Do you wish to know how to sing with vibrato? Yes , it is possible to sing with vibrato.
I will show you how it is possible from my experience as Music Director and a church organist.
I have directed so many Music Groups, and I have seen so many singers sing in vibrato because it enhances the beauty of the song itself and it requires lots of practice and consistencies
.I once trained some soprano singers that sing with vibrato, and they are pretty awesome.
Let me show you how you can sing in a Vibrato voice.
Let’s dive into it below:
Sight Reading: What It Is And How To Get Started.{Answered}
What Is Vibrato?
The first question to ask yourself is: how to sing without going out of tune?
Then, only after, can you go further…
It is not always easy to control the sternum to maintain a steady note.
You have to know how to place your voice in a specific way, but you also have to know how to gain verticality and modulate it.
You have to control your trachea to give your voice a homogeneous and harmonious undulation of the frequency and intensity of the sound, in short, of the height.
Vocal vibrato is a regular oscillation of the voice that we use to add some expression to singing, but when done right, it also helps keep the vocal cords healthy.
The word “Vibrato” is a word that comes from Italian and means “vibration.”
It is said this be a periodic variation of the frequency of a sound.
In other words, it is an even oscillation between two musical notes, passing from one to the other in a constant and even way.
In singing, we use it to add some expression to the voice, and it is a widely used resource among professional singers.
Because it adds quality and warmth to the voice and is part of the distinctive marks of some singers.
Vibrato can be measured based on the difference in frequency between the two oscillation notes (for example,
I can oscillate between C and C#, and I would be doing a semitone vibrato; if the variation is between C and D, the variation becomes more pronounced,
if I oscillate only a quarter tone to the ear, it will be softer
.It can also be measured based on the speed of the change; a very slow vibrato is not usually very pleasant to the ear, and a speedy one makes the voice sound like a sheep or goat (hence the term “goat vibrato” is derived).
It is estimated that the vibrato that sounds best to the ear In general terms, it ranges from 5 to 7 oscillations per second, however, this is somewhat generalized, because each one of us is different. We have different aesthetic patterns; what one likes another may not, and vice versa.
What Is Tremolo?
The tremolo is a periodic variation in the intensity or volume of a note.
It is frequently confused with vibrato. In vibrato, the height of the sound is varied; in tremolo, the intensity is varied, although in practice, many times, a singer does both things simultaneously (varying frequency and volume).
A pure tremolo is achieved by regulating air pressure using abdominal movements.
By making small pulsations of air with the abdomen while holding a note, we achieve this pure tremolo effect, which some mistakenly call “diaphragmatic vibrato” or “abdominal vibrato.”
This technique will give us an interesting sound effect, but it can generate an extra load on our respiratory control; if we exceed the pressure, it will cause friction on the vocal cords, which is unsuitable for vocal health.
For this reason, it is not recommended to use pure tremolo to sing, but it can be a help to find vibrato for those who have not yet mastered it since good vibrato is usually accompanied by a “quota” of tremolo
Vibrato In Different Musical Styles
This aesthetic pattern for vibrato also varies between musical styles. In ancient opera, vibrato used to be used for almost all the sung notes, whenever possible; in some times and cities, the goat vibrato was highly appreciated; today, very few feel it pleasant.
In pop, a vibrato of less than a semitone in length and between 5 and 8 oscillations per second is usually used, especially at the end of the phrases.
In Argentine tango, many singers use a slow and long vibrato to end the phrases; in multi-voice choirs, the vibrato has to be very light or non-existent so that the voice harmonies do not sound “out of tune.”
In short, there is no “standard” on how vibrato should be aesthetically, but we must know how to do it correctly and healthily.
What Is A Good Vibrato?
Vibrato can be produced in various ways, which may sound good, but not all of them are good for vocal health; we will see more detail about vibrato production later, but you should keep in mind that vibrato is healthy and has good characteristics.
Voiced sounds occur naturally when there is good elasticity in the vocal folds, an open and relaxed lower pharynx, and generally good relaxation of the face, mouth, neck, and larynx.
Vibrato should not be produced from the jaw, head movements, abdominal (or “diaphragmatic”) movements, or attempting to produce by changing the height of the larynx or by making a sudden closure of the vocal cords.
It can be stimulated through some exercises, but it generally arises naturally when the voice is technically well-developed.
The vibrato that is statistically most pleasing to most consists of a low-frequency oscillation (about a quarter tone) and has a speed of between 5 to 8 oscillations per second.
It will also have a balanced resonance and will not sound disconnected from the rest of the phrase or notes that we are singing
Mistakes To Avoid To Have A Good Vibrato:
1. Tremolo or “diaphragmatic vibrato.”
As I said before, this consists of periodic pulsations of the abdomen. This produces a tremolo and not a true vibrato; what we are varying is the volume of the tone and not the tone itself.
The tremolo is not easy to control on powerful notes; even on middle notes, it becomes more difficult to tune.
Although it is not harmful to use it for some nuances in the voice, its constant use can lead to more excellent wear on the strings, due to excess air, in addition to generating muscle memory in the abdomen that will accustom the singer to incorrect control of the tone.
Airflow will make it more challenging to have a relaxed and well-controlled breath that helps you develop true vibrato and other vocal techniques.
2. Vibration of the larynx
Some singers try to make vibrato oscillations using a movement of the larynx. The larynx moves up and down while doing the vibrato.
