Vibrato

A small, regular wavering of pitch that adds warmth and expression to a note.

Vibrato is a musical technique in which the pitch of a sustained note is wavered slightly up and down in a steady, regular pulse, adding warmth, richness and emotional expression. Singers produce it naturally, string players rock a finger on the string, and guitarists bend a note rhythmically, while on a synthesizer vibrato is created by using an LFO to modulate pitch. The speed and depth of the wavering shape its character, from a subtle shimmer to a dramatic wobble. Vibrato is one of the most human and expressive elements of performance, which is why it is widely used to bring a held note to life rather than leaving it flat and static.

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