You might think that the correct production of vowel sounds while singing is unnecessary because you might have heard one or two famous singers who intentionally mispronounced certain vowel sounds and sang as if they were stuttering. And so, you surmise that if they could get by with mispronounced vowel sounds without losing their popularity, … Read more
Perhaps you might have heard The Ramones, Black Flag, Iggy and the Stooges, or the Sex Pistols, and maybe you want to emulate their aggressive musical approach, intense, superfast, and packed with socio-political themes. Of course, these bands typify the punk or punk rock genre, and if you want to sing punk, you might as well learn from these … Read more
I was reading the other day through a forum, and one question that kept popping up is how to transition from chest voice to head tone. Thus, I decided to answer this question in more detail and specifically from the vocal technique perspective. Of course, many people out there—who indulge in singing—are confused with their … Read more
You may be one of those adoring fans of Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Usher, Madonna, and Beyonce, and you know that these artists are bankable artists. They also got charismatic characters that make them a big draw wherever they perform. Yet, all these abovementioned artists have one thing in common—they can … Read more
Every skill you would like to develop requires you to start with the fundamentals. Similarly, if you want to learn and eventually become an expert beatboxer, you need to know the essential sound list of beatboxing. Once you’ve learned the basic beatboxing sounds, you can then expand your repertoire of beatboxing sounds by learning the … Read more
A young friend of mine asked me a year ago after our gig about how I learned to beatbox. I curtly replied that I’ve learned beatboxing by observation, tutorial, and practice. I gained mastery of beatboxing a couple of decades ago when there was no YouTube yet. So, I added, “You are fortunate nowadays because … Read more
No one precisely knows when humans started to mimic the sound around them, but I am sure that before humans began to speak a language, they were already mimicking the sounds of nature. Therefore, if you ask me who invented beatboxing, I would say it is a primal human tendency that might have predated civilizations. … Read more
If you are a frequent visitor to KTV bars, you will often listen to bar singers who would venture to sing a fast-paced song and end up running out of breath. It makes you want to guffaw or chuckle on your seat. Yet, had these singers learned the proper way of breathing while singing, they … Read more
You may confuse singing styles with voice type if you are just a beginner in music studies. Yet, there is a big difference between the two. Your voice type may be baritone or tenor if you are a guy, or soprano or alto if you are a girl. Moreover, your voice type may be genetically … Read more
Gone were the days when almost everyone wanted to have a raspy voice. Yet, during the late 60s and the seventies, almost all rock vocalists had a raspy voice. For example, in the early days of the Beatles, John Lennon did not sing much in a raspy voice. Yet, in the later years, you would … Read more
Many people adore the likes of Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart because of their unique raspy voice. In fact, many aspiring singers sometimes would try to mimic the raspy voice of these two artists. I, myself, had tried to imitate Rod Stewart when I was young, and I got applauded for doing so. But my … Read more
Jazz music is a kind of very special & authentic genre of music that originated from the African-American communities of the city of New Orleans. This music genre began in the late nineteenth centuries. Its origin is deeply rooted in blues and ragtime. Since the Jazz genre of music is uniquely American in origin, it … Read more
Have you heard about the perfect pitch? No – not the movie called Pitch Perfect, and no, I did not interchange the words! Basically, perfect pitch is a skill that most of us can only dream about. It is the ability to name or recreate a tone in an instant, just by listening to it. … Read more
The term unison has been used in all aspects of human endeavor. In the musical realm, the usage of unison terms is slightly different and contextual. And we must also bring into cognizance the fact that unison is not the same with harmony. Furthermore, to operationalize these, it would be essential to understand the term … Read more
If you are an avid song listener, you will notice that accents disappear in songs. By listening to songs, for example, you can’t differentiate American singers from British singers. But why the heck can’t you hear the accent of a singer when he/she sings? Moreover, it seems that all singers in the English language have … Read more
Singing is one of the most natural things we do in life. We sing when we feel sad. We sing when we are happy. We sing to while away time. We also sing when we want to show off. Although most of us can sing, yet, not all are gifted with a great singing voice. … Read more
Most aspiring R&B singers generally look up to the likes of Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Christina Aguilera. These three awesome ladies sing riffs and runs masterfully, and they could embellish a song with remarkable riffs and runs. Other outstanding singers who belong to the pop R&B genre like Justin Timberlake and James Ingram are likewise … Read more
Rapping doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be the fastest talker like John Moschitta, Jr., who is known to be the fastest talking man in the world. Rap, of course, is rhythmical and is more than fast-talking. It is a combination of rhythm and fast-talking. Hence, it is more than fast-talking, like what John Moschitta … Read more
People who can sing softly like Don Mclean or Elvis Presley, for example, are pleasant to listen to. In fact, listening to them can really relax your mind and make you swoon. They are undoubtedly gifted with golden voices. Singing softly is a learnable skill although it is challenging. Once you learn how to sing … Read more
The human voice—comparable to most acoustic instruments like those of guitars and pianos—has its special resonating chambers. These special chambers resonate the vocal tone. Of course, the vocal cords primarily produce the tone. This tone vibrates through and inside the open resonating chambers. In turn, this resonation along the chambers produce the four primary types … Read more
The use of shape notes started a couple of centuries ago in 1801, and for more than two centuries, it has been utilized, especially, in sacred music, though it has been used in secular music likewise. Its use started in New England and had been widely practiced in the United States’ southern region since its … Read more
The meaning of the term “rhythm and blues” has evolved throughout the years. Rhythm and blues or R&B as a popular music genre originated in the communities of African-Americans in the 1940s. Record companies originally used this term to refer to the recordings that were predominantly marketed among urban African Americans from the 1950s to … Read more
The nasally sound is whiny and unpleasant. It’s quite acceptable if you are a country singer. It is a big no-no if you are singing pop, rap, choir, and other contemporary songs. Artists with a nasal tone are not able to blend easily with choirs, and their voice sounds more muted. The nasal sound is … Read more
Since there may be some people who are not aware of the definition of the term mixed voice, you’ll find it in reading this article. Mixed voice refers to the combination of chest voice and head voice, which is considered as a strong and subtle aspect of singing. In this process, proper techniques are utilized … Read more
At the onset of practicing sight singing, it is often advantageous to learn the basic sight-singing practices. Some people have the knack for reading music sheet, but others need to learn it by heart. To some singers, this skill may seem unimportant, but you surely need to learn this skill if you want to become … Read more
Vocal fry is not merely a vocal effect that a singer produces in their singing performance. In fact, it’s one of the singing techniques that a singer can use to improve the voice culture and feel of the song. What Is Vocal Fry In Singing? Vocal fry is a technique of voice projection using the … Read more
Solo performance in singing may be a difficult thing to do, so, if you want to be a member of group singers, you should learn how to sing in harmony. However, you might think that it’s a lot easier to sing with a group and learn the basics in singing with proper blending and harmony. … Read more