How to Learn Singing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables
“I Dreamed a Dream” is a powerful and emotional song from the musical Les Misérables. To learn how to sing this iconic piece effectively, it’s important to understand the unique vocal technique used in the song and explore practical advice to help you master it.
The Vocal Technique: Belting
“I Dreamed a Dream” is known for its intense belting moments. Belting is a vocal technique where singers produce a strong and powerful sound with a mix of chest voice and head voice resonance. It involves singing high notes using the chest voice, resulting in a rich and full sound. To achieve a strong belt, you need good breath support and control, proper vocal placement, and a relaxed throat.
The Unique Vocal Technique in Other Songs
The belting technique used in “I Dreamed a Dream” can also be found in other popular songs. Some examples include:
- “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked
- “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the musical Dreamgirls
- “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from the musical Funny Girl
Learning Tips
To learn how to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” effectively, here are some practical tips to keep in mind:
- Analyze Your Voice: Before diving into the song, take the time to analyze your voice and determine your vocal range. Singing Carrots offers a vocal range test that can help you understand your voice better. You can access it here.
- Breathing Technique: Mastering proper breath support is crucial for belting. Make sure to check out the Singing Carrots article on breath support to understand and improve your breathing technique.
- Vocal Warm-ups: Before attempting “I Dreamed a Dream,” warm up your voice with exercises that focus on expanding your vocal range and improving your breath control. Singing Carrots offers a pitch training program that includes vocal warm-ups and exercises.
- Practice Phrasing and Dynamics: Pay attention to the phrasing and dynamics of the song. Emphasize the emotional journey of the character through your vocal performance. Singing Carrots provides an article on how to learn a song effectively that offers helpful tips for phrasing and interpretation.
- Record and Analyze: Record yourself singing the song and carefully listen to identify areas for improvement. Singing Carrots’ article on how to analyze your voice can provide guidance on how to reflect on your recordings.
Additional Singing Carrots Resources
Singing Carrots offers various tools and resources that can further enhance your singing journey:
- Search songs by vocal range to find songs that suit your voice.
- Discover the vocal ranges of famous singers by exploring the vocal ranges of famous singers.
- Utilize the Singing Carrots educational singing course that provides lessons covering singing theory and practical tips.
- Use the Vocal Pitch Monitor to visualize your sung notes on a virtual piano and track your progress.