Singing Guide: Black Label Society
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band led by the legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde. Zakk Wylde's vocals have a unique style that blends elements of traditional heavy metal and Southern rock. His voice is characterized by a gravelly, growling quality that he uses to deliver powerful, emotionally charged performances.
To learn how to sing like Zakk Wylde, start by analyzing your own voice. Sing along with some of his songs, paying attention to the nuances of his vocal technique. This will help you identify what aspects of your voice you need to work on to emulate his style.
One of the signature aspects of Zakk Wylde's singing is his use of vibrato. To develop your vibrato, check out Singing Carrots' exercises like "Beggars Bounce" or "Diaphragm Bounce", which provide a comprehensive range of vibrato exercises.
Another important aspect of his vocal technique is his use of vocal distortion, which he achieves through various techniques such as growling. Check out "How to Growl Exercise" for a tutorial and try out other exercises as well like "Vocal Distortion & Growling" to develop your vocal growl and distortion technique.
Furthermore, as Black Label Society often play in low tunings, Zakk's voice is more often situated within the limits of chest voice. Watch a video about how he explains his chest voice technique in "Chest Voice Explained"
In addition, check out Singing Carrots' educational singing course, which provides a comprehensive 21-lesson program covering singing theory and practical tips. "Pitch Training" also provides interactive vocal warm-ups, pitch visualizer, and exercises for range and agility.
As you work on emulating Zakk Wylde's vocal style, remember to practice proper breathing techniques and maintaining an open mouth and throat while singing. Singing Carrots' articles like "Breathing Basics", "Voice Registers & Vocal Break", "Breath Support", and "Open Mouth & Throat" provide insight into these aspects of technique.
To master his style, you'll need to put in plenty of practice and effort. However, by utilizing the resources available through Singing Carrots and paying close attention to the nuances of his vocal technique in his iconic songs such as "In This River," "Stillborn" or "Fire it Up," you can learn to sing like Zakk Wylde and become a killer heavy metal vocalist in your own right.