-eee".
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Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 08 November 2006 at 03:24 PM.] |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 4:04 pm
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That's cool! Fascinating.
May we please see one of Mr. Byrd?  |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 4:45 pm
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| Jerry's Dad? |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 5:17 pm
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| That is amazing, I never looked(heard)it that way before. Thanks for opening up my eyes(ears)! |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Bob Hickish
From:
Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 6:22 pm
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Rick
Its a good thing that you stay above 4 Hz
for back in the late 50's there was a Lockheed
aircraft that set up a 2.5 Hz resonance from a Whorl-mode
problem and it tore the wings off the aircraft and every one
was kiled --- Just pulling your chain -- but that did happen !!
So maybe we could use a fan or some kind of device that
would set up a whorlmode situation for us , causing us to have the
optimum vibrato - most of my vibrato is form fear of performing
some where around 60 cps - wall socket stuff - either that or I need
to switch grounds on my amp !!!  I know !! I know !!
you think I need a Hobby
Rick ! you do some neet stuff !
Your Bar Buddy
Bob
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 6:24 pm
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Here's a clip from the Jules Ah See song Jeff just posted..
That was a tough one to catch ... and read ... not alot goin' on there ... on the "vibrato" front.
Plenty to choose from from the singer though ... but I'm about to run out of free "screen shots" ...
This is another example of the major changes that took place in Hawaiian electric steel over the decades.
As more and more harmony notes are used with the "melody note" ... less and less vibrato is needed ...
I guess there more to keep the brain's attention ... listening to the interplay of harmony ...
I heard somewhere that the Vienna Boys Choir... and the like ... are required to sing with little or no vibrato ...
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 08 November 2006 at 03:15 PM.] |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 7:36 pm
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The answer to Gerald's question:
....how do I get my mind and hands to work together to willfully choose which vibrato I want when?
Don't say practice and listen... I want a simple soloution, a pill? a salve? a deal with the devil?
The answer: First pick the player that you want to emulate in terms of the vibrato.
Then pick at good hypnotist who will put you into a trance and you will literally become that player and have his vibrato or tremolo.
Just ask Jack Montgomery. 
Aloha,
Don
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 8:00 pm
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Hasn't helped Don.
I've sat for many a night in the presence of Jack Montgomery and have been hypnotized by his bottomless bottles of scotch and brandy, listened to his countless obscure vintage recordings and been fasinated by his never ending "Hawaii the way it used to be... ya should of been there Jerry" stories.
The vibrato thing never came up.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 03 March 2005 at 08:01 PM.] |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 9:18 pm
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| Hey "Rick"........ Just how many "Kings" can there possibly be? |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 12:15 pm
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Jack Montgomery!! And Mike Scott!! My two favorite living classic Hawaiian steelers. They have a vibrato quality that is absolutely haunting, very singing swordish.
The first time I heard Jack Montgomery live, I was having a conversation with someone in the next room. The instant I heard that vibrato and that tone, all other sounds around me suddenly fell by the wayside. |
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Dwayne Martineau
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 12:24 pm
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I was happy to see Mel Torme's velvet vibrato right after Dick McIntire's; he's one of my favourite singers.
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 4:27 pm
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When I was little ... my mom would play her Mel Torme records all day long ... maybe thats where I got so interested in vibrato ...
For the longest time ... I thought he was called the "Velvet FROG" ... 
I have some nice vibrato samples of Judy Garland and Doris Day too ...
But I figured I'd be "drummed" off the forum for postin' clips of them ..  |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 6:22 pm
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OK ... one more before my wife ships me off to the hospital.
Here's a larger section of Kilima Waltz that I had up on that other thread ... using my A25.
The rate is about 5.7 Hz ...
Just thought it was a cool view of a descending "run to a strum."
E -----------------------5-------
C ---12--11--10---------5--------
A ---12--11--10--------5---------
G --------------------5----------
E -------------------5-----------
C# -------------------------------
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Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 08 November 2006 at 03:26 PM.] |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 8:49 pm
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A TRUE AND FALSE VIBRATO EXAM
Is it not true?
Because of the limitation to sustain the sound of the acoustic guitar more rapid vibrato was needed. T___ F____ Please check one
Because the early amplifed guitars had SOME limitations in sustaining the sound rapid vibrato assisted in the sustain of the sound.
T_____ F_____ Please check one
As instruments were manufactured which created greater sustain, the rapid vibrato was no longer needed for that purpose. T_____ F_______ Please check one.
Regardless of the above conclusions some present day steel guitarists want to recreate the old style sound, because it sounds better to them regardless of sustain issues.
T______ F_______
This post is humorous.
T______ F_______
Aloha,
Don
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 9:12 pm
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Andy ... that outta have a few folks spillin' their coffee on themselves in the mornin'.
I hope that rascal doesn't "crash" my hard drive trying to "catch a sample".
Don ... all true ...
With a few additions ...
It was the style back then ... all singers and soloists used rapid vibratos ...
So it was kinda serendipity that the Hawaiian steel and its uncanny ability to mimick the human voice ... fit in so well with that eras music.
I think as amps got better (cause we all know pickups really didn't ... not for a while anyway)... ... that steelers started enjoying more and more complex chord work and rapid fire, single string work ...
That's what led to the subtle-izing of vibrato (I just made that word up) ... That and the general publics "changes" in their musical preferences.
But since its just me and the deaf bulldog ...
I'm lettin' 'er rip ...
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Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Dan Sawyer
From:
Studio City, California, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 10:29 pm
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| Rick, you continue to amuse and amaze. Thanks for this interesting post. |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 5 Mar 2005 2:43 am
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| Don, will the score go on my official transcript? |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2005 5:24 am
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Jeff, your test score will go on your permanent record . Be very careful how you answer the questions.
This record will follow you throughout your life.
You don't want past indiscretions to haunt you if you decide to run for public office at a future date.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 05 March 2005 at 05:26 AM.] |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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