Singing with Vibrato

thisisbrianly · #1 08-07-2004, 06:41 PM

Now, I've asked several voice teachers and some say that vibrato is something that just happens naturally and you cant develop it-others say it is a technique.

I've never in my life been able to sing with vibrato. I think it would sound better if i could due to my mediocre voice.

Do you guys have any tips or resources for developing vibrato? I'm hoping to take some voice lessons soon, but lets face it I have no $$ at the moment.

Thanks guys

~j~ · #2 08-07-2004, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thisisbrianly

Now, I've asked several voice teachers and some say that vibrato is something that just happens naturally and you cant develop it-others say it is a technique.

I've never in my life been able to sing with vibrato. I think it would sound better if i could due to my mediocre voice.

Do you guys have any tips or resources for developing vibrato? I'm hoping to take some voice lessons soon, but lets face it I have no $$ at the moment.

Thanks guys

I am not a vocalist. However, I play saxophone, where a vibrato should sound similar to that of a voice. To me personally, I find that many vocal vibratos are very irritating and un-musical. I believe this happens when you try too hard to make it sound like "I can do vibrato!" and the pitch goes yowza all over the place. I would say that with saxophone, I started off for the first 4 or 5 years working on steadiness and quality of tone, and developing a strong embochure. I'm sure you can see how this would carry over to voice -- if you have steady tone and good pitch, then introducing a little vibrato and learning with it on scales or arpeggios should be pretty easy for you.

You should start off by doing very slow vibrato and moderating your pitch minimally, just on one long note to make sure you can still keep the base pitch consistent. I think it would help a. to do it with a metronome so you can try to do it on a rhythm, then try halving it at the same tempo to see what happens and b) with a reference pitch of some kind like a piano. I'm sure you would get many different opinions on this, but you know the kind of really annoying vibrato that I'm talking about, just watch out you don't end up like that!

thisisbrianly · #3 08-07-2004, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~j~

II believe this happens when you try too hard to make it sound like "I can do vibrato!" and the pitch goes yowza all over the place.

Couldn't agree more. Sometimes you just want to turn your ears off....but to an extent, it just spices up dull long notes. Hmm...sax player eh? thats an interesting take on it. On sax, how do you do oscillate the pitch...is it the airflow that you're changing or your fingering?

Rejoice Music · #4 08-07-2004, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~j~

You should start off by doing very slow vibrato and moderating your pitch minimally, just on one long note to make sure you can still keep the base pitch consistent. I think it would help a. to do it with a metronome so you can try to do it on a rhythm, then try halving it at the same tempo to see what happens and b) with a reference pitch of some kind like a piano. I'm sure you would get many different opinions on this, but you know the kind of really annoying vibrato that I'm talking about, just watch out you don't end up like that!

Darn, I'm busy packing to leave for a week, and now I have to respond to this.

Sorry ~j~, but I have to throw in a correction here, before anyone tries this. This may be okay for sax, but this is NOT the way to develop a vocal vibrato. In fact, if you learn this, you will spend a lot of time trying to UNDO it. I know, cause I did it!

Do not force your vibrato to go in time with the beat. That is manipulated and contrived, and will sound like it. It is NOT like a rotary motor, oscillating intentionally between two pitches (which one professor tried to teach us).

A sweet, natural vibrato is something that is the natural result of a steady and controlled exhalation of breath. It should never sound at all artificial and it is never forced. When the breath is taken in between lines or words (which makes the abdomen extend), it should then be released slowly and STEADILY while singing. When the larynx is in the correct position, and the air is not forced out, a natural vibrato will occur on the notes that are held. It should not occur on all notes, but be very simple and sweet, usually at the end of lines that are held. I usually hold the breath a bit for the first part of the note, and then release it gently, which results in a steady, and SUBTLE vibrato (subtle being the key word here), that is NOT on the beat. When done correctly, it should be natural, and very pleasant.

Do not overuse vibrato. Pure tones are the best. At most it should just be an occasional accent to the voice.

Adios amigos, and have a great week!!

~j~ · #5 08-08-2004, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rejoice Music

It should never sound at all artificial and it is never forced.
Do not overuse vibrato. Pure tones are the best. At most it should just be an occasional accent to the voice.

Thanks for the correction, I can see that in the end your advice would help avoid the type of vibrato that I don't like.

brian: On saxophone you have to create vibrato with your jaw -- you move it up and down a very small amount so that the amount of airflow over the reed changes very slightly. It takes a long time to do it how you want it, and very good control of your lip. When I was talking to my girlfriend after I posted, she was saying, "vibrato with your voice should be natural" which lines up pretty well with that Rejoice Music was saying... I know I had to go through years of learning breath control and strengthening my lip, so there are some things in common =)

Acousticado · #6 08-08-2004, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~j~

...and strengthening my lip...

