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Someone recently told me that I should learn how to develop vibrato in my voice. I sang Unchained melody and he made the comment to me after I sang it. I always get profuse compliments when I sing Unchained Melody and he didn't think I sang it very well. I'm not so sure I understand. Is this desirable for modern singing? Is this an old fashioned singing style?

well vibrato is, in my opinion, a neccessary thing...in measured doses it can be very handy to bring out the emotion in the lyrics you are singing...or the story you are telling. It also assists in getting some colour into the voice that otherwise might sound a little monotone.
Best way to understand it is to listen to lots of different artists and hear where they use it to advantage. It shouldnt be forced...it is as the name suggests, a vibration...too much and voice gets the wobbles...bit like learning to ride a bike.

http://www.voiceteacher.com/vibrato.html

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Morgan is abolutely on-target with her advice.  As with anything, it can be overdone and when first using it that can happen, if nothing else, because of the novelty of it.  

Look up "vibrato" at Wikipedia to draw your own conclusions about its benefits.  I'm an "old" woodwind player (sax, clarinet, flute, oboe) where the use of vibrato is integral to experessive playing.  And that formal training, that began at age 8, lead to realization that vibrato is also a part of good vocalizing.

To reiterate, it will add color.  And in doing so, it is often becomes the "x-factor" that the uneducated public hears that distinguishes a so-so performance from a really enjoyable one.  Please consider that the slower the song the more opportunity is there to implement a vibrato.  Fast numbers, which typically have quick note changes, are not as conducive to or in as much need of vibrato.  

As to Unchained Melody,  if you'd like to try an experiment, "sing" the song just using "woh's" and "woo's", rather than the lyrics, holding each note as long as it feels right, before uttering the next note.  Then try it again while attempting to vibrate the column of air you are using with your diaphragm.  If you're not sure how that should feel, (excuse the crassness here) press down as if you were constipated.

Thank you both. I'm going to be recording myself soon so I can hopefully be objective about how my own voice sounds. I think it will be helpful to me to practice learning this vibrato thing.

I felt bad when he told me he didn't think I did a very good job singing Unchained Melody and that on a slow song like that I should use vibrato. Before that I thought it was one of my best songs.

This person sings professionally in a trio locally and knows I'm a beginning professional performer. He heard me sing once before and was very complimentary. Maybe he was trying to help me? I don't know.  He seemed reluctant to say what he said, I could tell he didn't want to insult me. I thought he was being overly critical because the reaction from audiences is always enthusiastic and positive whenever I sing Unchained Melody, but I need to know the truth.

Later in the night I sang White Wedding and Rebel Yell and he seemed very surprised and complemented me on those songs. He made a positive comment that those songs were well done. I know he can't sing either of those songs, he's an older man and he doesn't have a real strong voice, he sings mostly oldies like Frank Sinatra type stuff.

Once I record Unchained Melody and listen to it I'll know the truth about whether I can sing it well or if I stink.

Please forgive me for butting in here, but according to the article that Morgan provided the link to...

"Diaphragmatic Vibrato: A diaphragmatic vibrato is the pulsating of the diaphragm during a sustained tone to "create" a false vibrato. Music theatre singers develop this damaging vocal habit in order to have some sort of vibrato when none is present in the tone. This is a huge mistake. A diaphragmatic vibrato is difficult to repair because the lower abdominal muscles memorize the pulsating sensation so deeply..."

--Tad

Tad

no apology is necessary.  I probably needed correcting on that very important point. I sing so infrequently compared to entertainers I surely need not be concerned by this matter, but the point shouldn't be ignored

Stogie, listen to the beggining of " Babe " by Styx, lots of vibrato in the opening verse. Perhaps because there isn't much music in the start of the song and it adds a fullness to it.

I also think this person is being a bit hyper critical, yes there is vibrato in the " Wohs " but if you're in key it wouldn't be like it would ruin the song if you didn't use vibrato in that part. Then again if you are one of those people that tries to copy a song note for note ( I am ) do it for yourself and not because this guy thinks it needs it.

Ditto on everything Morgan said. Rudy.

I sing Babe and I also do Suite Madam Blue and I think I do both well, BUT I plan to record them as well to see if I'm living in a fool's paradise.

Look at these two videos on the topic (from Eric Arceneaux). From my studies of voice, he is right on.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey8lZgnUfZc
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTP72WjiwG0

Thank you!

stogie let me warn you hon, when you record for the first time and play it back, it will not be what you hear when you sing live. In fact it may well be offputting. Be prepared to go through a desensitization period whereby you overwhelm yourself with your recordings until you can get over that. There is actually a technical term for all of this...ie what you hear when its happening live, compared to what you hear from a recording but as per usual my brain lets me down What I am long windedly trying to say is do not be put off the first time you record yourself and hear it back

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Morgan you are right on the money.

The bar I sing at all the time asked several of the regulars to make a CD at a garage recording studio a few weeks ago. I've never been a studio and never sang with headphones on. At the time I thought I was doing pretty good. I sang Frank Sinatra's You Make Me Feel So Young. I thought is was one of my best songs and I was disturbed when I heard the recording. They didn't mix out my vocal flaws and I didn't hear any use of vocal enhancing reverb or other vocal effects processing. The up side is you hear your voice and all of it's imperfections so you know what to work on.

This is why I like a lot of echo or reverb when I sing. It makes my voice sound fuller and minor vocal flaws seem to be covered up. I don't like to sing without any vocal effects, I'm not that good. I'm good, I'm not putting myself down, I'm just not good like someone you would see on TV or hear on radio or see in a concert. I'm local bar and restaurant good. At that level of performing I don't think people are as critical and many of them may not be pay much attention to you anyways. Sometimes you're just background music.

I look forward to hearing your first recordings

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Thanks for these links. Some great info for those of you who are unfamiliar with creating and using vibrato.

k

Vibrato = Jim Carey in the Cable Guy, "Somebody to Lo-o-o-o-vee-veee"

Now that's karaoke.

Hey Stogie,

Great question about vibrato!

The truth is that vibrato doesn't always come out naturally when your voice is in balance.

There's a possibility that the person who saw you sang thought you needed to add a bit more.

I've written a full article with 12 different exercises to find vibrato.
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Ten years is a long time to reply to a thread..

! Yeah I don't think any ONE of these members are still active on this site any longer. But have a feeling since it was a self promotion (I see you snipped the link) that it's spam anyway.

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