This shape will produce a forced vibrato, which loads the larynx with tension and will also become challenging to control in some regions of the voice. In a well-done vibrato, the larynx must be stable, the vibration coming from the vocal cords and not from the larynx itself.
3. Jaw vibrato
This vibrato is used by many singers, even renowned ones, especially among Gospel singers. It is easily detectable because you can see how the jaw moves up and down to produce the vibration.
This movement changes the pitch and formation of the vowel, and it is not an actual vibrato.
In this type of vibrato, tension is generated in the jaw muscles. In addition, the movement itself means it is impossible to control the tone completely.
This type of vibrato could also cause long-term problems, both in the vocal cords and in the muscles of the face, especially in the jaw muscles.
4. Neck Vibrato
Another incorrect form of vibrato is to move the neck vertically or horizontally to make the voice “shake.” This creates tension in the neck and an interruption in airflow that can damage the vocal cords.
5. Goat vibrato
Goat vibrato is a type of vibrato that is very fast and sounds like a goat bleating (hence its name).
Research shows that a type of goat vibrato produced by a rapid opening and closing movement of the glottis; this type of vibrato, well-trained, might not be harmful in and of itself (Hindu singers use it quite a bit).
Still, it is essential to understand that its mechanism is not the same as that of the standard vibrato.
On the other hand, there are times when the goat vibrato is produced by air that is not being directed towards the correct point of the voice and thus “bumps” and disperses inappropriately, which can be caused by excessive air pressure in the attack.
Of the notes, problems in the closure control of the vocal cords, lack of elasticity in the laryngeal musculature, tension in the base of the tongue, and, in some cases, due to congenital disabilities.
6. Slow and pronounced vibrato
Another type of vibrato that may indicate technical faults is slow and quite pronounced (the variation is more significant than a semitone).
While this vibrato can be used intentionally as a stylistic device, if the singer cannot produce a fast and correct vibrato, this indicates a technical problem.
It may be due to poor air administration, lack of tonicity in the vocal cords, lack of control in chordal closure, excess “weight” on the cords, and external use of the larynx, among other factors.
How To Develop Vibrato
To correctly develop the vibrato, we need to have a good quality tone in the voice, flow in a relaxed way, and feel a constant “thread” of air coming from the throat.
1. Open the throat, close the strings, gain resonance
A good vibrato is a sign of good voice production. One of the fundamental points to achieve a good vibrato is opening the pharynx.
We must achieve a good throat opening with a good closing of the vocal cords to arrive at a healthy vibrato that sounds good.
To open the throat, we can practice opening exercises. To close it and improve the resonance, we will use the coverage and resonance exercises, as I explain in the routines I left on the site, to download for free.
For cord closure, they can also practice exercises with frying in the voice or vocalizations with syllables that contain G and K (GUG, KA, KI, KIA, KE, GO, etc.).
2. Be patient
Healthy and natural vibrato result from good vocal technique and a properly trained voice, in which there is good elasticity of the laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles, a relaxed neck and face, and correct airflow control.
Don’t get frustrated if you don’t get it in a couple of tries, but discipline yourself to work on all aspects of your voice, and the vibrato will emerge little by little.
3. Stay relaxed
The worst thing we can do to achieve vibrato is to force it, and the breath has to be relaxed; the air has to flow like a “thread” and not in pulsations like in the tremolo. We must relax the back of the throat, feel the strings vibrate freely, and let the sound flow.
4. The trill
“Trill” is a periodic variation from one note to another through the movement of the vocal cords.
For example, we make a note C in the middle of the voice, then C#, and then back to C. By repeating this process, we will make a trill.
We can, then, exercise to go from one note to another periodically at the maximum possible speed.
This can help us perceive the loudness and feel of the vibrato, but it is essential to understand that this is not vibrato.
The trill is an exercise we will do to give elasticity and “looseness” to our vocal cords, but vibrato is different.
We will feel the vibrato as a continuous thread of voice that vibrates very relaxedly.
The trill is a forced form of vibrato because we are consciously going from one note to another, so while it helps us find the right feeling, we have to make that same movement of the trill become something relaxed and natural, so we will let the vibrato flow only from our strings.
5. Glissando “shaky.”
The “glissando” is a continuous slide from one note to another.
Another exercise that can help us to develop vibrato is to make a glissando or slide up and down, with an “A” between two central notes that are a fifth apart (for example, from C to G).
Upon reaching the high note, we will make the voice “tremble” for one or two seconds and then slide back down. We repeat this several times, and little by little, we will find the correct sensation for the vibrato.
6. Work on all your vocal techniques!
Simple Tips To Vibrate Your Voice In Stages
- Open your mouth as if you were yawning.
- Relaxes the muscles entirely (primarily through the larynx).
- Keep your back straight (vocal posture is essential).
- Control your breathing.
- Sing with the diaphragm.
- Relax your muscles completely.
- Try to be subtle: the most beautiful vibratos are usually light.
- Progressively improve your vocal technique.
- Have confidence in your voice.
In conclusion
Vibrato will emerge as we improve all the qualities of our voice, especially the elasticity of the vocal cords, the opening of the pharynx, and the excellent resonance of the voice.
The exercises mentioned above can help to find and develop vibrato, but they must be accompanied by comprehensive vocal work and good singing techniques.
They can develop this and many other voice skills with discipline and practice.
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