Singing Guide: A Wonderful Life
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Learning to sing like Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and singer whose distinctive gravelly voice and outstanding dreamy trumpet playing style makes him one of the most influential and beloved musicians of the 20th century. Louis's voice is known for his gravelly textures, unique timing, and playing with clarity and soulfulness. To sing like Louis Armstrong, get ready to concentrate on three "pillars": rhythm, emotion, and technique.
1. Rhythm
Rhythm is the foundation of jazz, and when it comes to learning how to sing like Louis Armstrong, it's also a crucial step.
Here are some resources that could help you get started with rhythm:
- How to learn a song effectively: Follow this to understand the rhythm and beat of any song, you can use the tips to sing like Louis Armstrong.
- Warm-up/Practice starter: Humming: This tutorial provides warm-up exercises, once you master them, you can add rhythm to your humming.
2. Emotion
Emotion is a crucial aspect of Louis's voice. His emotion is unmistakably evident in his voice, which conveys a sense of tenderness, humor, joy, and melancholy with equal ease. Singers who wish to learn how to sing like Louis should concentrate on conveying emotion to the audience.
Here are some resources that could help you get started with emotion:
- Singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking: Get started by following this article, which defines intuition and emotion in singing.
- Emotion-control/Performing: Relaxing Breath: To be able to perform an emotional song, relaxation is vital.
3. Technique
Technique is the final pillar of Louis's voice. Both his trumpet playing style and singing were remarkable for their clarity, tonality, and consistency. Louis had an impressive range of vocal abilities that allowed him to sing with clarity and soulfulness.
Here are some resources that could help you get started with technique:
- Voice types: Understanding your vocal type is important when developing Louis Armstrong's gravelly textured voice.
- Open mouth & throat: To sound like Louis Armstrong and his gravelly textured voice, you need to learn how to open your mouth when you sing and also use your throat well.
- Vocal distortion & Growling: Louis Armstrong's gravelly voice is a perfect example of vocal distortion, this article will show you how to master vocal distortion and learn how to growl like Louis Armstrong.
Recommended Louis Armstrong songs:
- What a Wonderful World
- La Vie En Rose
- Ain't Misbehavin'
Singing like one of the most iconic voice of the 20th century is challenging. Still, following the tips, articles, exercises, and using Singing Carrots resources will help you develop an understanding of Louis's style, technique, and emotions.