What Is The Function Of Your Vibrato?

I’ve heard so many different opinions about vibrato…”It is a must for any serious singer”…”Vibrato is just a weakness”…”Vibrato is uncontrollable”…”Vibrato adds flavor” and so on and so forth. Whether you tend to swing on one side of the fence or the other, it is no doubt that vibrato plays some type of role in every singer’s ability. It could be that you have decided to try and minimize vibrato for smoothing out and blending harmony lines. It could be that you have decided to tighten and control your vibrato for that stunning solo performance. Whatever the case, this fact remains the same: each singer will have to encounter vibrato. As such, this question must be asked: “What is the function of your vibrato?”

I tend to lean on the side of the fence that says vibrato is a necessary part of the vocal repertoire. While I shy away from the classical and operatic view of vibrato (basically use as much vibrato as you possibly can), I would say that a strong vibrato has some unique benefits that are hard to achieve with any other vocal technique. Because vibrato is something that generally needs to be learned, I do not agree that vibrato is a weakness in the voice. Rather, I would conclude that vibrato is a vocal technique that can be honed and mastered to aid the voice as a whole.

Vibrato, simply put, is an oscillation between pitches. Vibrato in and of itself is nothing special. The amount of pitch variation and speed within the vibrato is what determines the uniqueness of the vibrato. Because this technique has the ability to help characterize a voice, it can be an excellent stylistic tool; and because this technique can be used as a stylistic tool, we have the tendency to think that no one uses vibrato other than classical or operatic singers. If you think about it, many of your favorite singers are your favorites because of their vibrato. If you have a favorite singer and cannot pinpoint what attracts you to him or her, there is a good possibility that his or her subtle use of vibrato is what fascinates you.

Unfortunately, many singers use vibrato as a cover up for their lack of connectedness in the voice or lack of colorful tone. Vibrato can get a bad reputation from singers who abuse this wonderful technique. It is never meant to be a substitute for vocal flaws. It is meant to act as a supplement to a well trained voice.

Brett Manning has provided some excellent insight on vibrato in an update done by Singing Success. I encourage you to view the video to help you gain a better understanding of vibrato as a whole.

Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. How To Sing Vibrato