I hope you don't strengthen it so much that you end-up with a stiff upper lip

tac5 · #7 08-08-2004, 08:46 AM

Watch out for the curse of Joan Baez. And spare the rest of us!

beach bob · #8 08-08-2004, 12:35 PM

Rebecca is correct.

(& thanks for the good explanation)

I took a lesson from a nationally known voice teacher, & that's basically how he described it. Vibarato comes naturally from a properly supported voice...

If it's forced, you wind up singing like

Anthony Newly
Kathie Lee Gifford
most opera singers

I do not recommend this

Acousticado · #9 08-08-2004, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach bob

Vibarato comes naturally from a properly supported voice...

If someone doesn't have vibrato does it mean that s/he doesn't have a "properly supported voice"? Isn't it possible that some singers just naturally don't have/can't produce, vibrato?

~j~ · #10 08-08-2004, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tayloresque

If someone doesn't have vibrato does it mean that s/he doesn't have a "properly supported voice"? Isn't it possible that some singers just naturally don't have/can't produce, vibrato?

Or like maynard keenan, for example, from perfect circle/tool. He's got great projection and breath support but zero vibrato. I guess I just don't understand how vibrato comes about from just pushing the air out. Also, Opera is a strange case because I believe that you're right there are some crappy opera people with vibratos that are terrible, but this is probably more of a stereotype. I am sure there are a lot of operas where it is *written* to sing with a certain style or a certain vibrato, and maybe some of the "bad" ones are intentional.

beach bob · #11 08-09-2004, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tayloresque

If someone doesn't have vibrato does it mean that s/he doesn't have a "properly supported voice"? Isn't it possible that some singers just naturally don't have/can't produce, vibrato?

From my vast knowledge of such things (LOL), I would say yes that's possible. I wouldn't worry too much if you're not making vibrato.

One can sing (correctly) and sound perfectly fine, have no vibrato, and then there's the *most correct* way to do it, which IMO is a heckuva lot more work, and may not be proper for the style of music being performed. I took one lesson from this guy, videoed it, and haven't even looked at the video cuz I know I did so poorly

it was rather traumatic. But folks in church and by the campfire all say I have a good voice, so there

Also there's that whole 'your voice isn't matured until you're in your 40s' thing. I think vibrato begins at 40

Most singers I know (who sing actual classical / church pieces, not pop tunes), until they get around this age, don't feel confident in their voice to where they don't feel they're constantly fighting to do it right ... but then maybe it's coincidence, I'm referring to people that do it as a hobby / ministry, not professionals.

Just keep away from the Axl Rose tunes & you should be OK

Chicago Sandy · #12 08-10-2004, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tac5

Watch out for the curse of Joan Baez. And spare the rest of us!

Not half as bad as the Curse of Stevie Nicks. Baez has greatly evened out her vibrato over the years, and it's no worse than a good opera or theater singer's. OTOH, there's that awful wobbly tremolo--think Joni Mitchell on "Woodstock," Dinah Shore toward the end of her life, or that horrible septuagenarian soprano in your choir.......

gteague · #13 08-10-2004, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tac5

Watch out for the curse of Joan Baez. And spare the rest of us!

the first cassette tape of buffy sainte-marie that i bought, i thought that my cassette player had a motor going out, a power supply problem with a voltage regulator, or the tape had gotten wound too tight.

listen to until it's time for you to go. i've never heard a vibrato like hers and haven't since. i don't think there's even a close second!

/guy

rhudson · #14 08-10-2004, 05:37 AM

If I could add a country flair to this vibrato thing. Most country singers have little or no formal voice training (most sound like it too). But, a couple of exceptional voices, IMO, Ronnie Milsap has no vibrato in his singing, absolutely none, never. Extremely difficult to do and still sound melodic and pleasing. Always perfectly on pitch, but no vibrato. Kenny Rogers on the other hand, uses various vibrato techniques, some unique, to enhance and add emphasis to what he is singing.

I don't think vibrato or anything else will save an already bad singing voice. I like it best when it comes naturally, yet controlled. John Denver comes to mind. Always in control, and always perfect pitch. I have noticed some singers when they get to the upper end of their limits in range, the vibrato becomes increasingly faster, therefore taking away from the quality.

Breathing techniques do a lot more for improving a singing voice than anything else. Sorta like building a house on a good foundation. Learn the breathing first.

Acousticado · #15 08-10-2004, 08:06 AM

Anyone familiar with Canadian folky Sylvia Tyson (of Ian & Sylvia). That woman has a warble on her like no other I've heard. Personally, I never liked her voice because of it. I assume what she does is vibrato??? For those who know her, is it considered good/controlled vibrato, or not?