Hi ! I am a singing teacher but i am classically trained and have a straight tone voice. I do a lot of pop teaching and songwriting and am training myself in the art of vibrato! Are you born with it or can it be learned ? I would be very grateful for some tips.
Thank you,
Caroline

Ooh. Can't help you really - my teacher says from time to time that she'll not send me away with a false vibrato, but is trying to develop the 'natural vibrato' in my voice. Just wanted to say welcome; it's good to have more singers around!

I'an adult learner - there's a few of us here. I'm sure others will help.

Learning vibrato

- get approval from your singing teacher if you have one.

- don't overdo it in public at first (and not ever, in that sense!)

- take in a full breath into diaphragm and chest (i.e. both areas) then push out a short (momentary) AH (without any glottal stop in the throat - keep everything open), pulling the stomach (diaphragm) in a bit on every AH (for the moment).

- do a few of these in a row, one per second AH, AH, AH, AH - always from the stomach (diaphragm). Gradually increase in speed over a few days/weeks, joining up between the AHs, so it's a continuous sound with vibrato.

- this way you get a vibrato that is rooted in the diaphragm (even though in usual ongoing vibrato, the stomach isn't going in each time to this extent), not just from the unsupported chest (which sounds like a sheep bleating!).

- as you increase in speed, it can become natural, and a part of your expression.

- just like with playing an instrument, some people are gifted and do lots naturally, while others have to learn more deliberately. Don't be put off by the 'gifted' mentality that it should all happen naturally from the start. Some things need a bit of help to get going - except for the very gifted, who need help in their 20s to not lose what they were doing naturally before!

- Imitation is vital in singing, so go on, sing "Just one cornetto" or whatever your favourite bit of vibrato singing is!

- To keep a "good" and "natural" vibrato, always keep the width of the vibrato within the width of the tone you are using. If the vibrato is bigger than your sound, people will start saying things. Experiment with doing it too big so you know what it feels and sounds like.

- don't lose the important capacity to sing really straight notes - there are some fantastic professionals out there who can sing Dowland songs with back-tinglingly straight notes.

- Enjoy!