Rick Chartrand

I was talking to friends last night and the subject of Hand or Lip Vibrato on the trumpet came up.

I was taught using the Harry James Method of playing and therefore I use Hand Vibrato.

Harry believed that if you use lip vibrato then you would detract from the over all quality of the sound of your vibrato, (specially students with weak lips) and therefore used hand vibrato. He felt that this vibrato could be totally controled.

In the beginning when I was playing for the first few years this was totally true for me, but as my lip got strong I found it quite easy to do lip vibrato.

I can do both very proficiently but always end up using hand vibrato because this is the way I was tought and is at the core of my technique.

I always thought that using hand vibrato looked a little silly when playing because the way you have to noticibly shake the horn. Is this just me?

Id like to get some input from our own Manny on this if youre reading this, and also what are the pros and cons of these two very different techniques?

So which type of vibrato do you use and why???

Rick AKA Trumpet Man

Schwab

A little of both, depending on the type of music.

Chris4

Same here...

eisprl

Deffinetly use the ol lips. But I do occasioanlly use my hand when playing real cheesy stuff. Then ya, I guess it depends on the style for me as well.

Eric

Manny Laureano

I've always used the lip vibrato because it seemed the most natural with my background of watching singers. I never separated the two, trumpeting and singing, so, I just used the lip, or jaw, whatever people refer to it as. It's been referred to as the diaphragmatic vibrato but we've been down that road before and know it's a misnomer. I have friends that feel that the tone stays more pure with the hand vibrato. I don't know, maybe. I just know it's not my way.

ML

BPinard

I can't do hand vibrato at all...any tips?

I use lip vibrato.

Rick Chartrand

Hey Guys

Thanks to all for your input Its nice to know what others are doing on the trumpet for vibrato and why.

Hey Manny

Thanks for your input on this subject, a trumpet player of your calibre is always welcome. I think its really interesting Manny that you listen to singers! I kind of thought you might do that as well...very cool. About 10 years ago when I was looking to further develop my playing, I was watching an indepth interview with Holy Cole of the Holy Cole Trio. She said that she always studied and listened to instrumentalists and incorporated much of what she heard into her singing. When I heard her say this I started to listen to top singers like Streisand, Pavoroti, Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban etc and it really helped to develop my technique, style and introspective. Sometimes I think that Trumpeters and Singers are inseperable.

Hey BPinard

I've been doing hand vibrato since day one, so for me its natural. I would sugest that you get a Harry James method book, or maybe look it up on the www and do some arpegios using this technique. It may take some time but practice makes perfect! Good Luck

Rick AKA Trumpet Man

cornetguy

i think i use both types of vibrato. i am not sure because for me it is one of those centipedal things that if i think about it i will get "paralysis by analysis." and it wont happen at all. i try to imagine the sound that i want and stay out of the way.

Alex Yates

I am in the same camp with Manny. I have also used a "vocal" vibrato my entire life for the very same reasons. To this day, singing is an important part of my trumpet playing and singers a strong influence on me musically. I guess it would be called a "jaw" vibrato ?

wiseone2

I use hand vibrato. My grip on the horn is very light, so it takes only the slightest oscillation to produce the vibrato. Shakes are also very easy with this grip.
It's all in the fingertips.
Wilmer