Can off Pitch Singing be Remedied?
Off-pitch singing can, in most cases, can be remedied. And it must be remedied if the singer is to attain a modicum of success. Singing Lessons can help.
Vibrato vs. Tremolo At some time or other everyone has heard a voice that sounded dull, all on one unwavering line, lacking timbre, richness, and flexibility. Such a voice lacks the softening influence of correct vibrato. A good vibrato is the pulsation of tone, timbre, loudness, and to some extent pitch, that gives the voice body and emotional quality of a tone.* To correct dullness, and ascertain the right amount of vibrato, a voice which is dull must be allowed to flow easily, all tenseness must be removed, and with correct placement and the cultivation of an easy legato quality the tone will attain the vibrato
desired.
On the other hand, voices that shake, tremble, and quaver, or which seem to pulsate slowly, sounding two pitches, suffer from a
tremolo. A tremolo can be eliminated, but only by careful handling, for it often brings discouragement and strain in its wake, and the harder the singer tries, the more evident the fault. This error in itself proves that the singer is not approaching the ideal in voice placement at all, and the only remedy is to start again at the beginning, learning to sing correctly, for one or many of the vocal technique principles are being ignored.
The main reasons for a tremolo are the following:
1. Insufficient "point" or head tone; the singer is placing the tone low and without focus.
2. The tone is forced and pushed in an attempt to gain volume without correct "focus." The throat is strained; there is stiffness in the tongue and jaw (although sometimes the jaw itself may tremble badly from this tenseness and a tremolo ensues).
3. In the attempt to force or push the voice the singer loses control of the breath. The impact of an over-supply of uncontrolled air is too great for the vocal cords and throat to withstand; in consequence the voice shakes.
4. Lack of breath, whether because of nervousness or simply lack of breath control, will almost always cause a tremolo. The effort of trying to sing a long phrase without sufficient breath causes a tenseness of muscles.