Tips for Singers - How to Sing Different Genres and Styles

THE ÜLTIMATE GUIDE TO * 曲 SINGING STYLES Genres Pop Rock If music is food, then pop is candy. Fun, but not funny. Romantic, but not overly sentimental. And with dance and rhythm at its heart. Rock has grown from a purely rough and edgy style to a diverse genre with many different voices. However, that rougher and edgier part is a defining characteristic; otherwise, it might be confused with adult contemporary or pop voice. TIPS FOR POP SINGERS • Learn how to control your vibrato without tension. • Experiment with different vocal sounds, like short, popping sounds and fast runs. • Focus on improving your movement on stage (consider taking dance lessons!). TIPS FOR ROCK SINGERS • Try out different vocal stylings, like a little growling or vocal fry at the end of song sections, but don't overdo it. • Get comfortable singing a huge range of dynamics, from whispers (used sparingly for the health of your voice) to healthy, supported shouting. • Don't be afraid of your own vibrato. Listen to: Tori Kelly, Whitney Houston, Bruno Mars Listen to: Freddie Mercury, John Fogerty, Ann Wilson Country Operal Classical An overly simple way to think of country is fancy folk, read: glossy folk pop. The genre evolved from Appalachian mountain music, Southern blues, country-western, and what's called "honky-tonk." TIPS FOR COUNTRY SINGERS • Don't force a "country" accent. If you listen to a lot of country, over time a natural twang will come when you sing. Often considered the most formal and restrictive of all genres of singing, classical and opera singing actually allow for the greatest amount of freedom. Much of it is sung with uncontrolled • Become familiar with great storytelling; that's where country music comes from! Listen to professional storytellers on YouTube. • Be willing to wear your heart on your sleeve. Audiences love when country singers share their feelings, and your believability is based on your ability to be genuine. vibrato and total emotional release. TIPS FOR OPERA/CLASSICAL SINGERS • Don't try to sound like how you think an opera singer sounds. Sing with an open and free voice. Listen to: George Jones, Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn • Vibrato sometimes develops over time, as we let go of tension. Don't force it or try to create it. • Get a voice teacher. Soon. Listen to: Bryn Terfel, Kiri Te Kanawa, Marian Anderson Bluesl gazz Hip Hop Jazz singing is characterized by clear, "speech level" singing and distinct consonants, while blues singing has a rough or rootsy edge to it, sometimes with a natural Southern accent. Hip hop, the heavily rhythmic and rhyming singing that often accompanies rapping and beatboxing, emerged in the 1970s, and has grown steadily in popularity since then. Singers of hip hop are diverse, but the singing generally takes on an edgy, sometimes nasal quality. TIPS FOR BLUES/JAZZ SINGERS • You can't sing the blues and jazz right without knowing its history, in your mind and in your heart. Watch Ken Burns' jazz documentary, and the Thelonius Monk documentary, Straight, No Chaser. • Experiment with different vocal sounds, like pitch slides and scatting. • Study up on your music theory, especially your chromatic scales. TIPS FOR HIP HOP SINGERS • Know hip hop's musical ancestry. Listen to a lot of funk, disco, reggae, soul, Gospel, the blues, and old-school hip hop. • You don't have to become a rapper, but get comfortable switching between singing and speaking lyrics to help your versatility. • Don't be afraid to experiment with different vocal sounds, like nasality and wordplay, to create your own signature style. Listen to: Cassandra Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong Listen to: Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, Cee Lo Green Adult Contemporary TIPS FOR ADULT CONTEMPORARY SINGERS Adult contemporary is essentially pop singing, but the lyrics are decidedly grown-up or "adult." It has been called "vanilla," bland, and boring, but some of the most magnificent songs are forever • Learn how to sing consistently with a well-supported sound, and power will come naturally. • Get into the habit of speaking the lyrics of the song out loud before singing them. • Don't add too many effects to your voice; singing with whatever you have, in its truest form, is adult contemporary. embedded in its charts. Listen to: Bruce Hornsby, Amy Grant t9 takelessons