How to achieve Vibrato?

Vibrato is the loose fluctuation of the vocal cords, which produces the "wobbly" effect when singing a straight tone. All the singers these days do it, yet it comes naturally. The problem is, I like to sing as a hobby, yet I still can't get Vibrato in my singing. Any tips? Songs sound so plain without it😕

Anyone of you guys and gals have it? How does it feel? Does it feel like anything is going on in your throat?

I don't do riyaaz, but will definately like to, but I don't know the procedure. Is this only going to come through riyaaz?

does udit narayan also have the wobble? he sounds very smooth. or does it not have anything to do with smooth? any example from some song that has that effect?

Hello, Dancnbella!

Vibrato comes at different times for different people. I started studying Indian music at age 13 and my voice broke to a vibrato at age 19. Obviously, looking at the ages of contestants on SRGMP, people definitely developed vibrato at different ages.

Having said this, it mostly will come with riyaaz. If you use your vocal chords enough and sing more naturally (this means singing using your vocal chords and diaphragm naturally, not singing only nasally or or singing unnaturally), at the right point, your voice will break into vibrato. Vibrato is helpful, because the vibration hitting a sitting with revolve only + or - few cents of the note you are hitting. This should not be an excuse, however, to sing besur and use vibrato to cover it up. There is a song where Usha Khanna sang in the film Hotel, "jeena hai to jee bhar hanslo." When the line "sukh dukh to..." came up, she sounded incredibly flat when her vibrato made a daring attempt to hit the high Sa of the song.

First, learn to sing in sur properly.

Then enhance it with vibrato.

WHen singing in vibrato or practicing vibrato correctly...

1. Avoid extending your jaw outwards too much. It'll harm your singing in the long-run. Also, it doesn't look good and your diction will be hindered. You'll sound like a mix of Bappi Lahari and S. Janaki when they sing.

2. Stick to one type of vibrato and other types of vibrato can "hinder" your singing style. Rafisaab's vibrato was different from Kishoreda's vibrato. Rafisaab's ornamented the note to create vibrato at some points, while Kishoreda was very blunt making vibrato sounds pakka. S.P. Balasubramaniam sings hold his vowel w/o vibrato and while holding the vowel (or note), he adds vibrato.

Nitin Mukesh, as much as I respect him, moves his head up and down to get vibrato. He hardly hear any vibrato from him, but whenever he does, I've seen him move his head up and down.

Jagjit Singh, uses his lower jaw up and down, creating a rocky vibrato. Listen to his recordings and listen for that.

Hope that helps! 😊

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Hello, Dancnbella!

Vibrato comes at different times for different people. I started studying Indian music at age 13 and my voice broke to a vibrato at age 19. Obviously, looking at the ages of contestants on SRGMP, people definitely developed vibrato at different ages.

Having said this, it mostly will come with riyaaz. If you use your vocal chords enough and sing more naturally (this means singing using your vocal chords and diaphragm naturally, not singing only nasally or or singing unnaturally), at the right point, your voice will break into vibrato. Vibrato is helpful, because the vibration hitting a sitting with revolve only + or - few cents of the note you are hitting. This should not be an excuse, however, to sing besur and use vibrato to cover it up. There is a song where Usha Khanna sang in the film Hotel, "jeena hai to jee bhar hanslo." When the line "sukh dukh to..." came up, she sounded incredibly flat when her vibrato made a daring attempt to hit the high Sa of the song.

First, learn to sing in sur properly.

Then enhance it with vibrato.

WHen singing in vibrato or practicing vibrato correctly...

1. Avoid extending your jaw outwards too much. It'll harm your singing in the long-run. Also, it doesn't look good and your diction will be hindered. You'll sound like a mix of Bappi Lahari and S. Janaki when they sing.

2. Stick to one type of vibrato and other types of vibrato can "hinder" your singing style. Rafisaab's vibrato was different from Kishoreda's vibrato. Rafisaab's ornamented the note to create vibrato at some points, while Kishoreda was very blunt making vibrato sounds pakka. S.P. Balasubramaniam sings hold his vowel w/o vibrato and while holding the vowel (or note), he adds vibrato.

Nitin Mukesh, as much as I respect him, moves his head up and down to get vibrato. He hardly hear any vibrato from him, but whenever he does, I've seen him move his head up and down.

Jagjit Singh, uses his lower jaw up and down, creating a rocky vibrato. Listen to his recordings and listen for that.

Hope that helps! 😊

THANK YOU!😛 I have a question: Do you feel any kind of sensation in your throat when Vibrato occurs?

Originally posted by: chatbuster

does udit narayan also have the wobble? he sounds very smooth. or does it not have anything to do with smooth? any example from some song that has that effect?

Yes, everyone can develop Vibrato, well it comes naturally. An example of vibrato would be when Shaan says "Hona hai tujme Fanna" in the song Chand Sifarish. For the word Fanna, it's a straight tone at first, then vibrato comes in the end. Hope that give you an idea of what i was talking about😛

The intensity of sensation of course depends on how loud or how soft you sing. You will definitely feel something in your vocal cords when you sing in vibrato.

If you touch your throat while singing vibrato, you'll feel a strong vibrato. Someone with a big Adam's apple will look like it's moving up and down when subjected to vibrato.

KB ji, I'll probably have some Qs for you here later...

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Someone with a big Adam's apple will look like it's moving up and down when subjected to vibrato.

Hmmm... I think I HAVE seen it on Ann Coulter while she was ranting against the Dems... 😆

Originally posted by: juggyE

KB ji, I'll probably have some Qs for you here later...

Feel free to ask away, but before Wednesday night, because on I'll be out of town (and internet access) for 11 days. I'll be on 6/12.