Singing Guide: Delia Murphy

Singing Guide: Delia Murphy

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Delia Murphy was a famous Irish folk singer known for her clear and beautiful voice. She was born in County Mayo in 1902 and began her career in the 1930s. Delia Murphy sang in both English and Irish, becoming a popular performer in Ireland and beyond. She had a unique vocal style with a distinctive resonance, crisp enunciation, and a rich, warm timbre that perfectly suited the folk songs she sang.

If you want to learn how to sing like Delia Murphy, the first step is to develop an understanding of Irish and Celtic music. Delia Murphy was particularly famous for her renditions of traditional Irish songs such as "The Spinning Wheel", "Four Green Fields," and "The Moonshiner." These songs are characterized by their unique melodic contour and vocal ornamentation through taditional Irish ideas rubato and melodic "crooning".

To start mastering Delia Murphy's unique singing style, here are some practical tips and resources that will be helpful:

  • Breathing: Proper breathing is essential for any singer, and it is particularly important if you want to sound like Delia Murphy. Singing Carrots' blog on breathing basics and this Farinelli breathing exercise video serve as the introductory resource for breath work.
  • Voice registers and vocal break: To sound like Delia Murphy, you must master your voice registers and the vocal break. Singing Carrots' blog on voice registers and vocal breaks and Voice Crack/Mixed Voice explainer videos like this Voice Break video will help develop the needed range and variation.
  • Warm-up and practices: Vocal agility of the tongue, voice, jaws, facial muscles, and diaphragm is key for achieving Delia's style. Warm-up exercises like Humming and Finger Bite Articulation Exercise will help promote warming up all required muscles.
  • Articulation: Delia Murphy's crisp enunciation requires perfecting articulation skills. The Finger Bite and Soft Palate/Sounding Nasal videos serve as this kind of resource.
  • Voice control and vibrato: Delia Murphy employed a unique vibrato in her singing style. For developing one's own vibrato, linking Beggars Bounce and Diaphragm Bounce videos will be helpful.
  • Song selection and technique development: Once you've developed an understanding of Irish and Celtic music and mastered the basics of Delia Murphy's vocal style, it is time to start practicing individual songs. Singing Carrots' post on tips for singing popular Irish songs will serve as an excellent starting point. Remember to also practice dynamic range, or go high, low, or loud as required by the music.
  • Additional education: Singing Carrots singing course for beginners will be useful for getting the basics right and extends to advanced topics like vocal health.

In conclusion, mastering the unique vocal style of Delia Murphy requires a deep understanding of her music, a focus on perfecting vocal agility, register, warm-up, song selection, and developing a unique vibrato. By following the practical tips and Singing Carrots resources provided, you can take the first steps toward singing like Delia Murphy.

Learn more about this artist vocal range, voice type and repertoire.