Vibrato
A slight, rapid oscillation of pitch to enrich the tone.
Category
articulation
Pronunciation
vih-BRAH-toh
Origin
Italian
Length
95 words · 1 min read
About Vibrato
Vibrato involves a small, controlled fluctuation in pitch that adds warmth and expressiveness to a sustained note. On strings it is produced by rocking the finger on the fingerboard; for singers it occurs naturally with a relaxed vocal technique.
More articulation terms
Marcato
View all articulationterms →Marked; each note played with strong emphasis.
SpiccatoA bouncing bow stroke producing short, separated notes.
SostenutoSustained, holding notes for their full value with a smooth connected quality
Sul ponticelloOn the bridge; bowing near the bridge for a glassy tone.
SordamenteA direction to play in a muted, dampened manner, suppressing the natural resonance of the instrument.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
See Also
Compare with similar terms
v1 · 09/04/2026Browse all terms →