By Margaret Olson
This article addresses the biggest common misconception about singing in a collegiate choir: “straight tone”. There are many benefits to being a part of a collegiate choir for people pursuing solo voice, for instance, the voice major learns more about major composers and historical context as well as different musical styles. They have a better understanding of how to work with a conductor which can easily carry over into opera, oratorio, and other solo singing.
The biggest misconception when a classical voice major joins a choir is that they will need to sing without vibrato, or “straight tone”. This is just not true. While yes, it is important to learn to control ones vibrato to an extent, it is extremely unhealthy and not beneficial to completely eliminate it. The issue with vibrato in choral singing is not the vibrato itself, but the speed of the vibrato. Singers will need to learn to adjust their vibrato rate to compliment the musical style of choral singing, the other singers, and the preference of the conductor.
William Vennard explains the issue is people hearing two different pitches of the vibrato, neither of which is the desired pitch. This makes it difficult for multiple singers to match each other within a choir. When one singer's vibrato is going up, the others is going down, therefore they are not singing in unison.
The article then goes on to address how important it is for choral conductors and voice teachers to communicate. This is one of the only ways healthy vocal development can be assisted in both choir and private voice.
A kind of vibrato that many choral directors prefer is “stabilized vibrato”, where the pitch variation is limited to “a reasonable extent”. Also, an easy way to avoid situations in choral ensembles where singing with almost no vibrato is needed is to not sing the high voice parts such as tenor and soprano, these parts make vibrato seem more evident than the lower voice parts and singing in the middle tessitura also helps vocal development.
One of the reasons why some conductors try and justify vibratoless choir singing is that it is a “historical tradition” in the Renaissance and Baroque eras and sometimes in the 20th century as well. Also, the venues that used to be used as performance halls (ie. Cathedrals) were unforgiving when it came to vibrato. However a straight tone can tire the voice much quicker than a free tone. It also is dangerous for young singers due to the unfinished development of the interarytenoid muscles and the still immature muscles that are crucial in the proper positioning of the larynx.
It is important to know your limitations as a young singer, especially when it comes to singing in a choir. Also, your voice teacher should always be the main monitor of your technique, and if vibrato is lessening, it may be a sign that you are not singing correctly in choir.
This is so good. I've known vibrato shouldn't be banned from choirs, but can't be "old-lady" vibrato. The idea of two people's vibratos moving in alternating directions makes total sense. I love how accepting OSU choirs are of vibrato. I'd not yet heard (in Bella Voce or my observations) a director as for NO vibrato, only ever less. Megan has said so many times that vibrato is a defense mechanism, which has really stayed with me and comes to mind when I try to fall back into my "no-vibrato-aloud" mindset that's been drilled into my head for years. Thanks, Kat!
ReplyDeleteEric Whitacre was big in high school and I can't tell you how many times the director would tell us to "take the vibrato out" which was awful! I like what it said about knowing your limitation and that the main issue isn't the vibrato itself but the speed of the vibrato. I agree that choirs should strive to get "stabilized vibrato" and "spin" instead of "straight tone"
ReplyDeleteIt basically comes down to listening to the people around you and blending your vibrato with the choir. Do not take it away, just be aware on how your voice is and the rate of the vibrato. It will change from piece to piece and the range at which you sing.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to always be the issue with choral vs. solo singing. As my colleagues have mentioned above, there is a fine balance between controlling your vibrato in a healthy way and completely singing straight tone. I think the biggest problem choral directors face with this issue is articulating what they want to hear without saying things like "take the vibrato out." Maybe more healthy expressions they could say would be "have a healthy spin to the sound" or "keep the energy moving" or "make the sound more simple." Just some ideas.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest things to remember is that vibrato is the resultant factor of well produced sound, so taking it out really is detrimental and you are "doing" something to the voice that is unnatural and as Kat said, will make you tire more easily, etc. I think when myself or Nick or others who have classically trained solo voices sing in choirs, we do so often by taking our full dynamic range almost out of the picture if doing early music that requires less intensity in the vibrato. I demonstrated in class the difference between the full intensity of sound and then a version that still had movement and core, but vibrato was not as wide or apparent, yet still there. It is tough for those who have not learned how to do this to be consistent, and that is where problems often occur. Keep working on healthy sound! Those who are going to be choral educators, remember to take time to train voices, it will be worth it! :-)
ReplyDeleteIf I had a dollar every time I heard a choral director say "sing without vibrato" in my years of singing in choirs, I could probably pay for my college education. Okay, not really, but still - I've heard it frequently. I think it's important to state what you want as a choral director, as long as you make sure it's also healthy for the singer. I think often choral directors forget that vibrato is a result of singing healthfully, and there are different, perhaps better ways to ask for the lightening of vibrato.
ReplyDeleteThe vocal health of your students is your highest priority, whether you are a choral educator or vocal coach. If your students lose their voices, you're out of a job.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I've been having trouble balancing. Before I took lessons, I always sang with a choral tone/very little vibrato. But after private lessons, I never know how much vibrato to put into the tone, or when a conductor says "less vibrato" if he means me or not. Healthy is the most important!
ReplyDeleteGah, this issue. I mentioned in a previous post how much of an issue for me this was when I first came to OSU. Everything was forcibly straight tone, and even now, I, like Kimber, question if I'm using "too much" vibrato in some of my choral my singing. Time to do a little more research.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I struggled in choir as well as my private lesson, and I don't know some directors were banned vibrato in choir. I think most important is to find the balance that suite for yourself
ReplyDeleteI completely agree: in the end certain perceptions of artistry should yield before physical well-being, especially for such a delicate physical process as singing. Straight tone should only be used sparingly and never as an overall sound ideal. Now of course, the kind of florid vibrato one might use for a bel canto opera is very different from the measured vibrato used to blend in a choir, but at its heart vibrato is a necessary defense mechanism for the voice and shouldn't be avoided.
ReplyDeleteThis is a problem for singers and directors alike! I still struggle will the balance between the two. I think the key is more effective communication about what the director wants.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it really is important for choirs, especially younger choirs, to stop emphasizing straight tone so much, yes, it can help with blend at times but it can seriously impede a child's growth in their voice.
ReplyDeleteI like Z's approach to vibrato - he doesn't often say "less" (and never says "none") but he'll just talk about focusing the tone, which tends to narrow the sound appropriately.
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