Aspiring classical singer here. Lately I've been experimenting with vibrato when singing by essentially just moving my larynx up and down gently but rapidly. I've certainly been able to produce a noticeable wobbling pitch when I do this but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I've heard in the past that vibrato is the "release of tension in the voice" so I guess I wasn't expecting that vibrato would be produced by conscious manipulation of the larynx. Am I on to something in this laryngeal vibrato or is there more to vibrato than this?
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2 Answers
There are a number of posts here that address this question in answering posts on related issues. They are unanimous in saying that one should not consciously move the larynx to create vibrato. Rather, the larynx should be relaxed, allowing vibrato to occur naturally. Here are the relevant posts.
natural vibrato ... requires a relaxed larynx
Vibrato is more or less a natural phenomenon once you are singing with nice support and a relaxed larynx.
The amazing thing about vibrato is that is happens naturally without force.
a natural vibrato (as long as it's variation in pitch, not air control - i.e. inconsistent breath support, and not laryngeal or "gospel jaw") is actually sign of proper singing technique.
This is corroborated by external sites as well. For example:
The Laryngeal vibrato, or being manipulated from the larynx (voice box) is also not a good idea since the voice box should stay stable while singing. Its task should not be to manipulate vibrato.
Vibratory sensations in the laryngeal region should not be induced or localized. In other words, vibrato should never be faked, created or forced.
The larynx (or laryngeal) vibrato is similar to the vocal trill vibrato. It involves moving the larynx up and down. Most knowledgeable instructors would agree that the larynx should remain relatively stable during singing tasks.
VIBRATO DOES NOT COME FROM SHAKING THE LARYNX: ... One habit that many beginning singers try is shaking their larynx with their hand while they sing. This technique is especially bad since it adds more tension to the throat.
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1On the last: some voice teachers use this technique because it's not really possible to shake the larynx with the hand unless the throat is relaxed. But it's certainly not designed to teach how the larynx should be moving (it shouldn't) but rather to encourage relaxation.– phoogSep 16, 2022 at 6:50
No.
Luciano Pavarotti:
Leontyne Price:
Lots of vibrato. Very little laryngeal movement.
I picked these videos because Pavarotti and Price were the first man and woman I thought of who were world-famous singers with solid technique, while being young enough to have video on YouTube from their prime years. As singers age, even those with solid technique tend to develop a "wobble" that manifests itself visibly in the neck and tongue.
