Learning How to Sing J. Cole’s “Crooked Smile”
Popular songs like J. Cole’s "Crooked Smile" are a great way to practice and expand your singing techniques. This song has its uniqueness not only in lyrics but also in the vocal techniques used.
Particular Vocal Technique Used
"Crooked Smile" involves resonant singing and efficient breath management—or what we call resonance in singing and breath support. J. Cole skillfully manipulates his voice to give a round, warm sound. He uses resonance by engaging different areas of his vocal tract.
Other Popular Songs Using This Technique
This technique is commonly used in contemporary music, including other songs by J. Cole such as “No Role Modelz” and “Power Trip”. Artists like Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z also frequently use this technique.
Incorporate Practical Advice and Singing Carrots Resources
To get the tone and delivery similar to J. Cole, start by testing your current vocal abilities using the Vocal range test and the Pitch accuracy test. This will give you a baseline of your abilities and show you areas that need improvement.
Next, do vocal warm-ups using the Pitch Training tool. The song uses slides between notes, or legato, and sustains on specific notes which require good breath support.
Also, pay attention to the delivery of the lyrics as J. Cole uses a lot of articulation in his vocal delivery. Practise Finger Bite Articulation to optimize your pronunciation of words.
In order to master the song, learning the song effectively is essential too.
Finally, remember – your performance will be uniquely yours, don’t be afraid to personalise it. If you’re looking for more songs that suit your vocal range, use the Search Songs by Vocal Range tool.
Happy singing!