How to Sing Authentically in Any Vocal Style

Contemporary music includes a great deal of style cross-over. Many country artists sound like pop singers, pop artists need to be able to riff soulfully like R&B singers, and musical theatre contains every element of style from classical (legit) to gospel and even rock.

Acquiring the musical elements of divergent styles of singing will enhance any singer’s style and make them more versatile.

Some of these elements include:

• Vocal timbre.  Tone color varies dramatically from one style to the next; the use of vocal colors (sometimes called resonance) can be a big factor in whether or not a singer sounds authentic in a particular style. The resonant, pure, low-larynx sound of classical singing for example, although beautiful and impressive, is entirely inappropriate for pop or rock singing, which uses a much more conversational or speech-like quality.
• The vertical positioning of the larynx affects timbre. A low laryngeal position produces a darker vocal timbre. While we don’t want to hike our larynx excessively, small adjustments in laryngeal height can make a huge difference in the authenticity of the tone.
• Intensity. Opera, gospel, and rock are intense styles, while folk singing is far less intense.
• Vibrato. Vibrato is ever-present in some styles (classical) and can be non-existent in others (some rock). Delayed vibrato is common in theatre and jazz singing.
• Phrasing. A jazz singer will back-phrase, using a conversational tone, while a rock singer will come in on the downbeat.
• Vocal embellishments. Melismas vary between styles. Gospel, R&B, and much of today’s pop singing require the ability to sing challenging riffs. Make sure your student’s choice of embellishments is appropriate for the style of music. How would they know that? By listening to and imitating many different artists representative of each style.
• Diction. Diction and dialect contribute to making the style more authentic, particularly in country singing.

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