Inflexions vibrato
Lesson time: (2min 16sec)
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Play Authentic Rock Trumpet
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Enhancing Style with Vibrato
There's one other thing that we can do to make the style come alive, and that is to use vibrato.
- I would use vibrato, but some people might not. It's all personal taste.
- I'll play that first phrase, and I'll add vibrato on the long note to see if you can spot it and to see what you think.
Here's how it goes:
1, 2, 3, 4.
1, 2, 3.
You've probably heard me play vibrato, especially on the last note, but also the note in the second bar. I used vibrato there as well.
Copy after me on this bit:
1, 2, 3, 4.
1, 2, 3, 4.
It's something that you can play around with , see where you think vibrato should be used, and have fun with it.
Tips for Vibrato Usage
I think the vibrato you should use on this kind of piece is something that shouldn't be too fast.
- We're not trying to make vibrato that sounds like this. That wouldn't sound right in rock and roll style.
Try slowing the vibrato down a bit. Maybe use your jaw, lips, or the airstream to do that. Just like we did with the bending note, we can use the airstream to help change the resonance of the sound.
Remember: The pitch of a note is staying constant. What I'm changing is the resonance. It adds style. It adds character to the music we're playing.
About the instructor
Mike Lovatt studied at Trinity College of Music, where he was awarded the Jon Kelly Jazz Scholarship. He has performed and recorded across a huge range of styles with artists including Quincy Jones, Robbie Williams, Eric Clapton, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Buble, Oasis, Michel Legrand, Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey and Danny Elfman, among many others. As Principal Trumpet in London's West End, Mike has performed in Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, The Producers, Billy Elliot, Guys and Dolls, Saturday Night Fever, My Fair Lady and Spamalot, amongst others. He has played on movie soundtracks including the James Bond films, Harry Potter with the London Symphony Orchestra, the award-winning Chicago, Kevin Spacey's Beyond the Sea, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Madagascar and The Corpse Bride. He is featured on trumpet and cornet in George Fenton's Mrs Henderson Presents, and on trumpet in Looking for Eric. Mike is principal trumpet with the Grammy-nominated John Wilson Orchestra and has been featured in their celebrated BBC Promenade concerts and recordings. Mike is sought after as a teacher and clinician, and is a professor of trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. In April 2013 he was proud to be awarded the prestigious Derek Watkins' Chair of Trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In his MusicGurus courses, Mike shares the secrets behind his versatility, showing you how to nail authentic swing, rock and Latin trumpet styles so you can play any of them with confidence and the right feel. read more