Hi there,
I was wondering if someone could over a bit of advice. I'm trying to develop my own vibrato a little, but I'm incredibly influenced by the vibrato of the singer's voice who originally sang it, even when I'm just singing the song on my own. And these style vary so much, which make me wonder if I dont have my own vibrato style. I can do rather chesty, deep styles, but also very very soft, rapid trembling. Where should vibrato come from? Naturally, mine tends to be from my chest, rather than my throat, but I dont think I'm doing it right as I begin to ache after quite a while of singing. I'm always aware of my posture but I find it difficult to hold a steady vibrato in long notes; it tends to jump in speed and definition... which kinda sounds a bit sucky, lol.
Can anyone give me some advice on some possible vocal excercises or tips I could try and develop my own vibrato style? All comments greatly appreciated ^^.
And if it makes any difference, I sing in Japanese.

Hi

Well, it probably does make a difference if you are singing in Japanese, because to my ears the sound of Japanese music is different to western music. Are you singing traditional Japanese music, or western pop or classical music? To my ears, the traditional Japanese style uses a lot of vibrato.

The whole question of where and what is vibrato is a vexed one even among voice professionals, but I think there is a general consensus that the abdomen shouldn't wobble when you try to add this sound to your vocalising. It is the larynx itself that is unstable and a pitch change is involved too, so that a vibrato is actually hovering around the pitch of the note.

As hearers, we generally like a vibrato of 6 - 8 beats per second, and a pitch variation of about a semitone (quarter tone each way). If you try to sing a straight tone, you will find that there are minute variations in the sound simply because we are flesh and blood and the veins pumping blood past and through the larynx, the nerves firing off impulses to the brain, the work of the cilia in the vocal tract (sweeping out impurites) and irregularities in the pressure and flow of air make our sound wobble a bit.
Some voice scientists think that vibrato is a way of regularising these irregular pulses.

Vibrato is associated with a tilted thyroid cartilage or a 'crying' posture in the larynx. Singing in this cry posture as quietly as you can will help you to access a good vibrato sound.

I also use an exercise like this:
6/8 /// ///| /// ///| /// ///| /// /.
cdc bcb aba gag fgf efe ded c

Go as fast as you can and try not to nod your head as you go. Your larynx can move really fast, much faster than your nodding head! What you are doing is inviting the larynx to destabilise, and getting the feeling of it. Try going as fast as you can't.

A singing teacher should be able to help you. Good luck.