GregP Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 Piqued by the Wonderbar thread, I had to find out what the heck one was. Stumbled across this page along the way, and it had lotsa good info and beaucoup pics as well: http://www.electricguitar.50megs.com/tremolo.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 *cough*Parker Fly Trem*cough* Not a terrible page, and definitely a good start. But "tremolo" and "vibrato" are WAY OLDER than the site depicts. Also, both terms are correct, in their own way.... Vibrato: n.- A tremulous or pulsating effect produced in an instrumental or vocal tone by minute and rapid variations in pitch. Tremolo: n.- A tremulous effect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone. ...bringing us to.... Tremulous: adj.- Marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking. Both work when it comes to music (esp. guitar playing), but "vibrato" gets you results quicker. We can all thank Mr. Leo Fender for incorrecting us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 Also, both terms are correct, in their own way.... Well actually musically speaking vibrato is variation in pitch, whilst tremolo is variation in volume. Thus tremolo has been the wrong name for the trem... It should have been called vibrato. What about call it always whammy bar or wang bar or... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 Also, both terms are correct, in their own way.... Well actually musically speaking vibrato is variation in pitch, whilst tremolo is variation in volume. Thus tremolo has been the wrong name for the trem... It should have been called vibrato. What about call it always whammy bar or wang bar or... ← Errm, no, tremolo is variation in pitch too. I just had my music class like 2 hours ago, we revised that concept today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 And who could forget the ever-popular "vocal vibrato, especially an excessive or poorly controlled one." Dictionary.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted April 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 I'd prefer it to be called a vibrato unit, as well, but at the end of the day, Leo has forever altered the language and tremolo is now accepted for describing this pitch fluctuation on a guitar. Such is the dynamic nature of language. The site's not the most brilliant one I've seen, but it had info on it that I figured some people might find handy (the Wonderbar, for example). That's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 (edited) Errm, no, tremolo is variation in pitch too. I just had my music class like 2 hours ago, we revised that concept today. ← No, you manky Scots git (Monty Python reference) Tremolo is used (incorrectly IMHO) by some to mean variation in pitch only when we're talking about the voice. Not when we're talking about stringed instruments like violin or our beloved guitar, where the correct term is vibrato. Tremolo is variation in volume or also (originally, I believe) the rapid repetition of the same note (thus "tremolo picking") or of two different notes (fingered tremolo when playing violin). When playing violin or guitar, though, due to the physical qualities of the strings it is quite difficult/impossible to have the one purely without the other. Oh, and while we're at it, I may point out quite frankly that A# is not the same as Bb. But I may point out quite fairly that the terms have been greatly misunderstood and mixed in the last one and a half centuries, so that confusion is programmed, and that I am not really willing to start a tedious thread about this because I have already once and it was lengthy to say the least. In fact, I prefer to call the trem trem simply because Leo (expletive deleted by Mod Team - consider this a pre-warning) it up at that time and called his invention tremolo. I do not call America India though, despite the wrong name given by Columbus. May you just tell me where you got music class? is a classical music academy? I hope not... Edited April 20, 2005 by lovekraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 I prefer a more simple, elegant term: "Bigsby" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 In fact, I prefer to call the trem trem simply because Leo (expletive deleted by Mod Team - consider this a pre-warning) it up Oh, you cannot say that word on a major television in the US? Most american movies and hip-hop songs that get exported have that word in it... Interesting article from the Guardian (kids don't read this) And psss... Use the search button and search for bad words and you'll find.... Well I'll go to sleep now. Oh, and I am not debating. I am a moderator myself on a forum and two mailing lists... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 I prefer a more simple, elegant term: "Bigsby" ← I dislike the Bigsby, but I must admit that Johnny A. for example gets an amazing sound out of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 I just showed this thread to a buddy of mine who's ex-Berklee. Here's his quote: "Vibrato is pitch. Tremolo is volume. It's universally accepted that a tremolo system on a guitar is incrorrectly named- and whothef*** cares to dicsuss it on the 'net with strangers?" LMAO. BTW- Columbus didn't name America. A German clergyman-scholar named Martin Waldseemüller did: http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted April 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 I just showed this thread to a buddy of mine who's ex-Berklee. Here's his quote: "Vibrato is pitch. Tremolo is volume. It's universally accepted that a tremolo system on a guitar is incrorrectly named- and whothef*** cares to dicsuss