The measurement of the frequency responses of machine tool structures is necessary because of the association between frequency response and chatter with consequent limitation of productivity. Various alternative techniques have been suggested. The paper describes comparative measurements of the frequency response of two systems using several techniques. The techniques examined were (1) Sinuoidal excitation with digital analysis, frequency incremented manually. (2) Slowly swept sinusoidal excitation with analogue analysis. (Traditional method). (3) Fast swept sinusoidal excitation with digital analysis. (4) Impulse excitation with digital analysis. (5) Band-limited random excitation with digital analysis. The results show the fast swept sinusoidal and impulse methods to be the most satisfactory.