Singing Guide: Benny Hester
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
For those of you who haven't heard of Benny Hester, let me introduce you to him. He was an American singer-songwriter prominent in the 1980s.
Benny Hester had a unique vocal technique that is highly influenced by rock music but mixed with the soul of gospel music. One of his songs that exemplify this vocal technique is "Nobody Knows Me Like You," where he blends powerful high notes and smooth low notes.
So how can we learn to sing like Benny Hester?
- Firstly, it's important to identify your voice range and understand your vocal type. You can measure your vocal range using Singing Carrots' vocal range test. Understanding your vocal type can help you focus on the specific areas that need improvement. You can read further about Voice types here.
- Secondly, breathing techniques can play a very significant role when singing any type of music. Benny Hester was famous for using dynamic breath support and breathing from the diaphragm. You can read more about the different types of breathing and how you should use them here and here.
- Thirdly, Benny Hester's vocal range versatility was partly due to the usage of different voice registers. Singing Carrots has laid out a brief description of vocal registers in this article, which can give you insights on how to apply them in your singing.
- Fourthly, proper vocal and mouth techniques are important in trying to sound like Benny Hester. One such technique is opening your mouth and throat while singing. An article on it can be found here.
- Finally, practice, practice, practice: As Hester himself said, "You can't teach anyone anything. You can show them, but it's the hours of practice that turn the trick." Singing Carrots' Pitch Training has interactive vocal warm-ups and exercises that can help improve voice fundamentals such as pitch accuracy, range, and agility. Check it out here.
In conclusion, learning to sing like Benny Hester requires dedication, hard work, and a lot of patience. Following the tips and utilizing the relevant Singing Carrots resources provided can help you improve your singing skills and get closer to mastering Benny Hester's unique vocal technique.