it on the 'net with strangers?" I gotta agree about the universal acceptance... I think it's pretty common knowledge that it's a misnomer, but that doesn't change its inclusion into modern vocabulary. As for the rest-- obviously he knew that you were the one that brought it up. <laff> Some people don't understand forum culture, but that's OK. Luckily my girlfriend uses forums too, or I'd feel like a lamer telling her about forum-related stuff. <chuckle> Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 BTW- Columbus didn't name America. A German clergyman-scholar named Martin Waldseemüller did: http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm ← Columbus was searching for another way to reach Asia because all the spices and gold and stuff to bring back from there. But, unlike anyone else, he started to go westward. When he reached land, he thought he's in Asia now. So he called the locals Indians too. I dunno, I don't remember the exact story but yea, that's about how it goes. I don't know about you but the strat tremolo actually does tremolo along with vibrato. When you bend it down, it also goes a tad quieter, then going back to normal position, it regains the loudness. Could anyone explain it physically? I've got to run now. ---------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 i've got a 7 year old guitar student that said it sounded "wobbley" the first time he heard me use a bigsby..just sayin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 whothef*** ← I looked this one up in the dictionary, but I couldn't find out what it means. I mean, I got the 'who the' part. But what means "f***" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 I gotta agree about the universal acceptance... I think it's pretty common knowledge that it's a misnomer, but that doesn't change its inclusion into modern vocabulary. well i was not aware of it.so i guess i just learned something. hooray for me. mr. churchyard...you are quite well spoken(written?).english is not your first language? but no...the f-word is not permitted here or on american t.v. yet.but i think when our generation runs the show that may change personally i find insults to be much more fun when done in non profane terms... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 (edited) well i was not aware of it.so i guess i just learned something. hooray for me. mr. churchyard...you are quite well spoken(written?).english is not your first language? but no...the f-word is not permitted here or on american t.v. yet.but i think when our generation runs the show that may change personally i find insults to be much more fun when done in non profane terms... ← No it isn't. My first languages - as I am from "mixed" origins, being half Italian and half German - are Italian and German. But I am glad you regard my English as well spoken, because I am very very fond of the English language and have learnt and read much. You may find many words which would be regarded as archaisms I guess, because I just love Shakespearean English ;-) So, no "**** the ****ing ****ers"-language in here. Fine, that's ok by me Edited April 24, 2005 by Mr.Churchyard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 by the way, i meant the rolling eyes at the thought of our generation changing the rules to permit the f-word on television...not towards you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 I just showed this thread to a buddy of mine who's ex-Berklee. Here's his quote: "Vibrato is pitch. Tremolo is volume. It's universally accepted that a tremolo system on a guitar is incrorrectly named- and whothef*** cares to dicsuss it on the 'net with strangers?" Just to assure everybody, the buddy he refers to is not me. And the lot of you who does not universally accept that tremolo bars are vibratos, off and Just kidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 Maybe if people cursed more, they'd kill less... umm..yeah.does that REALLY make sense in your head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 Maybe if people cursed more, they'd kill less... umm..yeah.does that REALLY make sense in your head? ← I see he means... But we don't want to start a political discussion, don't we. We're already waaay off topic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 We're already waaay off topic... ← You're right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 but no...the f-word is not permitted here or on american t.v. ← I have seen many on this forum talk about the F-HOLE. I think that's pretty perverted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted April 24, 2005 Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 Columbus was searching for another way to reach Asia because all the spices and gold and stuff to bring back from there. But, unlike anyone else, he started to go westward. When he reached land, he thought he's in Asia now. So he called the locals Indians too. ---------- Jimbo ← Not west but east, and he thought he was on India, and he called then Indios, in spanish, then the Anglos used the same term but in english to call the american natives Indians. On none of his trips he set foot on north america, the closer he got was on the 1st and he came thru the Bahamas. and on the 4th he landed on Mexico. Sorry for the little class, this is one of the classes that we (PR) have to take in elementary and high school, not like the states that they take Social Studies lightly. And who cares what the thing actualy does, we all know it as tremolo or vibrato, who cares! Just pass me the wammy bar, and lets play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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