Vibratto - I'm desperate

I figured this was Broadway related enough. My apologies if it shouldn't be here.

All my friends and their dog have been trying since forever to teach me vibratto. I've been singing in theater for quite a few years, but I have never been able to produce a nice vibratto (nevermind a nice one; I've never been able to produce vibratto period). If I can't do it is it due to my singing technique? Am I singing incorrectly? I've had a few voice lessons (not recently though) so I do know how to breath correctly, as I've been told vibratto is largely due to breathing. For a boy my age, I seem to have the ability to produce a considerably larger amount of volume with my voice than most of my other guy friends; but I don't really know if that has anything to do with it.

So if anyone could help me, I'd be forever grateful. Thanks alot

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take more voice lessons... this means you are controlling your voice and throat too much and not loose enough when you sing...

I can't really make a vibratto if i'm really nervous or if i'm singing such a passion it just comes out. But thats just me.

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Hmm...you're still pretty young. Of course, every voice is different, but most voices will continue to change and mature until somewhere between the ages twenty and thirty. However, if you're producing huge volumes without vibrato, I'd check into voice lessons, as you could be causing damage.

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I have a voice much like your's i don't particularly like vibrato, but mine didn't develop until about last year. So just wait it out, it'll come. But once u have it don't overdue it, because the more you use it, the bigger and wider it gets.

Definitely keep taking voice lessons. I think vibrato comes naturally in some people because I've never had a voice lesson in my life (only informal vocal coaching) and I just had an audition last week and I was told that I have a very nice vibrato. Keep working and you'll get it! :)

A vibratto is something that should come naturaly. I am 16; my voice changed when I was about 12, and no sooner did a realize that not only was it changing in pitch but in tone also. It wasn't something I really had to work it, it just came. Now of course I had my two vocal coaches imrpove it and stretch it more, but basically it just came easily. Most likely you voice hasn't FULLY developed. Yes it may have changed and you are know longer a boy soprano, but that doesn't mean it has fully matured and developed. Voice lessons will definitely help you to improve tone, quality, and things like a nice smooth vibratto. I wouldn't stress about it too much. Your voice will get there. Good-luck

Oh yea...what voice part do you sing?

When you're young, performers tend to have more tension in their neck and vocal chords in order to produce sound. Now that you've passed through the voice changing state, you've got to learn to relax your voice. A natural vibrato won't come out if you're tense in your neck. Also, be careful not to either shake your head or move your jaw. That means that your neck will still (most likely) be tense, and it's hard on your vocal chords. Keep singing!

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I'm not Bernadette, but I'm going to respond anyway ...

By "middle F" I'm assuming you mean the F above middle C. For guys, that would be considered just an "F." At the moment your would be considered a baritone for the most part. But if you've got an F at age 15, then I'm sure you've got a tenor in you. A good tenor will have a solid G, and a high tenor will have a solid A or Bb. And don't lose your bass notes, they'll come in handy later on...

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This is so funny I have the exact opposite problem of you!! I have a strong natural vibratto and I have been working on how to get rid of it when singing more contemporary songs! sorry-good luck, just had to post on the irony of it all.

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vibrato isnt necessarily the best thing in the world. the more you use it, the wider it gets, which gets obnoxious. plus, if you're singing in a choir or chorus it stands out and is hard to supress if you're trying to achieve it in the first place. it's something that comes natrually when your voice is getting closer to it's fully devoloped stage. if you cant produce a vibratto yet, don't worry about it. just keep doing whatever you're doing, and as your voice matures it should come along. but it's really not that big of a deal to have in the first place.

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I've often wondered about excessive "jaw moving" when singing. An example (althought not "Broadway") is Charlotte Church. Why does her jaw move so much and others hardly at all. (When she sings, I can't help but be so distracted by it!)

If you can't produce Vibratto naturally, in my opinion, singing's not your thing. Sometimes no vibratto is a wonderful thing - on people like Christine Andreas sometimes I'm afraid she's going to have a stroke while she's singing.

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