The Fundamentals
VOCAL STYLE
realising that yours is a truly
unique and significant voice. It
does mean something and it
brings meaning to others.!
!
To my mind, vocal style looks
like different colours, textures
and effects containing vocal
nuances (subtle expressions
and shades of meaning) that a
voice is capable of creating.
Singers should explore
wearing these ‘vocal effects’ to
understand how they can
make a variety of sounds with
their voices. Once the singer
has grasped a few of these
ideas and tones, the process
of implementing these
nuances into a song with the
appropriate emotive intention
is the next stage. This process
should be based on what the
artist is trying to achieve or
communicate. A unique
iSing | issue 1
mixture of vocal subtleties and
niceties helps to convey the
story embedded within every
song.!
!
Why should singers explore
wearing these ‘vocal effects?’
Lets put it in the context of
getting dressed in the
morning. When faced with a
variety of outfits we all ask
ourselves, ‘what should I wear
today?’ However, in actual fact
we are unconsciously asking,
‘who can I be today?’ We
dress according to our
emotions and feelings,
choosing the appropriate
mixture of colours and outfits
that reflect the way we feel
inside. One answer to why
singers should explore vocal
effects is because doing so is
the power of an artist’s selfexpression and it helps
form part of the bigger artistic
picture, our deeper
connection to music. The
freedom of being able to fully
express how you feel inside,
the liberating feeling of
having your message heard,
listened to and responded to,
the magic of being at the
helm of that mutual
exchange of energy between
performer and audience
member, these are the
components that have
inspired both sides of the
stage for centuries.!
That said, vocal nuances
should always come from a
place of intention. They
should be used to convey
various emotions and
feelings rooted in the song’s
story rather than simply used
for their own sake or to show
off. However, I think this
depends on what the singer
is trying to achieve. A sense
of fun and vocal flair also has
its place – younger singers
tend to approach songs in
this way. I believe in allowing
younger vocalists to express
this way because it’s part of
their musical journey. This
s h o u l d , h o w e v e r, b e
balanced with an emotional
connection to the song,
achieved in an intelligent way
and with the right emotive
intention utilising vocal
colours such as riffs and
runs, breathy qualities, nasal
qualities, growl qualities,
vocal fry, flips, blips, whistles,
falsettos, belts, vibratos, etc.
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