In this second of our 4-part video series on vibrato, I’ll show you how to get vibrato
started using one simple singing exercise.
Hi, I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing
Thanks for your comments on Video #1.
Virtually everyone who watched the video thought that….well, rather than me telling you,
if you missed that video, watch it here and you decide!
What do you think?
“Can You Tell I Wasn’t Born with Vibrato?
Listen!”
I was one of those singers who sang with a straight tone for 43 years!
I wasn’t born with vibrato.
When I was a teenager taking voice lessons for the first time my teacher said if you
aren’t born with it, you don’t have it.
My teacher had her masters degree in vocal performance, recorded an album, and was a
well known singer and teacher in my hometown.
So...I believed her.
I felt bad because all the good singers around me had vibrato.
I sang a lot.
I sang constantly at home.
I was in choir in grade school, junior high and high school.
Our High School Madrigals did a singing tour of Europe the year I graduated.
I entered college as a music major and sang 4 years in the University Oratorio Choir.
Eventually I became so discouraged about my voice, I stopped singing solos for more than
20 years.
It wasn’t until I was 44 years old that I discovered that I didn’t have to be born
with vibrato and that I could develop it in my voice.
I want to credit Seth Riggs and his associate teacher at the time, Debra Bonner, for teaching
me how to do vibrato.
My new vibrato added quality to my voice, improved my pitch and gave me confidence enough
that I began auditioning for musical theater again.
Over the past 22 years I’ve performed in more than 40 shows...of which 28 were lead
or supporting lead singing roles.
When I learned to sing with vibrato, it seemed miraculous to me because for all those years
I thought it was impossible.
Whether you’re convinced that you can develop vibrato in your own voice or not, it doesn’t
matter.
In the next 3 minutes, you will experience the beginning of vibrato in your voice.
It’s a technique I’ve never shared in public before.
Here’s how you do it.
I call it, the “Puppy Dog”.
Step 1: Do a puppy dog pant.
Use small, easy pants.
[Demo]
Step 2: Add your voice to the pant using the “uh” sound.
[Demo]
Step 3: Now slur or blend the panting together so you’re panting on a continuous, smooth
sound.
[Demo]
Step 4: Take a larger breath to hold it longer.
If you run out of air, take a breath and keep it going.
Control it.
Keep the same pulse every time you start with another breath.
[Demo] There is kind of a pulse to it.
It’s the feel of more - less, more - less...over and over again.
[Demo]
Step 5: Gradually increase the speed of your pulsing but stay in control.
[Demo] Increase the pulsing as fast as you can while maintaining control of your pulsing.
Do it long enough so your vocal cords can memorize the feeling of vibrato.
[Demo]
This is what vibrato feels like.
Pause the video and do it a few times until you feel the vocal cords get it...even for
a moment.
[demo] That’s the beginning.
That small beginning is like discovering a vein of gold in a mine.
Even though you only see a small part of it...it leads to enormous “vocal wealth”.
The more time you spend with this little nugget of vocal gold, the better it will become.
Yes it feels forced and awkward at first.
Remember how you felt when you first learned to ride a 2-wheeler bicycle?
Didn’t you feel unsteady and insecure?
Didn’t you fall several times?
Learning vibrato’s no different.
But with practice you’ll soon be riding without hands so to speak.
In other words, you’ll be singing with vibrato as naturally as if you were born with it!
Don’t worry about it stopping and starting at first.
That’s normal.
Just restart it and sustain it as long as you can.
The vocal cords are memorizing the new feeling and will soon take over by themselves.
[Demo]
In a couple of days you’ll get Video #3 and receive the Vibrato Success Plan.
You’ll get a simple outline to help you go from vibrato “baby steps” to singing
with vibrato without even thinking about it!
As natural as if you’ve always had it!
Experiencing the birth of vibrato is so exciting and encouraging!
Please share your experience in the comments section below.
I want to hear from you!
This “new born” vibrato will eventually give you a huge quality boost to your singing
and performing.
I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing.
You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and power...and vibrato!!!
Please join me in the next video where you’ll receive the Vibrato Success Plan.