Singing Guide: Band Of Horses
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
If you're interested in learning how to sing like Band of Horses, there are a few key elements to take note of. Band of Horses is known for their unique blend of indie rock and alternative country, with a distinct vocal style characterized by lead singer Ben Bridwell's soaring vocals.
One of the most notable characteristics of Bridwell's vocals is his powerful and emotive delivery. To emulate this, it's important to focus on your breath support and control. Singing exercises like the Farinelli breathing exercise and using the Pitch Training - Educational Singing Game to improve both pitch accuracy and breath support can be enormously helpful for building the kind of control and power needed to sing like Bridwell.
It's also important to focus on vocal registers and breaks. Bridwell makes use of both chest and head voice to achieve his signature sound, frequently switching between the two for dynamic effect. Using resources like the Singing Comfort Zone video and the Voice Break video from Singing Carrots can help you learn the techniques to use different registers and understand vocal breaks.
Another characteristic of Band of Horses is the band's use of harmony and backing vocals to create a sense of depth and richness in their sound. To work on your harmony, use the Vocal Pitch Monitor to find the right notes and practice singing alongside your favorite Band of Horses songs.
To really capture Bridwell's unique style, it's also important to focus on phrasing and dynamic shifts. Using resources such as Beggars Bounce video and the Relaxing Breath video can help you achieve greater control over your dynamics and learn to express more emotion through your singing.
Last but not least, to practice singing in the style of Band of Horses, choose some great Band of Horses tracks to sing along with. Knowing the lyrics to songs like "No One's Gonna Love You" and "The Funeral" and practicing them regularly can help you learn how to incorporate all of the techniques outlined above to achieve the signature Band of Horses sound.
Remember to enjoy the process of developing your singing ability, and make use of all of the amazing resources at Singing Carrots, such as the Search songs by vocal range page and the singing course to help you improve your voice and make progress toward your singing goals.