Dear Kurt, Laura, and List:
First in response to Kurt, I am sorry but I do not think your teacher
is correct.
Kurt wrote,
--- In vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com, kurt felix <guy_3001@y...>
wrote:
> She referred me to the vocal chords with the
> similarity of strings on a guitar or violin, whenever
> violinists created vibratos on their strings they wear
> on it alot, causing them to usually break most of the
> time after continued use... their strings can be
> replaced but our "strings" we have for life.
I rather believe that a free voice (with a vibrato) has less strain.
Laura, for what it's worth, here's my opinion:
Most teachers seem to feel that vibrato just "happens" naturally as
the voice frees up. However, if you are determined to not allow a
vibrato to happen, then it is less likely to happen. We can all find
examples of very wobbly wide vibratos - some argue that's not
vibrato, but anyway I can't stand that sound! And I was so afraid of
that sound, that for a long time I killed any vibrancy in my own
voice. Said another way, if one has an aversion to a vibrato, one
will not develop a vibrato.
To allow vibrato to happen, I think you have to a) want it to happen,
or be willing to have it happen, and b) allow "space" around a note.
Allow a note to be a little sharp or a little flat - play around with
it - does it bother you to have some "looseness" in the pitch?
Originally I was a guitarist - and the guitar is a percussive
instrument with notes precisely defined by the frets. I think
pianists can have the same issues - the voice is not a percussion
instrument, and the notes need a little space around them.
Some voices have a natural vibrancy but the vibrato is not obvious
the way it is in other voices - you may not be aware of when you have
vibrato.
Sometimes trying to not have vibrato is an interesting exercise - to
feel the extra resistance and tension, and then to try letting go.
It is likely that you may find vibrato in some parts of your vocal
range, but not in others.
Experiment and see what you find.
Good luck,
Michael Gordon
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