Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A tremulous effect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone or by rapid alternation of two tones.
  • noun A device on an organ for producing a tremulous effect.
  • noun Vibrato, especially in singing.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In music:
  • noun A tremulous or fluttering effect in vocal music, intended to give a sentimental or passionate quality to the tone, but often carried to a pedantic and offensive extreme.
  • noun A similar effect in instrumental music, produced by a rapid reiteration of a tone or chord.
  • noun A similar effect in organ music, produced in the pipe-organ by means of a delicately balanced bellows attached to one of the wind-trunks, and in the reed-organ by a revolving fan.
  • noun The mechanical device in an organ by which a tremolo is produced; a tremulant. The use of such a mechanism is usually controlled by a stop-knob. Also tremolant, tremulant.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The rapid reiteration of tones without any apparent cessation, so as to produce a tremulous effect.
  • noun A certain contrivance in an organ, which causes the notes to sound with rapid pulses or beats, producing a tremulous effect; -- called also tremolant, and tremulant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun music A rapid repetition of the same note, or an alternation between two or more notes. It can also be intended to mean a rapid and repetitive variation in pitch for the duration of a note. It is notated by a strong diagonal bar across the note stem, or a detached bar for a set of notes (or stemless notes).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (music) a tremulous effect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone or rapid alternation of two tones
  • noun vocal vibrato especially an excessive or poorly controlled one

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, from Latin tremulus, tremulous; see tremulous.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowed from Italian tremolo, first-person present indicative of tremolare ("to shake"). Origin: 1715-25.

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Examples

  • I also wanted to learn a specific technique, called tremolo, more about which later.

    Archive 2006-09-01 Steve Perry 2006

  • I also wanted to learn a specific technique, called tremolo, more about which later.

    Guitarzan ... Steve Perry 2006

  • The tremolo is a sure sign that the vocal chords have been stretched beyond their natural limits, and there is only one thing can cure this.

    Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing Enrico Caruso 1897

  • Our programmes were of the highest order, the voices pure and full without this abominable tremolo which is unknown to a person who knows how to sing correctly and naturally.

    Sixty Years of California Song Margaret Blake Alverson 1879

  • The signature sonic features of this 'classic' period are Chris Squire's highly melodic and discursive bass playing, enhanced by the sound of his Chris Squire was one of the first rock bass players to successfully adapt electronic guitar effects such as tremolo, phasing and the wah-wah pedal to the instrument.

    Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium - Recent changes [en] 2008

  • "This vibration in the voice should not be confounded with a tremolo, which is, of course, very undesirable.

    Vocal Mastery Talks with Master Singers and Teachers Harriette Brower 1898

  • Another one of her highly expressive innovations was this sort of melismatic ornamentation, usually just on a single word or syllable, with a strong, almost Tarzan-like tremolo.

    Amalia Rodrigues: The Voice Of Extreme Expression 2010

  • Another one of her highly expressive innovations was this sort of melismatic ornamentation, usually just on a single word or syllable, with a strong, almost Tarzan-like tremolo.

    Amalia Rodrigues: The Voice Of Extreme Expression 2010

  • Another one of her highly expressive innovations was this sort of melismatic ornamentation, usually just on a single word or syllable, with a strong, almost Tarzan-like tremolo.

    Amalia Rodrigues: The Voice Of Extreme Expression 2010

  • I turned off the tremolo, giving it a harder, take-charge sound.

    A Son of Memphis Salutes His City Marc Myers 2011

Comments

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  • *shakes the page*

    September 27, 2008

  • *listens*

    September 27, 2008

  • bilby, you'll make my PC fall!

    (edited)

    September 29, 2008