When you use vibrato without any effort, it means that you are singing divinely. The correct technique involves proper breathing, sound position and posture, and a good release of tension. In short, vibrato is a symptom of good vocal technique. However, there are many ways to do it incorrectly. Don't imitate the vibrato - play the real one.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making a Natural Vibrato
Step 1. Open your throat
You can do this by simply yawning. Try to reproduce that feeling in your mouth when you sing. Can you imitate it even without yawning?
To sing well (and vibrato) you will need to be relaxed and open. If the throat is closed, the sound will not flow smoothly and your tone will not be warm and rich. You may be able to push some notes, but you won't get the full vocal range
Step 2. Relax your muscles completely
If you are not relaxed, you will not be able to sing with vibrato. If you relax your voice and don't tire it, this technique should work naturally for you. Relieve tension from wrists to ankles. Move the neck in a circle and stretch it sideways. Loosen the muscles on the outside to avoid tension on the inside.
This includes all the muscles of the face and head, such as the jaw and tongue. You should use them very little, regardless of whether you are singing in full voice or vibrato
Step 3. To breathe correctly, keep a correct posture
To master the flow of breath (very important), maintain good posture by standing with one foot slightly in front of the other and keeping your neck, head and back in a straight line. Subglottal pressure is, in effect, regulated by the abdominals, glutes, and muscles of the chest and lower back.
If you are sitting, step onto the edge of the chair, with your back straight and your head facing forward - you shouldn't look down, even if you're reading a sheet music
Step 4. Sing with your diaphragm
Take a good deep breath. Don't shrug your shoulders and lower your diaphragm. When you sing the note, focus on a natural exit. Let her go alone - she should do all the work.
To sing correctly you don't have to force yourself. If you feel like you're forcing a specific sound, you're not singing right. The vibrato is natural; don't force it if you haven't learned it. In that case you will need to focus on other aspects of the singing first. Vibrato is the icing on the cake, not the flour of the dough. It comes last
Step 5. Practice continuous, even breathing
It is easy to forget that you are breathing or breathing incorrectly when you sing. To produce the sound you seek, produce a steady and even flow of air. If it's not constant, your vibrato won't be clean.
In addition to being constant, your breathing must be uniform for consistent vibrato. If it is uneven, you may notice an acceleration or deceleration of the vibrato - you should avoid both situations
Step 6. Use a light vibrato
You've probably heard some singers whose vibrato is "so strong" that it dominates the entire song. They always use it and it can be distracting. Don't do it too. Vibrato sounds much better when it's light and natural. It should be like a surprise ice cream, not an ice cream scattered all over the place.
Plus, learn how to use it at the right time - not always. If you sing a song entirely in full voice, the song will not be very interesting from an auditory point of view. If you sing entirely in vibrato, you will get the same result. So use it from time to time and vary your style often
Step 7. Master other aspects as needed
If vibrato doesn't feel natural to you, don't take it. Many professionals imitate it or perform it incorrectly, because vibrato is above all a fashion. That said, keep working on your technique and one day you will make it. When you have a solid technique, vibrato will be a breeze.
Focus on resonance and timbre. You will develop the right habits of free singing, correct breathing and relaxation. You will start placing the sounds in the correct places in the mouth, you will release the tension on the jaw and tongue and the vibrato will start to come out
Part 2 of 3: Knowing the True Vibrato
Step 1. The vibrato will naturally develop over time if you sing correctly
Some singing teachers will help you focus on developing "vibrato" with some exercises to force it. This is not a true vibrato - an "imitated" vibrato. If you sing correctly, the vibrato will develop - it is a natural consequence of using the correct technique.
It is an aspect of singing that comes over time. There is no magic method to develop it in one day. It requires a rich and healthy tone and good breathing support
Step 2. Learn what vibrato is all about
In technical terms, vibrato is a uniform and constant tonal oscillation of the center of a note. This is a slight variation of the notes and a natural function of a well produced tone. It cannot be manipulated naturally.
Most people find vibrato to add warmth and depth to the voice. From the ears it is perceived as a change in tone, but it is actually part of the tone
Step 3. Learn to understand the usefulness of vibrato
Obviously it has a nice sound, but it is also useful for the voice. Not only does it hit the note, it also helps the muscles relax. Your larynx throbs to deal with the pressure you place on it. It serves to protect the vocal cords from fatigue.
Think about weight lifting. When the muscles are under strain, they automatically begin to vibrate. Have you ever wondered why? The whole body adopts this mechanism
Step 4. Remember that vibrato is not the same as "trill", "wobble" and "tremolo"
A lot of people "fake vibrato", meaning they don't use authentic vibrato. Let's discuss these other techniques:
- "Trill" This technique reproduces the sound of a goat bleating. It has a very fast, staccato vibrato sound. It is produced by the breath that has not been positioned correctly and disperses.
- "Wobble". In this technique the cycle occurs slowly and is spaced out. There is usually a greater variation in tone as well. It often arises from a lack of intonation or poor breathing management.
- Tremolo. This is the opposite vibration to the wobble, which is too fast. It results from excessive pressure on the glottis, which results in tension at the base of the tongue.
Part 3 of 3: Exercises to Produce a Vibrato-like Sound
Step 1. Try a diaphragm exercise
Put your hands under your chest, where the ribs come together. Now move your hands slightly below this point (this is the soft area a few inches above the navel). Now sing an easy note for your range - any one. When you sing, push gently with your hands. The secret is to push in, push out, push in, out, and so on. Try repeating 3-4 cycles per second.
This type of exercise generally produces tremolo. The volume changes while the tone remains the same. However, you will have a good idea of which muscles are involved in the movement and start training them
Step 2. Try putting a finger on the larynx
Some teachers instruct their students to hold a finger on their larynx and swing it up and down as they sing a sustained note. You will produce a weird, vibrato-like sound, even if it won't be authentic. This exercise can help you work your muscles differently.
Try these exercises with common sense. As mentioned many times throughout the article, true natural vibrato comes on its own. They just make you and your voice think in different ways
Step 3. Switch between two notes, one semitone apart
Another method used by teachers is to make students switch between two known ones at an increasingly rapid pace until they imitate a vibrato. Aim for 6-8 cycles per second.
As you can easily understand, even this technique does not produce true vibrato. This is a technique for imitating a very similar sound. Just make sure that the two notes you are singing are within a semitone or less of a difference
Step 4. Don't hold the "gospel jaw"
You know those singers whose jaws move up and down with every hint of vibrato? You shouldn't sing like that. Your jaw should be completely relaxed when singing, as should every part of your body. So, yes, moving your jaw up and down can mimic the sound, but this is not a natural or healthy solution.
This technique is often called the "gospel jaw", because it is used a lot by singers of that genre. It is also called "jaw vibrato" because it is not generated by the vocal cords
Advice
- Do not overdo it. If you sing incorrectly, not only will you not produce vibrato, but you will tire your voice.
- Vibrato is produced when your voice quickly switches between two notes. The range of this technique can vary greatly. Some people have a tight vibrato, while others have a very wide one.
- Vibrato is produced when you relax your throat and push with your diaphragm. It is the result of the relaxation of the external muscles of the larynx, which can no longer remain still in position during the emission of sound.
