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Vibrato on a long note
Start straight, after a second let a natural wave in. We measure rate (goal 5–7 Hz) and depth.
Vibrato on a long note is a six-second tone that begins straight and, after about a second, lets a natural wave in. The app measures the wave's rate, with a goal of five to seven cycles per second, and its depth. Each repetition is two semitones higher than the last, until you're near the top of your range, then the pattern comes back down the same way. Good vibrato isn't made; it appears when the larynx is relaxed and the breath is steady. “Ah” gives the freest throat and the clearest readout of the wave.
How to do it
- Hear the cue note and start the “ah” straight and steady, exactly on pitch.
- After about a second, relax the throat and let the tone begin to wave on its own.
- Watch the roll: the line should ripple evenly around the target, not wander off it.
- Check the rate and depth shown. Aim for five to seven cycles per second.
- Repeat two semitones higher.
Coach's tip: Vibrato is not made with the jaw or by forcing the belly – it is a relaxed larynx with good support.
What to watch out for
Forced vibrato is the main problem: a slow wobble from pumping the belly, or a fast shake from the jaw. Both show as an uneven or very wide line; stop, sing straight, and let the wave come from a relaxed throat. A wave centered below the target means the note is drifting flat; keep the core pitch fixed. If no wave arrives, don't manufacture one; practice more Long note 6 s first. Neck tension means stop for today.
Who it's for
A level 3 exercise for singers with a stable straight tone who hear a natural wave trying to appear. Use it late in the main block, after Long note 6 s or Messa di voce (soft → loud → soft). Alternate it with Straight tone without vibrato to switch the wave on and off. Listed in Path: Pop (mix & belt).
Part of programs: Path: Pop (mix & belt)
Opens the app in your browser. Free to start, no account needed. Put on headphones first.
Related exercises
- Long note 15 s Fifteen seconds. The level of a big ballad chorus.
- Long phrase on one breath (12 s) Eleven legato notes on one breath. Phrases in pop ballads are sometimes longer.
- Vibrato only at the end of a note A long note: straight for most of it (about 60%), with vibrato only at the end – the way a jazz ballad ends a phrase. We measure both: the straight start and the waver at the end (goal 5–7 Hz).
- Soul phrase on one breath A long phrase on the minor pentatonic ending with a short riff, all on one breath. It teaches you to spread the air so there is still enough for the ornament and the last long note.
- Twang on “nyah” A bright, narrow “nyah” on the first five scale degrees, holding the fifth. Twang is the safe base of rock edge – the voice sounds sharp while the throat stays loose.
- Five vowels on one note One note and five vowels in a row: mee, eh, ah, oh, oo – with no gaps between them. Trains even vowels and legato: pitch and tone stay, only the shape of your mouth changes.