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Shure Vocal Mastery - Video Workshop N°3: „Vocal Health“
If the string of a guitar breaks, it will be replaced by a new one... Unlike other instruments, our very own instrument – our voice – can sometimes n…
In this video workshop, Erika Footman explains how to add that special rock sound to your singing. She demonstrates it by teaching it to Gemma Zirfas, a musical theatre singer. Gemma has never sung rock before and therefore is the perfect person to show how to learn it.
Erika chooses the song “Don’t stop believing” by Journey, a popular song both singers know by heart. Gemma usually sings the “Glee” version and Erika shows her how to transform it into the rock version. Gemma has a lovely warm vibrato in her voice. But when singing rock, vibrato should only be used as a special note, not during the whole song. So Erika tells her to strip that vibrato down a bit and hold it in by using her diaphragm. She also praises Gemma’s good grounding – she opens her body and supports it very well. This is very important! Rock often sounds like a shout, although it is not. Rock singers really need to support their body in order to support these big loud sounds. So no slouching permitted!
In the end Erika Footman summarizes the most important tips for getting the rock sound: Vowel sounds need to be flattened out, the vibrato needs to be stripped back a little bit, the body should be supported and timing is a little less necessary and should sound natural.