Definition

Noun: * (Music): A slight, rapid, and regular fluctuation in the pitch of a musical tone. This pulsating effect is used by singers and instrumentalists to add warmth, expression, and intensity to a sustained note.

Usage

"Vibrato" is a technical term used primarily in musical contexts to describe a specific vocal or instrumental technique. It refers to the controlled wavering of pitch, not volume (which is tremolo).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The opera singer's rich vibrato filled the concert hall with emotion.
  • A well-controlled vibrato is essential for expressive string playing on the violin or cello.
  • His vocal style is characterized by a very fast, narrow vibrato.

Advanced Usage

• Describing Types: Vibrato can be described by its speed (fast/slow) and width (wide/narrow).
  • The critic noted the cellist's use of a slow, wide vibrato in the melancholic passage.
• As an Adverbial Concept: While "vibrato" is a noun, the effect is often described adjectivally or adverbially in instruction.
  • "Sing that note with more vibrato," the teacher instructed.

Variants and Related Words

• Tremolo (n): A rapid repetition of a single note or a rapid alternation between two notes. Often confused with vibrato, but tremolo relates to (volume) or note repetition, not variation.
• Portamento (n): A smooth glide from one pitch to another, different from the rapid oscillation of vibrato.
• Vibratoless (adj): Describing a tone produced without vibrato.

Synonyms

• Pitch fluctuation
• Tremulant (archaic/poetic in some contexts)

Antonyms

• Straight tone (a tone sung or played without vibrato)
• Fixed pitch

Noun

1. (music) a pulsating effect in an instrumental or vocal tone produced by slight and rapid variations in pitch