Learn to Sing like Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions - Techniques & Songs

Curtis Mayfield’s high tenor voice remains one of the most distinctive and soulful of all time. Both with The Impressions and as a solo artist, Curtis Mayfield influenced generations of singers of soul and R&B. If you're keen to learn how to sing like this soulful singer, let's dive in!

Key Techniques

• Breathing: The ability to breathe deeply and fully is essential to develop a soulful singing voice. When trying to emulate Curtis Mayfield, practice breathing exercise, such as Farinelli Breathing, and focus on breathing deeply with your diaphragm.
• Vocal Registers: Curtis Mayfield was recognized for his ability to easily transition between falsetto and chest voice. The singing voice can be divided between head voice and chest voice, so exercises like Voice Registers and Vocal Break can help you achieve this mixing of registers.
• Vocal Style and Expression: Using your voice to express pure emotion is what separates great singers like Curtis Mayfield from ordinary ones. Explore exercises like Singing with Intuition, Skills, Emotions, and Thinking, which prioritize creating emotional resonance.
• Phrasing: When singing phrasing lines, start the phrase with a capital note, and end with a softer note. Curtis Mayfield often used this technique for transitioning between vocal ranges. Exercises like Articulation can help you excel in phrasing.

Songs to Emulate

Here are a few Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions songs to focus on when trying to emulate his style:

1. People Get Ready
2. Gypsy Woman
3. Keep on Pushing
4. Fool for You
5. It’s All Right
6. I’m So Proud

Resources

To wrap up, here are a few of the relevant Singing Carrots resources to help you learn to sing like Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions:

• Vocal range test
• Breath Support
• Chest Voice Explanation
• Voice Registers and Break
• Singing with Intuition, Skills, Emotions, and Thinking
• Articulation

Start practicing these techniques with the songs mentioned above. Before you know it, you'll be singing like Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions.