Singing Guide: Eric Clapton
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Eric Clapton is a legendary blues and rock musician, singer, and songwriter known for his soulful and expressive guitar playing, as well as his distinctive and emotive vocal style. As a singer, Clapton has a warm, mellow tone, which perfectly complements his bluesy guitar work.
If you're interested in learning to sing like Eric Clapton, it's important to pay close attention to both his vocal technique and his artistic expression. Here are some practical tips for developing your vocals in a Clapton-esque style:
- Work on your breathing: Eric Clapton has a natural and relaxed vocal style, which is supported by deep, diaphragmatic breathing. To develop your breath support, try singing along to his songs while focusing on your inhalation and exhalation. Practice relaxed, expansive breathing exercises like the Farinelli Breathing exercise video linked above.
- Focus on phrasing and dynamics: Eric Clapton is a master of musical storytelling, and his delivery is characterized by careful attention to phrasing and dynamics. When singing his songs, pay close attention to the way he uses volume, rhythm, and tone to convey different emotions and ideas.
- Pay attention to vocal registers: Eric Clapton often uses a mix of chest and head voice to achieve a powerful and expressive sound. Work on developing a smooth and seamless transition between your chest and head voice when singing his material. Check out the Singing Comfort Zone video above for a great explanation of this.
- Learn his key techniques: Eric Clapton often employs vocal techniques such as vibrato, growl, and falsetto to add interest and emotion to his performances. Practice exercises like the ones linked above to develop these key techniques.
- Practice with relevant Singing Carrots resources: Use the Vocal range test to see how you compare to Clapton's vocal range, and use the Pitch accuracy test to assess your pitch accuracy. Use Pitch monitor to see your own pitch written as notes on a virtual piano. Practice with the Pitch training - Educational Singing Game to develop your discord recognition speed. Use Song search to find songs that fit your vocal range or preference and learn directly from sheet music or lyrics.
To get started singing like Eric Clapton, try practicing some of his signature songs, such as "Wonderful Tonight," "Tears in Heaven," and "Layla." Pay close attention to his vocal technique and artistic expression, and experiment with incorporating his key techniques and phrasing into your own singing style. Good luck!