Vibrato is a slight, rapid variation in pitch used to add warmth and expressiveness to a sustained note. String players produce it by a controlled rocking motion of the left hand; wind players and singers use variations in air speed or embouchure; some keyboard instruments can simulate it electronically.

The speed and width of vibrato are adjusted according to musical style, the character of the phrase, and personal taste. Baroque and some early-music specialists often use little or no continuous vibrato, while Romantic and later styles favor a more prominent oscillation. Excessive or poorly controlled vibrato can obscure pitch; well-judged vibrato enhances tone without calling attention to itself.

Learning to produce an even, centered vibrato is an important stage in technical development for most melodic instruments and for singers. The device becomes part of the player’s expressive vocabulary.

• Rapid, slight variation in pitch
• Adds warmth and expression
• Produced differently on different instruments
• Adjusted according to style and taste