Vibrato in music – physics and psychophysics

Abstract

Vibrato is a common feature of most present-day musical performances, from violins to opera singers, but its ubiquity has developed only since about the beginning of the nineteenth century. To some people it is an essential feature of musical performance while to others it is an unpleasant distortion of a musical experience. There are several different types of vibrato depending upon the person or instrument producing the sound, and the effect can vary greatly. This paper examines these various production techniques and their audible outcomes and then discusses the psycho-acoustic effects of vibrato on the listener Show more