Understanding Vibrato: The Science, the Shifts, and How to Stay in Control

Vibrato. 

For some singers, it’s a natural shimmer that shows up uninvited.

 For others, it’s the elusive vocal feature they’ve spent years trying to master. 

And if you’ve trained in both classical and contemporary styles? 

It might feel like vibrato is both everything and nothing, depending on who you’re talking to.

But here’s the truth: vibrato isn’t mysterious. 

It’s not magic. 

It’s not good or bad, right or wrong. 

It just is. 

And more importantly? 

It’s something you can influence!

No matter your age or background.

What Is Vibrato, Really?

Let’s start simple: nothing in your body is ever truly still. If you hold your hand out, you’ll see it tremble slightly… small, natural movements we can’t fully control. 

Your voice is the same way.

When you're singing, even if you aim to sing a “straight tone,” your pitch is never perfectly still. 

There's always a little movement. 

And when your voice is functioning in a healthy, balanced way, that movement begins to settle into a natural up-and-down cycle… what we call vibrato.

Why Vibrato Happens in the First Place

Vocal scientists often describe vibrato as a “reflexive oscillation”: a natural fluctuation in pitch when the voice is functioning efficiently. 

That fluctuation usually sits between 5.5–8 Hz (cycles per second). Most singers fall within that range.

It’s created by the balance between two opposing muscle groups:

• The cricothyroid (CT) muscle lengthens the vocal folds (for higher pitches)

• The thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle shortens them (for lower pitches)

When these muscles are well-coordinated, they create a natural “tug of war” that results in vibrato. 

So if you feel like you “don’t have vibrato,” the truth is: you probably do, it just needs some dusting off.

TL;DR: Vibrato is already something that’s inside you and emerges when your voice finds balance and ease.

Classical vs. Contemporary: The Vibrato Debate

If you’re classically trained, you might’ve learned to just let vibrato happen, not to control or manipulate it. 

That guidance often helps prevent singers from creating artificial vibrato by shaking their jaw or intentionally wobbling their pitch.

But in contemporary styles (CCM), vibrato becomes a stylistic choice. You might:

• Hold a clean tone and release into vibrato at the end

• Mute the vibrato so it’s barely there, or bring it out and emphasize it

• Use vibrato sparingly or not at all

And guess what? None of these are wrong. What matters is having the control to choose.

TL;DR: Vibrato isn’t tied to genre: it’s a feature you can shape, mute, or highlight depending on your style.

Can Vibrato Be Too Fast, Too Wide, or Too... Weird?

Maybe you’re thinking:

• “My vibrato sounds too fast.”

• “It’s too wide and wobbly.”

• “I never hear vibrato in my voice… What's wrong with me?”

Here’s the good news: if you’re not hearing it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

It likely just means your voice is dealing with tension, imbalance, or inactivity.

That’s why foundational vocal health matters. 

When you start working on balance (especially through SOVT exercises like straw phonation) you start to invite vibrato to show up more naturally.

Why It Changes As We Age

One of the most common questions we hear is: “Why is my vibrato changing?” Maybe it’s slowing down, getting wider, or feeling less controllable.

That’s because your voice is your body. And like the rest of your body, it changes with age. 

Hormones shift, muscle tone changes, vocal folds lose elasticity, and vibrato reflects that. 

But again, you’re not powerless here.

The more consistent your vocal health and training, the more control you’ll maintain over vibrato, even as your body evolves.

TL;DR: Vibrato will change as you age, but regular vocal workouts and healthy habits help you keep it steady and strong.

What Helps Bring Vibrato Into Balance

This is where tools like the Singing / Straw and our new app come into play. When we focus on creating healthy vocal conditions (less tension, more efficiency) vibrato often finds its way back on its own!

✅ Straw phonation encourages efficient vocal fold vibration
✅ The Singing / Straw App introduces daily SOVT workouts to gently help rebalance and restore your voice (no matter how long its been since you last sang)
✅ Consistent practice (with proper tools) helps your system “remember” how to access vibrato naturally

So no… you don’t need to force it, wobble your jaw, or chase it around like you’re a kid trying to catch fireflies.

You just need the right conditions to invite it in.

Can You Train Vibrato?

Yes, and no. You can’t manually create true vibrato, but you can improve the conditions that help it emerge.

That means:

• Building healthy breath and muscle coordination

• Letting go of excess tension and jaw movement

• Learning to “tamp down” vibrato for straight tone, or bring it out for dramatic effect

It’s not about having “perfect” vibrato. It’s about having options.

You’re not broken if your vibrato feels off. You just need a more balanced, responsive system, and that’s completely within reach.

Ready to Support Your Vibrato (and Everything Else)?

Our Singing / Straw Studio App is now live! 

The first of its kind, the Singing / Straw Virtual Studio was designed with the serious singer in mind…

With new workouts added every single week, our training library combines guided Singing / Straw workouts with easy-to-follow demonstration, daily vocal tuning, and warmups you can actually feel working (usually in a matter of minutes)..

When paired with the Singing / Straw tool, you’ve got everything you need to:

• Reduce tension

• Strengthen vocal stamina

• Restore vibrato without “trying” to create it

Explore the App and Straws Together >>>

Not Sure Which Set to Choose?

Take our Straw Match Quiz and get paired with the right fit for your voice. Because while they may look similar, each set offers a different level of resistance and experience.

Take The Quiz Here >>>

Quick Recap

• Vibrato is natural and already within you — not something you have to create manually

• It's influenced by vocal balance, efficiency, and how you train (not just style)

• It changes with age, but by simply implementing a few, gentle SOVT exercises paired with regular vocal maintenance can often help you take control of that journey

• The Singing / Straw App + tool combo gives you a simple, science-backed way to fine-tune your vibrato naturally

Got questions? 

Drop them in the comments. 

Or even better… Try it yourself this week, and notice what shifts.