This was interesting to me, because my brother has his doctorate from Boston University in Vocal Performance. He studied with David Blair McClosky and others. He always makes a big deal about "natural" vibrato. My vocal vibrato is "not" natural, according to him. I'm a violinist, so I tend to make my vibrato in a way that sounds like my violin concept of vibrato.
Really had to 'work' hard to relax my neck muscles in order to learn vibrato. So I think vibrato is not a natural phenomenon, but rather just an after effect of vocal muscle relaxation. Great video!
You're right, it's semantecs. I think natural vibrato in classical technique means to allow the vocal folds to vibrate as they will controlling the air preassure passing thorugh the vocal folds from the diaphragm as opposed to clenching the larynx to control the air pressure which would not allow the folds to vibrate freely. Many pop singers do this and it's obvious because the veins in their necks pop out when they sing high notes or a hard musical line.
I think it is a natural when in a relaxed state, but as you said, we often have to learn to relax. However, just having vibrato isnt enough. Opera singers are professionals that learned a technique (not natural) that combines vibrato with resonance and other manipulations of resonance and alternating relaxation and tension of muscle groups. I also think some vibrato is forced and artificial. Personally, my original raw singing style was straight tone. I also wonder why some people's vibrato wobbles wide in pitch and why some is fast or slower than others. If vibrato is being slightly higher or lower than the specific pitch (off pitch), why is that good, rather than straight tone (on pitch the whole time)? Our ear wants to be on pitch and most of us start straight tone and learn vibrato. So whether it happens from relaxing or not, for most of us, it is a learned style.
I'm curious about two techniques. First the "overtone" singing. Singing two notes at once that can move independently of each other. I hear it as a regular voice, plus a resonant head/sinus tone. Two separately used apertures where we commonly just use one at a time. The second one, is that I have heard singing done on both the (normal) exhale, and then one the corresponding inhale. It makes sense that it is possible, because air is passing in an aperture no matter the air direction. ....But what do you think of this? Do you have thoughts, or opinions as someone who has extensive training in theory and practice?
I came across your video in the pursuit of finding what natural vibrato sounds like. My daughter is currently singing with a small worship team and she has a wonderful low tone voice like Adel I guess (probably didn’t spell that correctly) but I feel like she’s holding back her natural vibrato out of fear. I can’t find an example currently of what I’m talking about but it seems like some lower tone rock singers have an almost slightly nervous sounding natural vibrato that doesn’t seem learned at all. Literally opposite of opera but completely natural sounding. What makes it so beautiful is that it’s not perfect almost uneven if you understand what I’m trying to say.
This was interesting to me, because my brother has his doctorate from Boston University in Vocal Performance. He studied with David Blair McClosky and others. He always makes a big deal about "natural" vibrato. My vocal vibrato is "not" natural, according to him. I'm a violinist, so I tend to make my vibrato in a way that sounds like my violin concept of vibrato.
Really had to 'work' hard to relax my neck muscles in order to learn vibrato. So I think vibrato is not a natural phenomenon, but rather just an after effect of vocal muscle relaxation. Great video!
I’m using this for my intro to opera course. Such great video for non-singers to grasp these difficult concepts. Thank you thank you!
You're right, it's semantecs. I think natural vibrato in classical technique means to allow the vocal folds to vibrate as they will controlling the air preassure passing thorugh the vocal folds from the diaphragm as opposed to clenching the larynx to control the air pressure which would not allow the folds to vibrate freely. Many pop singers do this and it's obvious because the veins in their necks pop out when they sing high notes or a hard musical line.
Fantastic visuals! I will be using these as I teach. Thank you!
Very interesting and thorough explanation, made a confusing topic clear
I think it is a natural when in a relaxed state, but as you said, we often have to learn to relax. However, just having vibrato isnt enough. Opera singers are professionals that learned a technique (not natural) that combines vibrato with resonance and other manipulations of resonance and alternating relaxation and tension of muscle groups. I also think some vibrato is forced and artificial. Personally, my original raw singing style was straight tone. I also wonder why some people's vibrato wobbles wide in pitch and why some is fast or slower than others. If vibrato is being slightly higher or lower than the specific pitch (off pitch), why is that good, rather than straight tone (on pitch the whole time)? Our ear wants to be on pitch and most of us start straight tone and learn vibrato. So whether it happens from relaxing or not, for most of us, it is a learned style.
I'm curious about two techniques. First the "overtone" singing. Singing two notes at once that can move independently of each other. I hear it as a regular voice, plus a resonant head/sinus tone. Two separately used apertures where we commonly just use one at a time. The second one, is that I have heard singing done on both the (normal) exhale, and then one the corresponding inhale. It makes sense that it is possible, because air is passing in an aperture no matter the air direction. ....But what do you think of this? Do you have thoughts, or opinions as someone who has extensive training in theory and practice?
I came across your video in the pursuit of finding what natural vibrato sounds like. My daughter is currently singing with a small worship team and she has a wonderful low tone voice like Adel I guess (probably didn’t spell that correctly) but I feel like she’s holding back her natural vibrato out of fear. I can’t find an example currently of what I’m talking about but it seems like some lower tone rock singers have an almost slightly nervous sounding natural vibrato that doesn’t seem learned at all. Literally opposite of opera but completely natural sounding. What makes it so beautiful is that it’s not perfect almost uneven if you understand what I’m trying to say.
Amzing... Ma'am
3:17