Singing Guide: Alma Cogan
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Alma Cogan was one of the most popular British female singers in the 50s and 60s. Her clear voice, diction, and warm personality made her loved by many generations. She was known for incorporating elements of jazz and blues into her pop repertoire, which made her stand out among other singers of her time.
If you want to learn to sing like Alma Cogan, it's essential to understand the basics of jazz and blues vocal techniques. Alma Cogan was a master of singing with emotion, and her style allows for unique inflections and vocal slides. Thankfully, practicing jazz and blues vocals is not as complicated as it sounds.
First, you need to build a solid foundation of vocal skills, such as correct breathing, voice support, and posture. Singing Carrots offers an excellent online course that covers all the basics of singing for beginners, which you can find here: Singing for Beginners
Once you have the fundamentals, you can focus on practising jazz and blues singing techniques. The Contemporary Vocal Techniques article from Singing Carrots covers heavy modal, twang, and belting techniques, which would fit Alma Cogan's style perfectly.
One of the best ways to hone your jazz and blues techniques is to sing along with jazz standards or blues songs. Singing Carrots has an online tool that can easily find songs matching your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference: Search for Songs
Once you have found some appropriate songs to sing with, be sure to focus on the nuances of the performance. Alma Cogan was excellent at using her voice as an instrument to convey emotion in her singing, allowing her to perform knockout songs that left audiences wanting more.
To refine your skills even further, you can use Singing Carrots' tools like the Vocal Range Test and the Pitch Accuracy Test. Additionally, you can use the Vocal Pitch Monitor to help you see the notes you sing.
Remember, the key to successful jazz and blues singing is to practice, practice, practice. With the right tools and techniques, you can learn to sing like Alma Cogan and impress audiences with your exceptional talent. Happy singing!