Illustration of vibraphone
vibraphone
noun
vi·bra·phone
ˈvī-brə-ˌfōn 
: a percussion instrument resembling the xylophone but having metal bars and motor-driven resonators for sustaining the tone and producing a vibrato
Examples of vibraphone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jazz guitar and a vibraphone—maybe a fake vibraphone?—with a saxophone improvising between phrases.
—
John Gravois, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2024
The crowd is appropriately reverent on this religious holy day as percussionist/composer Ches Smith begins, leading his unclassifiable ensemble Laugh Ash through a maze of scrambled electronics, free-jazz vibraphone, and orchestrations that shift from unnerving to sweet.
—Ryan Reed, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The gist stays the same: Chuck (vibraphone) and Robert (piano) Redd lead a team of musicians, including Lenny Robinson (drummer), James King (bass) and several vocalists, in a free afternoon of seasonal favorites.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2023
Between the Buttons, however, is a fetchingly bespoke potpourri of pop styles, its sound largely shaped by Jones jumping around the studio laying down overdubs of dulcimer, kazoo, tuba, recorder, accordion, and vibraphone.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2023
In addition to the alto saxophone, Hamilton plays the bass clarinet, drums, flute, piano, tenor and soprano saxophone and vibraphone.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2023
Written by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, with strong bossa nova influences, the song’s arrangement ripples around Gilberto with little instrumental flourishes — strings, flutes, piano, vibraphone — but Gilberto’s voice maintains its serene wistfulness.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 6 June 2023
It is scored for a flutist who also plays alto flute and piccolo, a pianist doubling on celesta, and a percussionist playing glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells, and marimba.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2023
Richter then turned to the master of musical mesmerism for the movie’s soundtrack, to be performed live by a 14-player chamber ensemble of strings, winds and pairs of vibraphones and pianos.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2023
John Gravois, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2024
The crowd is appropriately reverent on this religious holy day as percussionist/composer Ches Smith begins, leading his unclassifiable ensemble Laugh Ash through a maze of scrambled electronics, free-jazz vibraphone, and orchestrations that shift from unnerving to sweet.
—Ryan Reed, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The gist stays the same: Chuck (vibraphone) and Robert (piano) Redd lead a team of musicians, including Lenny Robinson (drummer), James King (bass) and several vocalists, in a free afternoon of seasonal favorites.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2023
Between the Buttons, however, is a fetchingly bespoke potpourri of pop styles, its sound largely shaped by Jones jumping around the studio laying down overdubs of dulcimer, kazoo, tuba, recorder, accordion, and vibraphone.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2023
In addition to the alto saxophone, Hamilton plays the bass clarinet, drums, flute, piano, tenor and soprano saxophone and vibraphone.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2023
Written by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, with strong bossa nova influences, the song’s arrangement ripples around Gilberto with little instrumental flourishes — strings, flutes, piano, vibraphone — but Gilberto’s voice maintains its serene wistfulness.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 6 June 2023
It is scored for a flutist who also plays alto flute and piccolo, a pianist doubling on celesta, and a percussionist playing glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells, and marimba.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2023
Richter then turned to the master of musical mesmerism for the movie’s soundtrack, to be performed live by a 14-player chamber ensemble of strings, winds and pairs of vibraphones and pianos.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vibraphone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
vibra- (in vibration or vibrato) + -phone entry 1
First Known Use
1926, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near vibraphone
Cite this Entry
“Vibraphone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vibraphone. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
vibraphone
noun
vi·bra·phone
ˈvī-brə-ˌfōn
: a musical instrument resembling the xylophone but having metal bars and devices for increasing the vibrations
More from Merriam-Webster on vibraphone
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vibraphone
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